Six months after Eli Wood disappeared following a fire at his home, police say the investigation is still active, but few details have been released, leaving family and friends searching for answers. Wood, 25, was last seen on Oct. 18. In the early hours of Oct. 19, a fire tore through his home on Major Street in Kitchener, Ont. The Waterloo Regional Police Service has not confirmed the cause of the fire, but they have said arson and foul play may be involved. In March, a group of concerned citizens searched near the Woodside National Historic Site, an area close to where Wood had been living. “Keep an eye out for more searches. I think there will definitely be more,” organizer Jamie Powell told CTV News at the time. “We could use all the help we can get, because there’s a lot of ground to cover in Kitchener.” “One of the kindest, most caring people...” The case continues, but police have not provided new information. People who knew Wood say the lack of answers has been difficult. Michelle Roy-Brock, a friend who met Wood while attending Mount Alison University in New Brunswick, described him as “one of the kindest, most caring people” she has ever met. “He is the type of person to put somebody else always first before himself, and to always support anybody,” she told CTV News on Sunday. “I don’t think in my whole entire life, I have still yet to meet somebody like him. He’s just so calm. He’s like a ray of sunshine after days and days and days of rain.” Roy-Brock said the uncertainty surrounding Wood’s disappearance has taken an emotional toll. “I feel really sad, really angry, really confused and lost,” she said. “Every day that passes is harder than the last because it’s more time without answers.” Online attention Wood’s case has gained attention online, with people across the country sharing information and discussing the investigation. While Roy-Brock said that visibility can help keep Wood’s name in the public eye, she added that speculation and misinformation circulating on social media can be harmful. “This isn’t entertainment for us,” she said. “This is real life and someone that we love and that we miss ... a lot of people online don’t see this as real life. Eli is my friend. Eli is somebody’s brother. somebody’s child.” Still searching for answers Wood’s family declined an interview but has continued to share updates and messages on social media, urging the public to keep his story visible and to come forward with any information. The family is offering a reward for information that could help locate Wood. Police are asking anyone with information to contact investigators or Crime Stoppers. Friends said they remain hopeful that answers will come. “All we want to do is bring them some answers and bring the family some answers. I want Eli to know that no one is going to stop looking for him,” Roy-Brock said. This is part of an ongoing series dedicated to cold and unsolved cases in southwestern Ontario. More stories can be found at Unsolved 519.
