Donna Wall has carried the weight of not knowing what happened to her older brother for more than a decade. “All I want to know is where he is so he can be put to peace,” she told CTV News in July. Jed Ouillette disappeared from Kitchener, Ont. in September 2014. There were no confirmed sightings of the 52-year-old in the weeks, months and years that followed, no clear answers about where he went and no goodbye note was left behind. The Waterloo Regional Police Service said their investigation still remains active – 12 years after Jed vanished – and they are making another appeal for information in the case. “We believe there’s people out there that certainly know or have some information about Jed and where he went,” said Det. Const. Duane Gingerich, with Waterloo Regional Police’s Major Crime Unit. “We’re really appealing to the public to come forward with that information to bring closure to the family.” A disappearance that changed everything Jed was last seen at his home on Southwood Drive on Sept. 8, 2014. Wall said the family became concerned when, two days later, they noticed his dogs were inside – without food or water. “The report was that family members had been to his house several times to check on him and his dogs and found that the dogs were there,” Gingerich recalled. “They started to get suspicious and reported him missing at that time.” Jed’s personal belongings, that he would normally carry with him, were also still there. “He left everything,” said Wall. “He didn’t have his wallet. He didn’t have his passport. He didn’t have his bank cards.” That investigation has now lasted more than a decade. Wall said her brother was fun to be around and would often bring people together. “He was liked by a lot of people,” she explained. “He loved playing in the band. He loved playing the drums and singing.” Searches and unanswered questions Investigators chased multiple leads over the years and conducted searches in areas where Jed was known to visit, including Lakeside Park, where he often walked his dogs. “We had Niagara dive members come in and search the lake in that area,” Gingerich recalled. “Nothing [was] recovered of evidentiary value.” His financial records, phone records and other avenues of investigation were also examined. Gingerich said there has been no sign of Jed in the last 12 years. His family is convinced someone knows what happened on that September day. “I do believe for sure that somebody knows,” Wall said. “There could be more than one person that knows.” The case remains open While police have not ruled out foul play in Jed’s disappearance, Gingerich said they also have no evidence that conclusively points to a criminal act. “There’s no crime scene,” he explained. “There’s no remains that we’ve uncovered.” Investigators have also identified persons of interest but cannot provide details because their investigation remains open. Gingerich said one of the biggest challenges in missing person investigations is that information people may dismiss as insignificant could turn out to be an important piece of the puzzle. “Oftentimes people will think, ‘What I know is not important, or can’t possibly be important to the police,’ but that’s not the case. Please come forward with whatever information you have so we can look into that further.” Seeking closure Wall said Jed’s disappearance has affected everyone who loved him, including his children, Tyler and Sarah, who spent years not knowing what happened their father. Birthdays and holidays are also difficult reminders of his absence. Wall hopes someone will remember a crucial clue — even something small. “It might not seem like anything to them, but it could be just the proof that the police are waiting for,” she said. After 12 years, the family just wants to know what happened. “I’m not hopeful that he’s going to come home,” Wall said. “I am hopeful that we’re going to get answers.” Anyone with information about Jed Ouillette’s disappearance should contact the Waterloo Regional Police Service. This is part of an ongoing series dedicated to cold and unsolved cases in southwestern Ontario. More stories can be found at Unsolved 519.
