It’s now been one year since anyone has seen or heard from Eli Wood. On Oct. 19, 2025, around 6 a.m., flames destroyed the back unit of a home on Major Street in Kitchener, Ont. where the 25-year-old was living. The Waterloo Regional Police Service launched an arson investigation but have never said what led them to that determination. They also said foul play may have played a part in Eli’s disappearance. On the anniversary of the fire, police renewed their appeal for information in the case. “Despite extensive efforts, investigators were unable to locate Eli,” Staff Sgt. Alison Sproule said in a video posted to social media. “One year has passed, but the search for answers continues.” It also included a message from Eli’s mother. “Eli doesn’t deserve this,” said Cindy Wood, her voice shaky. “I think somebody does know something and I think it’s time that they spoke up.” The disappearance has been hard for Eli’s family, especially his younger siblings. “Eli is the most loving person you could ever meet,” Cindy said. “Eli put them to sleep at night on video chat, helped them do homework over the phone. Eli’s kind of like the glue that keeps my family together.” In April, CTV News spoke to Michelle Roy-Brock, a friend who met Wood while attending Mount Allison University in New Brunswick. She also described Eli 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,” Roy-Brock said. “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.” Multiple searches have been organized over the last year by Eli’s friends and concerned community members. So far, nothing has turned up. Cindy, who lives on the east coast, wished she could have been part of those efforts. “Having your child missing in your own province is one thing but to have them in another province makes it a hundred times harder.” Family and friends are doing what they can to get answers by sharing Eli’s story on social media, knowing they just have to reach the right person. “Somebody has to know and they’re keeping it to themselves because Eli doesn’t mean anything, Eli’s not a person to them,” Cindy said. “Eli’s everything to us and I think they just need to call it in, no matter what it is.” Eli is 4’10” tall and weighs between 85 and 95 pounds, with green eyes, white eyebrows and eyelashes. They also have several distinctive tattoos, including a flower and seahorse on their left forearm and a rainbow on their upper right arm. “None of us are going to give up,” Cindy promised. “We just want Eli to come home.” Anyone with information, no matter how insignificant, is urged to call the Waterloo Regional Police Service’s Major Crime Unit at 519-570-9777, ext. 8191.
