‘He was definitely killed that night’: Widow marks 40 years since husband’s suspicious disappearance

Private investigators believe they are close to a breakthrough in the case of Neil McDougall, who went missing 40 years ago. Scott Miller explains.

Neil and Mary Ellen McDougall had only been married five months when Neil went missing 40 years ago.

“Neil McDougall. He was the most loving and caring man that I have ever known in my life. Everybody in town loved him,” recalled Mary Ellen.

McDougall was last seen leaving a residence in Ayton, Ont. on Oct. 12, 1985. Investigators believe something happened that night that led to his disappearance.

McDougall is presumed to be dead, and most likely murdered, according to his widow, Mary Ellen.

“Anybody that really, truly knew Neil from Durham knows that something happened to him that night. He was definitely killed that night,” she said, while sitting at her kitchen table holding onto their wedding photos.

That is also the prevailing theory shared by Nick Oldrieve and Angela Richard, private investigators with Please Bring Me Home, who have been looking into Neil’s missing person’s case since 2019.

They believe three people, who allegedly saw Neil the night he went missing, hold the key to cracking the case.

“The majority of those three have been extremely uncooperative with wanting to talk about that evening, which is concerning. So, it could just be that, because they saw Neil that night, they’ve been pointed out possibly knowing something, and maybe they’re just tired of it. It also could be that they actually do know something,” explained Oldrieve, co-founder of Please Bring Me Home, based in Owen Sound, Ont.

Regardless, 40 years later, Oldrieve believes there is a strong sense of hope that Neil’s disappearance will be solved, and possibly soon.

“Someone who knows has already agreed to reach out and talk with us. So, I think if anyone else knows something, they are running out of time. They’re really running out of time to share their side of the story about what happened that evening,” said Oldrieve.

That is exactly what Mary Ellen would like to see: someone who knows what happened to her late husband and bring an end to her 40 years of answerless questions.

“We need closure. Anybody that has lost missing people, they need closure. You know, it’s been a tough 40 years,” she said.

“His family was devastated, his friends were devastated, and there are no answers. So, peace is what we’re looking for, peace for those who have passed. Peace for his family, that are still here,” added Angela Richard, one of the investigators from Please Bring Me Home.

There remains a provincial $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the disappearance of Neil McDougall.

OPP investigators urge any person with information regarding the person or persons responsible for the McDougall’s disappearance to immediately contact Ontario Provincial Police at 1-888-310-1122 or the nearest police authority, or by visiting the Ontario Association of Crime Stoppers website.

Please Bring Me Home also has information and a place to submit anonymous tips on their website.