OPP seeking information in 1996 missing person case

An Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) patch is seen in Ottawa, on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

Ontario Provincial Police are making a renewed public appeal for information about the disappearance of a Brant County man 28 years ago.

Robert William Commu, 29, was last seen on March 31, 1996 in South Dumfries Township, which is located about 15 kilometres north of Brantford.

With the anniversary of the disappearance, the police have reissued a release asking for the public’s help in finding Commu. There are no recent leads and no foul play is suspected, Const. Jonathan Bueckert told CTV News.

Police say that Commu was known to frequent “areas along the Grand River,” however initial search efforts at the time failed to locate him.

Investigators have interviewed “family members, coworkers and associates.” Police also received reports that Robert may have been last seen with two unidentified males in a pickup truck in the days leading up to his disappearance.

“If anyone has any information about these two males or relating to Robert’s disappearance, they are being asked to contact investigators,” a news release issued on Monday states.

In the news release, the OPP said that investigators “continue to follow up on all leads” related to the case and are also working in partnership with the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains.

At the time of his disappearance, Commu was described as being six feet tall, 180 pounds, with long brown hair and blue eyes. Commu also has a tattoo of a lion with wings on his right arm. He was last seen wearing a white leather jacket with black sleeves and a red maple leaf on the back.