North Bay police release new information in 2011 missing person case

CTV Northern Ontario: Luke Joly search It's been three years this weekend since Luke Joly went missing from downtown North Bay, and his family still hopes to find him.

Update:

Ian Campbell

NORTH BAY -- North Bay police have released new information in the 2011 disappearance of Luke Joly-Durocher Tuesday in hopes of sparking new leads.

The case remains unsolved.

Investigators now say Joly-Durocher was last seen in Shooters Bar at the Voyager Inn on Delaware Street in North Bay after he was turned away at Cecil's.

Police say the 20-year-old was seen socializing at the bar, that was not previously named, and investigators say he later got a ride from at least one of the patrons.

They say several witnesses have come forward, and they believe that by releasing this new information, there may be someone out there who may have been socializing with him before he disappeared.

Chief Scott Tod says this is about bringing the family closure, finding out how he died, and who or what may have been responsible.

Billboards are also being placed around the city outskirts in hopes of spurring additional tips.

The province is still offering a $50,000 reward for information on his whereabouts is still in place.

Original:

(Luke Joly Durocher has been missing since 2011. Supplied)

Chelsea Papineau, with files from Linda Holmes and Carrie Trownson.

SUDBURY -- North Bay police will provide an update Tuesday morning at 11 am on the disappearance of Luke Joly-Durocher in 2011.

Joly-Durocher has been missing since March 4, 2011, when he was last seen leaving a downtown North Bay bar on Main Street just before midnight.

Detective Sergeant Barry Ramsay, of North Bay Police Service said "Luke was turned away from Cecil's Eatery and Bar at the corner of Main Street East and Wyld Street. It's believed that he was by himself in the area of 100 block of Main Street East and may have proceeded west bound on foot."

20-year-old Joly Durocher was just visiting North Bay the night he disappeared, so police expanded their search to his hometown of Temiscaming, Quebec. With the help of Sûreté du Québec and the Ontario Provincial Police K9 Unit, police conducted ground searches in a rural area close to Temiscaming. Police also searched Lake Nipissing near the water treatment plant for clues.

The jacket he was wearing, his glasses, and cell phone were later found at a friend's downtown apartment on Sherbrook Street, which later become the subject of a forensic investigation.

Luke is the only son of Rob Joly and Monique Durocher. Over the years, the family has held candlelight vigils and even raised money through community concerts and donations to offer a $10,000 reward for information.

Police have received many anonymous tips over the years.

In February 2013, a North Bay woman was convicted of obstructing police in connection to Joly-Durocher's disappearance. 31-year-old Danielle Leduc-Mitchell was sentenced to two years less a day in jail time for providing false information to police.  A few months after the investigation began, she claimed to have witnessed the beating death of Joly-Durocher, identified alleged assailants, and described how the body was disposed of in the Temiscaming area, but police determined that the information was not true and that valuable time and resources were wasted as a result.

It took an emotional toll on the family and gave them false hope. Leduc-Mitchel apologised to the family at the trial.

The province stepped in to offer a reward in 2016.

CTV Northern Ontario's Ian Campbell is attending Tuesday's news conference in North Bay and will have the newest information sometime after 11 am.