Days after Dutch police asked for the public’s help solving a mystery that has eluded local investigators for years, there could be a break in the cold case. Online sleuths have suggested the man Amsterdam authorities call “Lucky” could be John Russell Kenny, a Vancouver man who lost contact with his family decades ago—and the Vancouver Police Department confirmed investigators are looking into that possibility. The department’s Missing Person Unit is “actively collaborating” with Netherlands police and Interpol to confirm whether Lucky and Kenny are one and the same, spokesperson Const. Megan Lui told CTV News. “The investigation remains ongoing, and if a positive identification is made, we will provide an update as soon as appropriate,” Lui said in an email. Kenny was born on July 12, 1959, which would make him 67 years old. He hasn’t had contact with his family since 1993, according to the department’s Missing Person Cold Cases website. He wasn’t officially reported missing until 2018. The website describes Kenny as someone who “suffered from mental health issues” and was “transient in nature.” ‘Lucky’ believed to be Canadian Dutch authorities said their own mystery dates back to May 2023, when a man was admitted to hospital in Amsterdam after suffering a brain hemorrhage or stroke. He was then diagnosed with aphasia, a disorder that can impact speech, as well as one’s ability to understand spoken and written language. As a result, the man called Lucky—who was not carrying any ID at the time of his hospitalization—has been unable to provide investigators with any helpful clues about his identity. Amsterdam police have reason to believe he’s originally from Canada, however, in part because staff at a local restaurant said they recognized him as someone they knew as “Chris the Canadian.” Through their years of investigation, authorities said they heard of other names he apparently went by, including Louis, Lee, John, Ponytail and Sonny. Investigators were also told that Lucky is wealthy, was often seen in Buddhist circles, and had possibly travelled to Nepal. Police asked anyone with information that could help solve the case to contact them using an online tip form. With files from CTVNews.ca’s Kendra Mangione
