The Community
th
Press 115 Years of Telling YOUR Story
Volume 116 Issue 11
www.thecommunitypress.com
Big plans for Vista Theatre location in Hardisty P14
Wednesday, September 13, 2023 s
40-year old missing person case remains unsolved Leslie Cholowsky Editor
Kicking off 100 Years of Lougheed Fair
Killam transformed into Scarecrow Town during 6th Festival The Killam Chamber of Commerce celebrated the sixth Scarecrow Festival on Main Street this past Saturday, Sept. 9, feeing over a hundred people with free hot dogs and donuts. There were kids games, live entertainment, and lots of visitors to the town, both human and.. otherwise. Above, an enthusiastic visitor was spotted outside Rogue Coffee on Main Street Killam. See more on Page 15.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the case of missing person Desmond Joseph Runstedler. Runstedler, last seen near Lougheed in May 1983, apparently just disappeared after attending a wedding dance in Lougheed. Some campers near Lougheed saw him later that night, trying to hitch a ride on Highway 13 around 2 a.m., and as far as the RCMP are aware, that was the last time that he was seen. It was an unseasonably cold May night, reaching temperatures as low as -5 degrees celsius. He lived in a farmhouse about 3km east of Lougheed at the time. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, a navy blue turtleneck, and white, high-top running shoes. Reports say that Runstedler wasn’t reported as missing right away, that didn’t happen until January 1984, when the Lougheed postmistress called his family after his mail went unclaimed for months. This left police with few clues as to what became of him. In a 2005 report in The Community Press, reporter Lex McKechnie says, “The first and simplest conclusion would be that he left town and moved on. However, the information RCMP have gathered since his disappearance makes that possibility unlikely.” At the time of his disappearance, Runstedler worked for the County in waste management as well as working part-time at the Lougheed Hotel bar. Killam/Forestburg RCMP Cst. A. T. McKechnie said, “If he did simply leave town, he didn’t take anything with him. He left behind a JVC stereo which was supposedly his pride and joy.” Cst. Journeay was the Killam member investigating the case at the time he was reported missing. In the search to track down Runstedler, his bank accounts, Revenue Canada accounts, unemployment agencies, social services, and even immigration were all contacted. “There was no activity in any of those departments,” said Cst. McKechnie in 2005. In fact, his bank account was left untouched, the bank closed it due to inactivity. Income Tax return cheques made out to Runstedler were never cashed. Cst. McKechnie said in 2005, “I think he met with foul play.” But if Runstedler passed away, his body has never been found. Continued on Page 23