Body of Merritt man discovered two years after he went missing

The remains of a 24-year-old Merritt man were discovered, two years after he was last seen.

It puts an end to the search for Miguel Mack that began in February 2023, but the homicide investigation remains ongoing.

His brother, Elijah Mack-Stirling, announced the discovery on social media on June 2.

“This is not the outcome any of us had hoped for,” he said in a social media post. “We want to thank everyone who shared information, searched, prayed and supported our family during this heartbreaking time. Your kindness and care meant so much to us.”

The circumstances of the discovery aren’t known and RCMP haven’t responded to an inquiry from iNFOnews.ca.

Police deemed Mack’s disappearance suspicious and major crime investigators led the investigation in the weeks after he was reported missing.

Mack-Stirling said the family began searching on their own early on, beginning roughly a week after his brother was last seen.

Within the first few days things seemed normal. It wasn’t uncommon for Mack to be out of contact for a day or two, but worry soon set in.

“We started to panic by day five, typically he checks into social media or texts from a friend’s home to check in. This is day eight now of no communication,” Mack-Stirling told iNFOnews.ca on March 7, 2023.

Police, drones, dogs, volunteers and family members have all worked on the search since he went missing.

Though police haven’t said much about the nature of Mack’s disappearance, they are certain it was not under innocent circumstances.

“Our investigation has shown that Miguel Mack’s disappearance was the result of foul play and that Miguel Mack is the victim of a homicide,” Staff Sgt. Jason Smart of the Southeast District Major Crimes Unit said in a news release last year.