A Feb. 6 search of the Moonglo neighbourhood of Greater Sudbury for missing Ward 2 Coun. Michael Vagnini turned up nothing, Greater Sudbury Police said today.
“No new information related to Michael’s whereabouts came to light as a result of the search in the Moonglo area,” GSPS spokesperson Kaitlyn Dunn told Sudbury.com this morning.
That search included GSPS personnel from the Rural Community Response Unit and volunteers with North Shore Search and Rescue. While one group of searchers checked out nature trails behind houses on Nova Street, another group of police officers used an unmanned aerial device (drone) in an area near Moonrock Avenue where several new homes were under construction.
“Members of our Search and Rescue Team working in collaboration with North Shore Search and Rescue will be conducting a ground and aerial search in the Moonglo neighbourhood as part of the overall search effort,” GSPS said in a news release. “There is no specific information to suggest that Michael or the vehicle may be in the area, however as part of our due diligence approximately 10 individuals (officers and NSSR volunteers) will be conducting the search with the assistance of the Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS).”
GSPS said Moonglo is an area “associated” with Vagnini in the sense that he was “regularly seen” there, GSPS spokesperson Kaitlyn Dunn said, without explaining what that means.
Today, Dunn said detectives are following up on tips and information coming in from the public, but there was no new information to share.
“An update will be sent out when there is new information to report and/or a new location for a ground/aerial search is determined,” Dunn said.
The police service has said it is “continuously in contact” with satellite radio company Sirius XM, as well as cellular service companies and banks to see if Vagnini has used any of his electronic devices, credit cards or debit cards.
So far, those efforts have been fruitless.
GSPS is still asking the public to be on the lookout for Vagnini’s truck, a black 2021 Dodge Ram 1500 truck with Ontario license plate BK22178 and a broken passenger-side tail light — particularly in public and private parking lots across the city. Residents and business owners area also asked to check all outbuildings on their property.
Anyone with information related to the whereabouts of Michael Vagnini or the vehicle is asked to contact police at 705- 675-9171 extension 2320, which is a dedicated tip line for this incident and is checked regularly by detectives in the GSPS Criminal Investigation Division.
“If you have immediate and actionable information related to the whereabouts of Michael or his vehicle, please call 9-1-1.”
A vigil for Vagnini is being held Feb. 8 as part of the Walden Winter Carnival. The vigil for Vagnini is being held Thursday, Feb. 8 from 8-8:30 p.m. in the TM Davies Community Centre upper lot, following the carnival fireworks. You can learn more about that event here.
