Victoria police have new leads in a decades-old missing persons case that has international connections.
A sister of Dennis Crook has come forward, which will provide detectives with the familial DNA that could lead to a break in the case.
In an attempt to piece together what happened to Crook — a 34-year-old Victoria resident when he was reported missing on Oct. 22, 1985 — Det. Chantal Ziegler put out a call for Crook’s sister, Lillian, to come forward. Ziegler made contact with news outlets in York, England, where Crook is originally from and where it’s believed his sister still lives.
As a result of the publicity, a different sister who also lives in the U.K. contacted Ziegler about the case.
The woman was estranged from her brother and last spoke to Crook 41 years ago. She had little information about his disappearance in Victoria.
But she did agree to give a blood sample to the North Yorkshire police, who will send it to Victoria police.
Crook’s familial DNA will allow detectives to compare it with the DNA of unidentified human remains.
When a body is found and the B.C. Coroners Service is unable to identify the deceased person, the DNA profile is stored in the Canadian Police Information Centre database in the event of a future match, Ziegler said.
Police have discovered that Crook owned a sailboat called Beverly Ann, which was moored at Oak Bay Marina.
Ziegler knows the Greater Victoria boating community is tight-knit and is hoping any sailors with knowledge of the Beverly Ann will come forward.
It’s unclear if he still owned the sailboat when he disappeared. Ziegler said it’s also unknown if his disappearance is connected to a boating accident.
Ziegler said, as VicPD’s missing persons co-ordinator, she routinely reviews old files to see if, with the passage of time, she can uncover new information.
DNA is crucial in a missing persons case, Ziegler said, and it’s something that wasn’t available in the 1980s.
Crook was reported missing by friends after he didn’t show up for work. Police found his vehicle parked outside his Fairfield home on Olive Street and there was no sign of him.
Crook is described as a Caucasian man, five-feet-nine-inches tall, with a medium-to-large build. At age 34, Crook had brown eyes and black hair.
Anyone with information about Crook’s disappearance, or his boat, is asked to email Chantal.Ziegler@vicpd.ca or call 250-995-7654 or report anonymously through Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
