(CENTRE WELLINGTON, ON) – Two people from Arthur have been charged in relation to the death nearly 14 years ago of Lucas Shortreed.
On October 10, 2008, 18-year-old Shortreed was walking on Wellington Road 17 near Alma around midnight, when he was struck and killed by a vehicle. The vehicle fled the scene. Further investigation determined the suspect vehicle was a 1995-1997 white Dodge Neon. For the past 14 years, investigators with Wellington County OPP have followed up on over 100 tips and investigated hundreds of similar vehicles as they worked to locate the involved vehicle and determine its driver.
On Wednesday, Wellington County OPP executed a search warrant at an address on Sideroad 21 in Mapleton. Two people were taken into custody and a vehicle was recovered from the property. Both accused are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Guelph.
The investigation by Wellington County OPP continues, under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch, with assistance from the Regional Support Team, Forensic Identification Services, Emergency Response Team and the OPP Victim-Centred Approach Team.
“I am extremely proud of the many officers with the Wellington County OPP who have worked countless hours over the past fourteen years investigating this serious matter which has had such a great impact on our community. Today’s events mark an important step in bringing those responsible for Lucas’s death to justice,” said Wellington County Detachment Commander Inspector Steve Thomas.
Anyone with information regarding this incident can contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or online at www.opp.ca/reporting. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.
