The investigation into the disappearance of a BC man who went missing over three months ago is still ongoing, the RCMP have confirmed.
James Barnes was reported missing to the Fort St. John RCMP on Oct. 18 when he didn’t return from a hunting trip earlier that day.
Barnes had left in his pickup truck with his golden retriever Murphy.
The next day, Mounties in Chetwynd were told there was reason to believe James may have been in their jurisdiction.
Barnes’ truck was later found but he and his dog were not with the truck.
Shortly after the reported disappearance, search and rescue teams across the Southern Interior joined in the search for him and his dog.
In early December, a dog that looked similar to Murphy was found in a rural area near Fort St John.
However, the Chetwynd RCMP have confirmed in a news release that DNA testing has determined the dog is not James’ dog.
Mounties continue to seek witnesses who may have seen James, his truck or Murphy on Oct. 18, the day he was last seen, or who was in the Groundbirch area on road 269 road and the Groundbirch Forest Service Road.
Burnes is described as a 28-year-old white man who was about 5’11 and weighed 201 pounds. He has brown hair, brown eyes and a big moustache.
He was last seen wearing a green/blue TC Energy ball cap, a green or blue hoodie and jeans.
Murphy is described as an 18-year-old male golden retriever with no collar.
Anyone who has information or saw James or his vehicle in October is asked to call the Chetwynd RCMP at (250) 788-9221.
