In the early summer of 2022, the family of 69-year-old Malcolm Custer grew concerned when he did not return from a journey he began on foot. On June 27, 2022, Malcolm had departed from Deschambault Lake, with the intention of traveling to La Ronge, Saskatchewan. His prolonged absence was out of character, prompting his family and the police to worry for his well-being. Reports about his last known location and date vary, painting a somewhat unclear picture of his final movements.
Some information indicates he was last seen on June 17, 2022, along Highway 165 in an area known as the 50-mile stretch, between Highway 106 and La Ronge. Other accounts place his last sighting at the Big Sandy Bay Fishing and Hunting Resort north of Smeaton, with the date being cited as both July 3 and July 17.
Malcolm was described as a man with a slender build, brown eyes, and shoulder-length brown and grey hair with a beard. When he was last seen, he was reportedly wearing a black hoodie and blue jeans. His journey from Deschambault Lake was arduous; after getting a ride to the Deschambault Lake junction, he apparently spent two nights on the highway between the junction and Big Sandy Lake, followed by two nights at the Big Sandy Lake Resort. His family noted that he might be in medical distress, possibly exhibiting signs of the onset of dementia and suffering from arthritis in his knees, which would make it difficult for him to walk far without resting. Malcolm was known to frequent several communities, including Deschambault Lake, Brabant Lake, La Ronge, Stanley Mission, and Prince Albert, though he did not have a fixed address.
In the weeks and months that followed the report of his disappearance on July 20, 2022, extensive search efforts were launched. The Smeaton RCMP, with assistance from Saskatchewan RCMP Search and Rescue, the Search and Rescue Saskatchewan Association of Volunteers, and the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association, conducted searches of the rural area where Malcolm was last seen. Family and community members also joined in the search, combing through areas familiar to Malcolm. The investigation has remained active, with authorities continuing to ask the public for any information regarding his whereabouts. The case is a deeply concerning one, involving an older man who set out on foot to travel a significant distance and was last seen in a remote resort area, leaving his loved ones without answers.Last Seen: Jul 17, 2022
