How police will search Saskatoon landfill in Mackenzie Trottier case

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Under an overcast sky dotted with whining gulls, officers in white hazmat suits dumped wheelbarrows full of debris into large bins in the background of a police news conference at the Saskatoon landfill Wednesday morning.

It was the first day of a 33-day search for evidence related to the disappearance of Saskatoon woman Mackenzie Lee Trottier. The 22-year-old was last seen leaving her family’s home in the East College Park neighbourhood on Dec. 21, 2020.

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On April 19, city police announced they would search a specific area of the landfill for evidence, based on “a substantial amount of data” collected in late 2023 from electronic devices seized during the investigation.

Deputy Police Chief Cam McBride said they waited until May to conduct the search after consulting “several experts.”

Police have not explained what data was collected, or indicated specifically what they are looking for, to preserve the integrity of the investigation.

“Our primary goal is to gather any potential evidence which may assist us in our investigation,” said Staff Sgt. Corey Lenius of the major crimes division.

Speaking to reporters at the landfill, he said the search area is divided into three zones — a process that was developed with fire department hazardous materials co-ordinators.

The green zone will act as the command base, while the yellow zone is for decontamination. The red zone, marked with a white rectangular tent, is set up at the base of a hill.

Each day, a rotation of 14 officers and two dogs specifically trained in human recovery will meticulously comb through the material that is excavated and removed from a “layer of interest” approximately 10 metres wide and one metre deep, Lenius said.

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He said police narrowed down the “layer of interest” — which required a week of removing 1,092 cubic metres of surface waste — with the help of engineers from the city, and through GPS tracking on garbage trucks.

“Some of the evidence we’ve collected has given us some indication (of) what trucks to track, and therefore we were able to get those GPS coordinates from the city and be able to pinpoint, with the engineers’ help, as to what part of the landfill we should be looking, and in fact how deep we should be going to get to that point.”

Lenius said officers will be looking for documents with dates and addresses that confirm they’re searching the right area. Any items of interest will be further examined inside the white tent with the help of forensic anthropologist Dr. Ernie Walker.

“It’s hard to say what condition anything that we’re searching for could be in at this point, based on the time that’s passed, based on all the environmental issues and the work process that the landfill operates on,” Lenius said, adding that an evaluation of any evidence found will determine whether the search continues.

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Officers working in the red zone are required to wear protective footwear, chemical-resistant suits, puncture-resistant gloves and respirators.

Police said Transportation Canada has declared a no-fly zone within a 1,000-foot ceiling and two-mile radius from the search zone, starting Wednesday and ending on June 4. A police drone is allowed in the restricted area.

“Any family member of the missing doesn’t want to terminate here, but this is part of our journey. We pray for the safety of all those working behind the scenes, all those who have worked tirelessly to come to this day,” Trottier’s father, Paul, told reporters at the landfill.

“This is a long, trying and tiring journey that is not yet finished.”

Paul said his daughter loves nature and animals, and wants to work in the veterinary world. She was still “finding her way,” when she disappeared, he said.

There have been many tips over the past three and a half years, including a possible sighting of Trottier in Calgary in 2021.

That same year, police released a sketch of a man they believed may have information about her disappearance. The sketch was based on surveillance video images obtained from Idylwyld Drive North businesses in December 2020.

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Trottier was in good spirits as she left the family home, where she lived off and on, Paul said. Her mom asked if she wanted a ride, but Trottier said she was getting a ride-share.

“There was no animosity, no anger. She was fairly normal on her way out the door. And that was the last day we saw her. It was pretty difficult when she didn’t come home, especially for Christmas.”

Pausing, Paul said through tears: “Mackenzie, we love you and we miss you deeply.”

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