'Came across an e-bike in cornfield': New lead in case of missing St. Thomas, Ont. man

Police are searching a rural farmer’s field outside of St. Thomas for a man missing since Aug. 1, 2023.

“Officers attended an address in the county following up with the lead on missing person Kyle Hancock,” explained Sgt. Travis Sandham of the St. Thomas Police Service (STPS).

STPS officers began looking through the corn on Southdale Line just east of the city after Hancock’s recognizable e-bike was found by a farmer while combining the field.

“Monday we started into picking this field of corn and taking the headland off along the road,” said Bill Walters.

He explained, “The third width of the combine in, came across an e-bike that was standing in the cornrows. We just wheeled it to the edge of the field and stood it up against some bricks that were there and next thing I know there were police here looking at it and they've turned this field into an investigation.”

St. Thomas police officers make their way into a corn field on Southdale Line in Central Elgin, Ont. to search for a missing man on Nov. 10, 2023. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)

Walters added the bike had a flat back tire, and the wires to the battery were hanging down.

Hancock’s family said despite creating missing person’s posters and posting along with STPS on social media, they have only had what they believe to be two sightings which seemed plausible in the past three-and-a-half months.

In an exchange with CTV News London, Hancock’s sister Amanda said, “It does look like the bike has been there for a long time however which was concerning. We were hoping he and the bike would be found together.”

On Friday afternoon officers and detectives went farm to farm over the entire concession, and asked permission to search barns for the missing person.

St Thomas police officers walk through a corn field on Southdale Line in Central Elgin, Ont. as they search for a missing man on Nov. 10, 2023. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)

“They've asked us not to finish combining the corn until they've had time to go through it and do a complete search,” Walters said. “I've been in contact with them [police] most of the weekend. They've indicated that they'd be back on Monday and do a search and we're certainly hoping so because we want to get the corn off as well.”

With OPP officers also looking for a missing person in Oxford County, STPS aided their provincial colleagues.

At this time, Hancock remains missing.

“I can say foul play is not suspected at this point,” said Sandham. 

Farmer Bill Walters found an e-bike in his corn field on Southdale Line in Central Elgin, Ont. on Nov. 6, 2023. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)

 

AN UPDATE FROM ST. THOMAS POLICE 

In an update from St. Thomas police on Monday, police said that out of respect for Kyle Hancock's family and friends, police ask for a “compassionate approach” due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.

St. Thomas police and OPP have been conducting a search of the area, and have therefore asked members of the public and the media to avoid the search area of Southdale Line and Centennial Avenue. 

“We remain committed to locating the missing person safe and sound,” St. Thomas police said in a press release.