Brad Ogilvie did not deserve to die.
“Brad was not without his flaws,” Glenn Ogilvie said of his son who would have turned 42 yesterday. “But we all have flaws; we all have demons that we have to deal with. Brad did not deserve to die for any of those.”
He was speaking at a news conference held Monday morning at Sarnia Police Headquarters where more details were provided about Brad Ogilvie’s 2023 disappearance — which is now an active homicide investigation, police announced Friday.
Three people have been charged with first degree murder, but police have yet to locate Ogilvie’s remains, and are urging members of the public to come forward with information.
“Brad had a drug addiction, like many people in this community…but I take exception to the people in our community who don’t care about our addicted people. They are sons and daughters, and they deserve to live, whether they are addicted or not,” Ogilvie said. “I think the community needs to wake up and realize that we need to do more to support our police services, our addiction counsellors, our hospital workers, our frontline workers…I believe in my own heart that this is not going to get better.”
“When somebody cries out for help because of addiction, they need it immediately,” he added. “Not two months down the road, not one month down the road — it’s immediately; when a person cries out for help they need it now, and they need a lot of it.”
Ogilvie’s plea for compassion and understanding was echoed by Dep. Chief Ron Hansen.
“These are not just drugs addicts, these are humans beings; these are people that have families; they have lives, they’re loved… regardless of what their issues are, they deserve to be able to continue living.”
Brad Ogilvie was first reported missing by family in November 2023.
“Through the investigation, police learned that Bradley was last seen leaving a Stuart Street home, in the company of three people who are now accused of killing him,” said Hansen, confirming the accused — two people from Aamjiwnaang First Nation, and one from Sarnia — have all been charged with first degree murder.
“Investigators have executed several search warrants; they have forensically examined a vehicle and a residence, the results of which we can not release at this time,” Hansen continued. “We’ve yet to recover Bradley’s remains, but it is a priority for us. We know someone has information that will help us find Bradley, and we are appealing for them to come forward.
“Bradley’s family deserves to have full closure, and the only way, is to bring Bradley home.”
Ogilvie’s disappearance was among three highly publicized missing persons cases in Sarnia in recent years. Police said there is no evidence to suggest his death is related to the disappearance of Trevor Chaput and Dustin Ireson — both reported missing in 2022 — which they continue to actively investigate.
Lambton OPP are also offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrested and conviction of those responsible for the disappearance of Deana Timms of Sarnia. Investigators believe her 2021 disappearance is the result of foul play.
“We need to know where [Brad] is; we need to know where the other men and women are,” Ogilvie said Monday. “I’m just hoping that this will be the snowball that rolls down the hill, and gathers the momentum to find them all.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sarnia Police Service at 519-344-8861 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477; or www.p3tips.com.