Uncle of First Nation man missing in Alberta says nephew worried after winning $1M in lottery

The uncle of Joshua Francis Saulteaux, a 25 year old man from White Fish Lake First Nation in Alberta, says his nephew was worried after winning $1 million in a lottery. “He won the lottery a couple weeks prior on scratch ‘n win tickets and he bought an RV and camped outside my mom’s house,” said Francis Morin, Joshua’s uncle. He was last seen on May 5. The house is located on the south side entrance of White Fish Lake First Nation by Boyne Lake, about 180 kilometers north-east of Edmonton. When family members called Morin to tell him that his nephew Joshua was missing, he said he immediately left work to check his nephew’s RV and look for any clues. “His trailer was empty and there was blood all over the trailer. We began to do a search and people from the community showed up and we searched around the house and surrounding area. We looked everywhere. I spent many weeks after driving and looking for him and he’s just missing,” said Morin, adding Saulteaux’s close friends, who used to visit him at the RV, also assisted in the search. Saulteaux’s uncle says the 25 year old feared for his life after winning the lottery. Photo courtesy the family. Morin said the RCMP didn’t come to the home to speak with the family and inspect the RV until two and a half days later. “The RCMP showed up, but after a week or so, it seemed like it didn’t really matter to them. They come around here and there but they haven’t done a whole lot,” said Morin. Morin said Saulteaux’s vehicle was in the shop getting fixed at the time and that his nephew was thinking of working on the oil rigs with his Uncle Francis, before he disappeared. Morin doesn’t believe his nephew’s disappearance is gang-related and doesn’t think that Saulteaux owed anyone money. He did say, though, that Saulteaux was worried for his safety that Monday night. “After his lottery win, people started to come around him and I think he just hung around the wrong people and on the night he went missing, he went into my mom’s home and said, ‘They’re coming for me,’ and he hid his phone with all his banking information in the house,” said Morin. Goodfish Lake RCMP released a very brief statement on May 6 regarding Saulteaux’s disappearance. It only said that Saulteaux hasn’t been seen or heard from since the early hours of May 5. It also said that there was a concern for Saulteaux’s safety and well-being. APTN News attempted to contact Alberta RCMP but has yet to receive a response. Morin said he’s worried. “I believe he may not be with us,” he said. “It hits all at once. We don’t even care if [someone] did it, we just want to find [my nephew’s] body and lay him to rest, he deserves that much,” added Morin. Morin said the RCMP and the leadership of White Fish Lake First Nation haven’t done enough to help in finding him. “As an Indigenous community, it seems like all of our sisters and brothers go missing and everyone just turns a blind eye and shows a lack of compassion for us as a people and as a nation. I don’t understand it,” he said. “You wonder if (my nephew) had blond hair and blue eyes if things would be different. “You should care for your people and not just on voting day.” Morin said Saulteaux comes from a big family from White Fish Lake First Nation #128 and Kikino Metis Settlement, both in north-eastern Alberta and they’re also related the Houle family in the area. “He was a young man, 25-years-old, he had a good heart, he was a kind person, he would take my nieces and nephews out shopping, take them to movies, he’s not just a missing person, he’s a loved one to us and we are deeply grieved and saddened that all of this has happened. “Now we just need a tip for someone to come forward and say something because somebody knows something,” said Morin. Saulteaux is described as 190 lbs., 5’10, with brown eyes and brown hair. If anyone knows where Joshua Francis Saulteaux is, you are asked to contact Goodfish Lake RCMP at 1-780-645-8888 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Continue Reading