Deceased/Not Found Canada - Alvin, 66, & Kathy Liknes, 53, Nathan O'Brien, 5, Calgary, 30 June 2014 - #1

[casesensitive]

That was my first though too. Because I don't want to believe that it's anything more heinous. With tens of people walking through the home for 3 days, there must be a lot of DNA to sift thru.

No one though to remove the sign at 4pm? Someone show up after hours and "come on in"?

I find it truly offputting that there's more than one public reference to "step" children/grandchildren. *WHO* does that? As a teen I overheard an older relative comment about the pleasure over the birth of finally a 'real' kin (the rest of us adopted)... hurt... but at least that wasn't meant to be overheard. If you married the spouse (and his/her family) or welcomed incoming son/daughter in law (and his/her family) WTF with the 'step' - they are all your kids or grandkids now. What do you accomplish by enumerating them differently? I don't get it. It's the same to me as someone presenting "birth" kids vs "adopted/chosen" kids. They're ALL your kids. Their provenance is no one else's business such that you have to label them.

I totally agree that children from a blended family should all be treated equally. LE have already looked in to the family's dynamics, and have stated that there are no custody issues, which is an important step in ruling out motives. Other people were also wondering why only one grandchild slept over. In an apparent abduction case, it is helpful to know these kind of details, and is not meant to be merely labeling and hurtful.

 

[ilovepierre]

Is Grandpa the bio-Grandpa or step-Grandpa?

I think he's the bio-grandpa.

ETA: Never mind. He's a step-grandpa.

 

[Wondergirl]

I am just throwing this out there for consideration.

I feel that there hasn't been a plea from Nathan's Mother, because it is possible that something has happened to Kathryn, and an emotional plea by Nathan's mother may have unintended consequences of guilt to the person who hurt Kathryn.

I am sure Nathan's Mother is in a place where no Mother should EVER have to go, and I hope she can remain strong.

JMO

 

[HulaMum]

The timeline is very informative, thank you.

The house being sold in December of last year jumped out at me. That's an extremely long possession date IMO. I also found it odd that someone would not want to move until the summer but want to list their home in the dead of winter, so far ahead of time.

 

[LayzeeDayzee]

Additionally, perhaps he was calling because the two men had plans? Or had agreed to discuss business that morning? We really have no context as to why he was calling. The brother also may have been alarmed more quickly because of the sale over the weekend. He may have become worried more quickly than usual due to knowing how many strangers had access to the home and personal information of his brother that weekend.

Also, maybe they had previously made plans to do something/go somewhere....and when nobody answered the phone AL's brother figured maybe they were all outside and didn't hear phone ring so he'd just drive over.

 

[sophiebelle]

The daughter wanted to collect her thoughts before making a statement. Has she been able to speak with the media, or I wonder if she's been advised not to? Horrible thing to deal with!

 

[LayzeeDayzee]

The timeline is very informative, thank you.

The house being sold in December of last year jumped out at me. That's an extremely long possession date IMO. I also found it odd that someone would not want to move until the summer but want to list their home in the dead of winter, so far ahead of time.

Maybe lawyer/buyer wanted summer possession date due to having school-aged children in another district and didn't want to disrupt their school year by having to change schools mid-year.

 

[Wondergirl]

Where is sweet Nathan?

 

[HulaMum]

Maybe lawyer/buyer wanted summer possession date due to having school-aged children in another district and didn't want to disrupt their school year by having to change schools mid-year.

That would make sense from a buyer's point of view but the Liknes just seem too clever for that. The buyer locked in his or her price 6 months ago and the market has continued to make huge strides monthly. Major bargain for the buyer, big loss for the sellers. Homes sell like hotcakes here. It is a seller's market. To sell 6 months ahead of when you actually want to move is so odd right now.

ETA: I should mention that, along the financial train of thought, the buyer of this property has now taken a serious hit. We encountered this situation last June when our city suffered serious flooding and properties waiting for possession dates were damaged. The buyer now must take a home that has been devalued due to a crime and may not even be able to move in until it is no longer a crime scene.

 

[otto]

This is one of the strangest cases I've come across. Robbery would suggest that people, if mortally injured, would be left at the scene. Kidnapping of robbery victims doesn't make much sense except to force someone to empty the bank accounts. Was this intended to be something along those lines - where Alvin would be forced to go to the bank to withdraw money on Monday morning, but everything went wrong with Nathan being at the house? I think that this will end tragically.

 

[kittymeow]

This type of stuff is so much more upsetting and feels way too real when it's happening in your own city. I'm so sad about this and keeping my eyes peeled everywhere I go around town.

 

[otto]

That would make sense from a buyer's point of view but the Liknes just seem too clever for that. The buyer locked in his or her price 6 months ago and the market has continued to make huge strides monthly. Major bargain for the buyer, big loss for the sellers. Homes sell like hotcakes here. It is a seller's market. To sell 6 months ahead of when you actually want to move is so odd right now.

That's an interesting point, but perhaps they needed the money to make the purchase in Mexico. That would suggest that there isn't an awful lot of surplus cash. The timeline states that Alvin sold the house. That tells me that only he was on title. Capital gains in the last 17 years must be somewhere in the area of about $500k, and that would be split between the two grandparents. Perhaps money was a factor. I wonder if everything was good between the two grandparents. We did learn that he listed his home in Edmonton, and she listed her home here. When they told people where they were moving, some heard up north, and others heard down south.

 

[Dixie811]

That would make sense from a buyer's point of view but the Liknes just seem too clever for that. The buyer locked in his or her price 6 months ago and the market has continued to make huge strides monthly. Major bargain for the buyer, big loss for the sellers. Homes sell like hotcakes here. It is a seller's market. To sell 6 months ahead of when you actually want to move is so odd right now.

Yes, great points.

In the timeline, there is a statement that the couple may have bought a condo in Mexico several months ago. I wonder if they DID already close on the Calgary home, but were renting it on a monthly basis while they purchased a home and prepared for the move.

___

Would love to hear the daughter speak. Or Alvin's brother speak in more detail. Surely they know where exactly the couple was planning on moving to and if they had purchased a condo in Mexico (or elsewhere).

 

[Weebles]

drag-marks-spotted-at-scene-where-calgary-grandparents-and-young-boy-went-missing

 

[LayzeeDayzee]

That would make sense from a buyer's point of view but the Liknes just seem too clever for that. The buyer locked in his or her price 6 months ago and the market has continued to make huge strides monthly. Major bargain for the buyer, big loss for the sellers. Homes sell like hotcakes here. It is a seller's market. To sell 6 months ahead of when you actually want to move is so odd right now.

True that. But maybe the buyer/lawyer paid even way more than asking to compensate for long possession date. Land/lots in that area are prime real estate and in short supply.........if someone wants a property bad enough and money is object, maybe they'd offer $100,000 above asking just to make the long possession appealing and equitable to seller. ?

On 2nd thought...........according to timeline:

December 5, 2013
Alvin Liknes sells his Parkhill home to a Calgary lawyer. He continues to live in the home with his wife, Kathryn.

Is it possible that buyer took possession months ago but an agreement in place where the Liknes couple remained in the home and rented it from buyer?

 

[otto]

True that. But maybe the buyer/lawyer paid even way more than asking to compensate for long possession date. Land/lots in that area are prime real estate and in short supply.........if someone wants a property bad enough and money is object, maybe they'd offer $100,000 above asking just to make the long possession appealing and equitable to seller. ?

On 2nd thought...........according to timeline:

December 5, 2013
Alvin Liknes sells his Parkhill home to a Calgary lawyer. He continues to live in the home with his wife, Kathryn.

Is it possible that buyer took possession months ago but an agreement in place where the Liknes couple remained in the home and rented it from buyer?

The Tax Assessment Value is $693k, but it probably sold for closer to $800k.

 

[SuziQ]

There are people that invest or operate a business of buying houses and renting them back to the sellers.

 

[LayzeeDayzee]

That's an interesting point, but perhaps they needed the money to make the purchase in Mexico. That would suggest that there isn't an awful lot of surplus cash. The timeline states that Alvin sold the house. That tells me that only he was on title. Capital gains in the last 17 years must be somewhere in the area of about $500k, and that would be split between the two grandparents. Perhaps money was a factor. I wonder if everything was good between the two grandparents. We did learn that he listed his home in Edmonton, and she listed her home here. When they told people where they were moving, some heard up north, and others heard down south.

Maybe they sold the home with intention to split equity proceeds and each go their separate ways........thus the diversely different stories about where relocating to. ?

 

[LoriMcA]

True that. But maybe the buyer/lawyer paid even way more than asking to compensate for long possession date. Land/lots in that area are prime real estate and in short supply.........if someone wants a property bad enough and money is object, maybe they'd offer $100,000 above asking just to make the long possession appealing and equitable to seller. ?

On 2nd thought...........according to timeline:

December 5, 2013
Alvin Liknes sells his Parkhill home to a Calgary lawyer. He continues to live in the home with his wife, Kathryn.

Is it possible that buyer took possession months ago but an agreement in place where the Liknes couple remained in the home and rented it from buyer?

I was just going to say....maybe they had a mutual agreement with the buyer for a higher price...Maybe the buyer wanted the house but didn't want to move until school was out *kids in a different area school etc* or for whatever reason...and it was worth it for the buyer to pay the extra...and also maybe the Liknes wanted time to clear out & buy somewhere else *be it Mexico or where ever*...I'm sure they would have realized that in those months the price could have increased quite a bit...maybe it was adjusted accordingly in the final price agreement....If it's a desirable area...and home...you never can tell ...plus giving the L's time to get everything tied up before they move...especially 'out of the province' or 'out of the country'....

 

[HulaMum]

Maybe they sold the home with intention to split equity proceeds and each go their separate ways........thus the diversely different stories about where relocating to. ?

Oh wow! Good thinking. Yeah, you're either a "retire to Mexico" person or a "retire to Northern Alberta" person, but not both. It's not like deciding between Phoenix and Palm Springs, kwim. Interesting thought.