April 30 2023
OWEN SOUND – Judi Riley thinks it may be too late for her family, but she continues to fight for the loved ones of other missing persons.
lfpress.com
Judi Riley poses with a framed photo of her brother Jon Riley who went missing 10 years ago on April 26, 2013, after leaving a note at his mother's home in Meaford saying he was heading to Toronto. Facebook photo
''Ten years ago, Jon Riley, 46, left a note for his mother at their Meaford home saying he was heading to Toronto for a couple of days. He hasn’t been seen or heard from since.
On the 10-year anniversary of his disappearance, his younger sister Judi spoke from her home in Hawaii about her “epic” big brother and the apathy that followed his disappearance until the case of a Toronto serial killer shined a light on the handling of missing person files.
“I’ve been working now for 10 years trying to make changes on how things are handled in Canada, but there is a long way to go,” Judi Riley said. “It’s hard to imagine it’s been 10 years. For the family of the missing, it’s like it just happened. It never goes away.''
''Riley said her brother lived with their mother in Toronto until 2012 when their mother retired to the family’s summer home in Meaford. There, Jon worked with computers but would often travel to the city and pick up temporary painting and landscaping jobs.''
Riley said she told Epstein about the challenges she faced navigating and submitting her brother’s information to missing-persons databases, having her DNA collected to be used in her brother’s case and with police protocols, or a perceived lack thereof.
“My story is not unique,” she said. “I’ve looked under every possible rock in my brother’s case, but I still have this energy inside of me to continue searching. So I try to help other families and I try to advocate for change.”
''Anyone with any information is asked to call the OPP non-emergency line at 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).''