CANADA Canada- Eli Wood, 25, student@ Sir Wilfred Laurier Univ., missing after fire (poss. arson)@ home, Kitchener, Ont.,19 Oct., 2025, *Foul play suspected*

[Claroon]

I was wondering about EW's medical issues. In his GoFundMe he refers to it as a disability. If he was confronted the night of October 18 or morning of October 19, did something medically related transpire and cause his 'visitor' to freak out? If so, why not call 911?

That leads to numerous theories.

 

[Claroon]

For a better idea of what technology is used by Waterloo Regional Police Services in Major Crime Investigations, I have compiled the following details.

This gives some perspective on how a lot of evidence can be documented very efficiently using technology. Based on available information from Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS), they use advanced forensic technology, including CCTV cameras with ALPR (licence plate scanners), 3D scanners and drones (RPV) with advanced sensors to document crime scenes, major collision scenes, and assist with investigations.
Key details regarding WRPS and technology:

• 3D Scene Documentation: WRPS forensic identification officers utilize technology to survey major crime scenes and fatal crashes, allowing them to capture detailed data faster than traditional methods, which helps in analyzing evidence for court.
• Drone (RPV) Usage: The WRPS Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV) is used to assist with investigations, including searching for people and photographing scenes.
• Forensic Identification Unit: The service operates a dedicated Forensic Identification Unit that uses specialized, high-tech tools to process evidence.

While WRPS previously used controversial facial recognition technology (Clearview AI) in 2019-2020 for identifying suspects and victims, the Chief of Police ordered a stop to its use until proper policies were developed. They have since adopted other technologies, such as BriefCam (2022) for video analysis.


WRPS Technology Links:
>>> Link 1 , Link 2

I feel that what the community and sleuths want to know is whether LE has it covered, or whether they still want the community to help in some way? The silence is off putting to a fair degree. People want to help in any way possible.

LE, I hope you have some community services helping the family come to terms with what they are dealing with.

 

[Mayjusticeprevail]

All good points. The realities of investigation. And add in there these agencies going on Christmas breaks...

It all amounts to such a long wait. Since it is so snow covered in Kitchener right now, no searches can go on. So we await a sighting of EW, Forensic updates, discovery of his body, or identification of a Person of Interest. It is a long wait for his family and the community, as well as us intrigued with justice issues.

But the POI, if he or she is reading, could confess. Could tell us all what happened that weekend.

Yes, understandably some delays can be a result of the holidays.

For Eli and his family’s sake, we do want to help with timelines and share details that may jog someones memory. We hope the POIs are identified or the perp(s) turn themselves in.

Contact WRPS Major Crimes Unit: 519-570-9777 ext. 8191 or Crime Stoppers (Anonymous): 1-800-222-8477

 

[Mayjusticeprevail]

I was wondering about EW's medical issues. In his GoFundMe he refers to it as a disability. If he was confronted the night of October 18 or morning of October 19, did something medically related transpire and cause his 'visitor' to freak out? If so, why not call 911?

That leads to numerous theories.

With patches of white hair and partially white eyebrows and eyelashes it’s possible EW has Poliosis. It can be genetic or triggered by viruses that cause inflammatory or autoimmune disorders.

If it were a medical emergency gone wrong, the fire would be a panicked cover-up but it’s very cruel to leave a small senior dog inside to burn to death. It leaves a lot to question because we have no details about what was seen or heard around the time of the fire.

LE have classified it as targeted arson so that implies fire was part of the plan from the start.

For the sake of EW and his family, I hope that anyone who knows where EW is being held or anyone who can identify the suspect or suspects who were involved will provide these details to police or crime stoppers.

WRPS Major Crimes Branch:
519-570-9777 ext. 8191

Crime Stoppers (Anonymous):
1-800-222-8477

 

[Claroon]

**For Discussion Purposes Only**

I won't speculate on EW's medical issues apart from recalling his mom mentioning in a FB post
GROUND SEARCH FOR ELI WOOD



that he needed medication, and him mentioning in his GoFundMe about a 'disability'. I think his brother TW may have said fatigue too. EW has a post on FB about POTS ( Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) though nothing says he has that. Yes, it is possible for a person with POTS to collapse or pass out if severely frightened Link. 2nd Link.


In reading "Psychology Today" (no specific article) I have noted a general behaviour that sometimes occurs in panic of a person present during a medical emergency that would cause them to NOT call 911. Before posting, I want to clarify, there is no evidence something like this occurred in the EW case. Only speculating that 'it may have'.

Possible reasons for a person not calling 911:

Panic

freezing

misinterpreting symptoms

fear of being blamed

impairment – drugs/alcohol

thinking the person just needed space/time

not realizing it was an emergency

having a crisis mental episode: crisis psychology shows that someone who is overwhelmed, dissociating, or emotionally destabilized is more likely to respond in any of the above ways.

Link

 

[Claroon]

I

I won't speculate on EW's medical issues apart from recalling his mom mentioning in a FB post
GROUND SEARCH FOR ELI WOOD

View attachment 639546

that he needed medication, and him mentioning in his GoFundMe about a 'disability'. I think his brother TW may have said fatigue too. EW has a post on FB about POTS ( Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) though nothing says he has that. Yes, it is possible for a person with POTS to collapse or pass out if severely frightened Link. 2nd Link.


In reading "Psychology Today" (no specific article) I have noted a general behaviour that sometimes occurs in panic of a person present during a medical emergency that would cause them to NOT call 911. Before posting, I want to clarify, there is no evidence something like this occurred in the EW case. Only speculating that 'it may have'.

Possible reasons for a person not calling 911:

Panic

freezing

misinterpreting symptoms

fear of being blamed

impairment – drugs/alcohol

thinking the person just needed space/time

not realizing it was an emergency

having a crisis mental episode: crisis psychology shows that someone who is overwhelmed, dissociating, or emotionally destabilized is more likely to respond in any of the above ways.

**Further to the medical‑event speculation---FOR DISCUSSION ONLY:

If someone was with him and he experienced a medical crisis, how did he then vanish?

Even if we imagine EW collapses and the visitor panics, freezes, or misinterprets the situation, the next step is still unclear. (as we all know). Eli was not in the unit when firefighters arrived. Based on that alone, the possibilities seem limited to:

• he left the unit before the fire, either voluntarily or under pressure

• he was removed from the unit while unconscious or otherwise unable to leave on his own

I'm sure LE have checked the site for DNA, blood, or anything else that might clue them into what happened next. Was bedding, coat, jacket, boots still there, or gone? Beyond that, we don’t have enough verified information to understand what happened.

 

[Ghostwheel]

Does anyone know about when the snow would melt enough that true outdoor searches can continue? It seems to me that if there is a body to be found in any outside location, it would have to be after snow melt, correct?

Also, I see no information about Eli's day to day life. That colours how I think through possibilities. If he were unable to get enough from the GoFundMe to pay rent and finish school, would he look for a job? Maybe meet someone not yet known to his family or friends? Would his mental outlook be positive, negative, in between that close to the end of a month (like worried about being able to pay rent). Would he have looked for a roommate? Being a kind person, he may not have recognized a person claiming to want to help but having another motive. In addition, his research may have led him to someone who had mental heath issues.

Both LE and the family are being very tight lipped. I feel like they have some clues they cannot act on, but I have no basis in fact for that.

 

[Claroon]

Does anyone know about when the snow would melt enough that true outdoor searches can continue? It seems to me that if there is a body to be found in any outside location, it would have to be after snow melt, correct?

Several Canadian Search and Rescue (SAR) groups (OSARVA, SARVAC, and RCMP SAR guidelines) note that deep snow, ice crust, and frozen ground limit the effectiveness of outdoor searches and scent‑tracking for dogs. Dogs also are not put into recent arson zones as the toxins can be damaging to them.

In most regions, my understanding is that meaningful outdoor ground searches resume after spring thaw when snowpack recedes and terrain becomes accessible again. In southern Ontario, Canada (Kitchener) we are having major snow this weekend (Jan 25). The spring thaw usually occurs between late March and mid‑April, So yes, if investigators believe someone may be outdoors, the most effective searching I would think would be postponed until after melt, although our regional LE are able to use drones.

If water is involved, that’s a different situation. In a separate post, we could discuss what water sources are near this crime scene based on the idea the perpetrator would not drive far, and the possible outcome of someone being put into water from October to present.

 

[Claroon]

Further to @Ghostwheel's question regarding winter searches: In the Case of Candace Derksen the entire community was searching. There was snow on the ground and very low temperatures as is normal in Winnipeg when she was found. Allegedly, her case is used in references to winter cases in Canada. But she was not found by a search team. Candace disappeared in November 1984 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her body was discovered in January 1985, inside an unheated shed in an industrial yard by an employee that wanted something from the shed. I believe they ruled her cause of death hypothermia, though cited as homicide since the perp left her there to freeze.

So, what that means for this case? Winter conditions don’t automatically delay recovery if the person is in a structure, vehicle, or other enclosed space. I would *speculate*, if LE had a lead, they could still search cars, dumpsters, sheds, garages, and other enclosed spaces with or without snow cover.

 

[Ghostwheel]

Further to @Ghostwheel's question regarding winter searches: In the Case of Candace Derksen the entire community was searching. There was snow on the ground and very low temperatures as is normal in Winnipeg when she was found. Allegedly, her case is used in references to winter cases in Canada. But she was not found by a search team. Candace disappeared in November 1984 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her body was discovered in January 1985, inside an unheated shed in an industrial yard by an employee that wanted something from the shed. I believe they ruled her cause of death hypothermia, though cited as homicide since the perp left her there to freeze.

So, what that means for this case? Winter conditions don’t automatically delay recovery if the person is in a structure, vehicle, or other enclosed space. I would *speculate*, if LE had a lead, they could still search cars, dumpsters, sheds, garages, and other enclosed spaces with or without snow cover.

Fair point. I was thinking outside as in outside in the elements, maybe buried in snow or buried in what might now be frozen ground or water sources ( as you indicated). There have been more than a few remains found by people who just happened to go to where the remains were at for whatever reason. But LE cannot search private property without a warrant or permission from the property owner.

Which then leads me to: Are there any large pieces of private property in a 10 mile range (random range based on my wondering) where LE could NOT search without a warrant or permission from the owner?

The first thing I usually hear in these cases is a request for every one to check their property and outbuildings. I didn't see that in this case, which seemed odd, but maybe not for the area?

I seem to be stuck on: where might he have ended up, alive or deceased. My choices for the disappearance seem to be never made it home, left voluntarily from the home, forcibly removed from the home. Any other possibilities?

 

[Claroon]

If he were unable to get enough from the GoFundMe to pay rent and finish school, would he look for a job? Maybe meet someone not yet known to his family or friends? Would his mental outlook be positive, negative, in between that close to the end of a month (like worried about being able to pay rent). Would he have looked for a roommate? Being a kind person, he may not have recognized a person claiming to want to help but having another motive. In addition, his research may have led him to someone who had mental heath issues.

We might have discussed this before, and if not, some of us thought about it for sure. The timing of the GoFundMe and his disappearance is suspect. I feel so bad he made the post public which could tip off so many. But, ultimately, if his disappearance is tied to it, it is the perp that is guilty, not EW or those who shared the FB post.

His transparency statement states he received some help. Would a perp break in wanting access to that money? I dunno, it isn't a lot!



The desired total of the goFundMe was set for $1,800. Eli’s GoFundMe states that his fall tuition is paid, but he’s struggling with rent and hopes to move home to complete his winter semester virtually. The $1,800 goal appears to cover rent and relocation costs. There appears to be only one donation, so not much for LE to look into.

His financial need would add a layer of vulnerability, IMO, to his already small stature and could be used to lure him into something untoward. I have no idea if he looked for a job with his schedule he was already doing probono (?) required counselling for mental health clients as part of his course (only link I have is the Linkedin below).

In this scenario, my mind even went to someone saying "come along with me on my food deliver route and we'll split the tip" . I often receive food delivery where the passenger holds the food containers while the other drives and the passenger hands me the food. (speculation only)

Someone also mentioned a possibility to me--"we'll give you a grant or loan, come with me to my office to sign off on it" (speculation only).

We don't know the official time he last spoke to his mom. Was it near midnight? If so, would he actually go out that late? Or was it earlier? Would he go out between, say, 4 am and 6am to do a job?

As for the roommate question, we can only speculate. It was a studio apartment with a bed and sofa in the same room as the kitchen. I suppose someone who was targeting him could have said something like sharing the rent for couch surfing, let me see the place???

His research and his practicum were related to mental health for most certain. From his LinkedIn

What did he do June to Sept? Did he work elsewhere? All his walking and feeling threatened, I think that was in a May 2025 post.

 

[Mayjusticeprevail]

I



**Further to the medical‑event speculation---FOR DISCUSSION ONLY:

If someone was with him and he experienced a medical crisis, how did he then vanish?

Even if we imagine EW collapses and the visitor panics, freezes, or misinterprets the situation, the next step is still unclear. (as we all know). Eli was not in the unit when firefighters arrived. Based on that alone, the possibilities seem limited to:

• he left the unit before the fire, either voluntarily or under pressure

• he was removed from the unit while unconscious or otherwise unable to leave on his own

I'm sure LE have checked the site for DNA, blood, or anything else that might clue them into what happened next. Was bedding, coat, jacket, boots still there, or gone? Beyond that, we don’t have enough verified information to understand what happened.

Excellent points.

With no details shared from the Fire Marshall’s report, all we have to go on is that EW was not located in the unit, his dog’s remains were located in the unit, and his phone and laptop were destroyed by the fire. LE continues to guard the evidence.

With all the previous timelines I shared regarding how long it takes to get cell phone records, cell tower pings, camera footage, and cell tower dump, I thought there must be exceptions and researched what legislation exists to speed up access to phone records when a person’s safety/wellbeing is believed to be compromised.

What came up is The Ontario Missing Persons Act (2018). This legislation was specifically designed for cases where no crime has been proven yet, but a person's safety is at risk.

Under Section 5, LE can make an "urgent demand" for records (including cell pings and telecommunications) without a court order if they believe the records will assist in locating the person and that the time required to obtain a court order would result in a serious risk of harm to the missing person.

If the "urgent" threshold isn't met but the case is active, they can apply for a Production Order, which is generally faster than a traditional criminal search warrant.

If the LE believe EW is in immediate danger, they can bypass the standard warrant wait times using exigent circumstances.

Major Canadian telecommunications providers have 24/7 Law Enforcement Support desks.

If police declare an exigent emergency, carriers can provide pings and recent activity logs in minutes or hours rather than weeks.

Police can also request a tower dump, which provides a list of every phone that connected to the towers serving 25 Major Street during a specific window.

Investigators then use specialized software to compare these lists. They look for burners or new IMSIs (International Mobile Subscriber Identities) that appeared at the location shortly before the arson/disappearance and hadn't been there previously.

Other ways for family, friends, neighbours, tenants, Wilfrid Laurier, and the last MSM placement supervisors can help speed up the investigation process is to cooperate with the investigation and provide as many details possible that establish a timeline of everywhere EW was 2 weeks prior to the incident with a list of who was in contact with him.

Only LE can ping a phone or demand records, but there are ways to provide these records with the "probable cause" they need to justify these urgent requests to a judge or a carrier:

1. If the family has the login credentials for EW’s Google (Find My Device) or Apple (Find My) accounts, providing these to the police immediately can bypass the carrier entirely and give real-time location data.

2. If friends or family noticed EW talking to someone new or using a different messaging app (Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp) in those two weeks, reporting those specific handles or numbers can help police narrow their request from "all records" to "specific records," which carriers often process faster.


The reward offered by the family for tips leading to EW’s safe shows the family is very active with gathering infornation.

I hope that LE used the Ontario Missing Persons Act in this case.

 

[Claroon]

Excellent points.

With no details shared from the Fire Marshall’s report, all we have to go on is that EW was not located in the unit, his dog’s remains were located in the unit, and his phone and laptop were destroyed by the fire. LE continues to guard the evidence.

With all the previous timelines I shared regarding how long it takes to get cell phone records, cell tower pings, camera footage, and cell tower dump, I thought there must be exceptions and researched what legislation exists to speed up access to phone records when a person’s safety/wellbeing is believed to be compromised.

Good stuff! and after LE get permission to check out all of this, if they notice the connection of a certain name, it takes time for that investigation I would think, to build a solid case before an arrest is granted.