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 knew I read something about Eli being hard of hearing, posted by a friend. (I remember wondering about Wardenburg Syndrome, with the white eyelashes. So the detail about hearing stuck in my head, hanging on that thought.)

I have a deaf friend who has had some scary reactions from men who perceived her as "ignoring" them, when they were trying to chat her up in public.

"Who are you to ignore me, you stuck up b___?" -- that type of attitude.

I recall something about a nearby homeless encampment in the park near Eli's apartment. Maybe someone in passing tried to ask a question about the dog, or knew Eli from a work placement. Eli didn't hear them. A fragile person living on the street, already feeling unseen, cracks with rage feeling like someone else is ignoring them. (With or without a sexualized component, which has its own layer of wounded ego.)

It could also just be something that an organized perpetrator took advantage of, like if they knew about the dog being a service dog.

Thanks for sharing, that is sad what your friend has encountered. EW was working with homeless people as their course work but we don't know if in person or doing admin stuff and yes there are lots of wanderers around Kitchener.

 

[Charlot123]

Was it in a kennel and got smoke inhalation? Was it loose

I knew I read something about Eli being hard of hearing, posted by a friend. (I remember wondering about Wardenburg Syndrome, with the white eyelashes. So the detail about hearing stuck in my head, hanging on that thought.)

I have a deaf friend who has had some scary reactions from men who perceived her as "ignoring" them, when they were trying to chat her up in public.

"Who are you to ignore me, you stuck up b___?" -- that type of attitude.

I recall something about a nearby homeless encampment in the park near Eli's apartment. Maybe someone in passing tried to ask a question about the dog, or knew Eli from a work placement. Eli didn't hear them. A fragile person living on the street, already feeling unseen, cracks with rage feeling like someone else is ignoring them. (With or without a sexualized component, which has its own layer of wounded ego.)

It could also just be something that an organized perpetrator took advantage of, like if they knew about the dog being a service dog.

Thanks for mentioning Wardenburg syndrome. Makes sense.

 

[Charlot123]

I imagine the dog barked when perp(s) arrived, took EW, left and especially when fire was set.

The time that perp(s) showed up is unknown. They may have arrived when EW was awake or they may have arrived closer to to 6am when fire was set.



This makes sense. Either to get EW to do something or removed EW to buy themselves time until LE determined the fire was arson and foul play involved with EWs disappearance.
It gave perp(s) a few days.



MOO
As much as I try to see him being lured out, I just can’t picture EW leaving his apartment willingly without his phone or his service dog.

For police to say foul play was involved with his disappearance, it points to them having evidence. They may have found signs of a struggle, forced entry, broken or overturned furniture, open cupboards or drawers, signs of sudden departure (unlocked door, appliances left on), tools used to commit B&E, accelerants for fire.

Robbery or personal motives make sense MOO.

Horrible story, and I hope the family will get their answers.

I have a friend, and she has a small dog whom her son saved from a very abusive situation. The dog is incredibly vocal and barks loudly whenever someone rings at the door. She likes me. (At first I'd bring food and definitely feed her in my house but now I don't even need to as she has "formed opinion" about me.) However, she (the dog) has poor way of telling who's behind the door just by the footsteps, she barks loudly, and my friend, on seeing that it is me, opens the door very fast so that people living around are not bothered. And I walk in fast, too, because on realizing that's me, the dog gets quiet.

So: I wonder if the habit to open the door fast to any person known to them is typical for the owners of loud dogs? It may be a reflex, "come in, let's talk inside, she's too loud".

A service dog has to be loud, but maybe people in the house complained of the dog barking?

Then Eli would feel pressured to open the door and let a known (if not even liked or specifically trusted, but merely known) person in. Especially if the dog barks in the evening or at night.

It is a complex dynamic - you being reliant on the dog but at the same time wishing to be on good terms with the neighbors.

Also, I fed my friend's dog just because I can't say "no" to one, but gaining trust of an animal who barks by food may be used for nefarious reasons, too.

So, I wonder if a known person walked in not with the best intentions? Or maybe they did have some expectations but the result was not what they wanted and the person may easily get angered by nature.

Logically, the money could be a valid reason. Intuitively, I am not sure if that's the case. It seems that the person wanted to express themselves and acted very impulsively. Did they know about the money and took it? The police should know.

In short, I don't feel that the person was trusted nor necessarily liked by Eli, but I feel that the person was definitely known to Eli and to his dog.

It has been mentioned that Eli was leading a somewhat hermit-like life. Is it still possible, however, that he could be occasionally visiting some neighbors in the house or people living in the vicinity, with the dog?

One wonders how much did the people in the big house heard that evening/night?