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AGNES MAY APPLEYARD CASE DRAWS ATTENTION OF AUTHOR

NOVEL LOOKS AT COLD CASE MISSING PERSONS REPORTS IN RURAL NORTHERN ONTARIO

SARAH COOKE scooke@metroland.com

Tim Marczenko has always been intrigued by mysterious disappearances and wanted to write a book about cold case missing persons files.

In his latest novel, "Gone Cold: Death and Disappearances in the Northwoods," Marczenko dedicates a full-length chapter to those who have gone missing in northern Ontario, including Agnes May Appleyard, from Emsdale, who went missing in 1986.

How did he come across Appleyard's case? Her name was one of thousands on the missing persons list.

"The police profile was limited," he said, and wondered what there was to know about this woman — what was her story?

Appleyard disappeared on April 27, 1986 from her home in the woods, seemingly without a trace. Marczenko said he began to dig into the case.

"There was very, very little information on her," he said, mentioning he found some Huntsville Forester articles and a request to the OPP for more information was denied.

"They denied me because they said they were still working on the case and the exact words were 'currently under investigation,'" he said. "Turns out there was no detective assigned to it and it wasn't unsolved but it wasn't open. It was inactive."

After two years of continuing to be denied by the police and only getting snippets of information, not enough to dedicate a chapter, Marczenko said a relative of Appleyard reached out.

"Eventually I was able to interview this relative and she helped me gain momentum with this story," he said, adding more relatives reached out afterwards and he was able to paint a picture of what family life was like for Appleyard.

"I found out there was a trial for the husband, a second-degree murder charge that he was on trial for because they think that he killed her but there was no evidence," he said. "So they went to trial anyway with no body, with no evidence."

After finding some court case records, Marczenko was able to complete Appleyard's chapter.

When it comes to the novel, the author said there are a lot of takeaways.

"There's misconceptions with these kinds of cases," he explained. "Because people think the police solve cases and we just have to sit back and wait for news of the case closure, but it's actually the public that is responsible for solving these cases."

While of course it is the police that will close the case, he said, the information will always come from the public.

"These cases will only be solved if people talk and if people share," said Marczenko. "That's why it's important to get these cases out there.

"We have to remember these people every day, or as much as possible, because they can only be closed if we continue to talk about them and share information," he added.

"Gone Cold: Death and Disappearances in the Northwoods" is available on Amazon as a softcover and ebook but Marczenko said he is currently working on an audiobook version that he hopes to release later this year.

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2023-03-23T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-23T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://communitynews.pressreader.com/article/281543705170529

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