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Tuesday July 14 2015 3 INVESTIGATION MISSING PERSONS Northwestern Air Lease Kaesers Stores Ft. Smith Liquor Store Northern Journal Summer tennis lessons FREE with membership Youth 2000 Adult 3000 Family 4500 CONTACT Joan Bevington at 867 872-2899 or 867 872-2582 The Fort Smith Tennis Club Loves and thanks the sponsors of its 30th Annual Open Tennis Tournament Berros Pizzeria Northern Store GNWT ITI Town of Fort Smith Missing Fort Smith man found deceased near Highway 5 By MEAGAN WOHLBERG After nine months of searching the fam- ily and friends of a Fort Smith man who went missinglastOctobernallyhavesomeclosure. Brian Boucher 52 was located deceased on the afternoon of Monday July 6 in his vehicle. The truck was found submerged in a pond at a gravel pit off Highway 5 toward Fort Smith. RCMP could not immediately confirm the deceaseds identity but revealed Friday morning following an investigation by the NWT Coroners Ofce that the remains were those of Boucher. A great deal of concern was expressed by the public when Mr. Boucher was reported missing. Efforts were made to locate Brian not only by police but by members of the public. It is unfortunate that he has been found deceased. Our condolences are with Mr. Bouchers family and the community stated Sgt. Eric Lane of the Northwest Ter- ritories Major Crimes Unit. Bouchers wife Iris Lalonde Boucher con- rmed last week that her husband had been found via an online fundraising site created to raise money to cover the funeral costs and help family travel to Edmonton for the me- morial service. My husband Brian Boucher went miss- ing 9 months ago. He has nally been found she wrote. On the page Lalonde expressed her thanks to those who had assisted in the search. Brian was a kind giving hard-working man. His family always came rst and he would give the shirt off of his back to help anybody. Thank you for the support that we have received. To donate visit httpwww.gofundme. comyvx3qg Arrests made in connection to Fort Smith arson INVESTIGATION ARSON By DALI CARMICHAEL A Fort Smith man says his Caribou Cr. home had to be written off after his prop- erty was torched in a recent arson. Stan Kukovica was vacationing in Slave Lake Alta. when he received a call from RCMP notifying him of the house fire that took place shortly before 400 a.m. on June 30. Everything is totalled there even my clothes furniture everything Kukovica said. Once theres smoke theres always going to be smoke. Everything is done gone. Within a few hours of the incident police arrested suspects Darian Laviolette 18 and Richard Whalen 24. The two men were seen leaving the blaze by a neighbour in the area according to Kukovica. Both suspects have been charged with breaking and entering. Whalen has also been charged with counts of arson uttering threats and theft under 5000. Kukovica said he had no connection to the suspects before the re though he knew of Laviolette. No injuries were reported police said in a statement but the damage to the structure is extensive. Kukovica is awaiting an appraisal from his insurance company before deciding what to do with the charred property. Im doing okay. It makes me stronger. Its material Kukovica said. Maybe if I didnt have another place to stay I would worry about it but I have an empty apartment so I just moved in. RCMP and the NWT re marshal continue their investigation into the arson. Were still waiting for the results of some lab tests so the nalizing investiga- tion is underway but everything is pretty straightforward said Bill Reimer assistant re marshal in the South Slave. It has de- nitely been determined as incendiary and human-caused. Whalen was remanded to custody until his rst court appearance on July 3. His next court date has yet to be scheduled. Laviolette was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 17. Everything is totalled there even my clothes furniture everything. Once theres smoke theres always going to be smoke. Everything is done gone. Stan Kukovica PhotocourtesyofRCMP The body of Brian Boucher was located last week in a pond off the road to Fort Smith. PhotoDaliCarmichael Two men were arrested in Fort Smith following an arson on Caribou Cr. on June 30. Stan Kukovica the property owner says the damage is irreparable.