Search Continues for Ashlynn Bottle and Nodin Skunk Near Former Pool 8 Grain Elevator
THUNDER BAY – The search for Ashlynn Bottle and Nodin Skunk is continuing in Thunder Bay, with Thunder Bay Police Service and Mishkeegogamang First Nation asking the public for help reviewing video, checking properties and reporting any information that could assist investigators.
The two missing people are from Mishkeegogamang Ojibway Nation, north of Ignace.
The search has become a shared effort involving police, emergency services, community searchers and Indigenous leadership, with Chief Merle Loon speaking publicly about the need to find the pair and support their families.
Police say Bottle and Skunk were last seen together April 26
Thunder Bay Police Service says 25-year-old Nodin Skunk and 23-year-old Ashlynn Bottle were last seen together on April 26, 2026, at 5:12 p.m. at the old Pool 8 grain elevator in the 400 block of Syndicate Avenue South. Police are continuing to request public assistance in locating both missing people.
Skunk is described by police as an Indigenous man, five feet nine inches tall and about 135 pounds, with a thin build, short straight black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with a white logo on the back.
Bottle is described as an Indigenous woman, five feet three inches tall, with a thin build, long straight black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a black crop top, a black jacket, a red baseball cap, burgundy sweatpants, red and white Jordan shoes, and a black backpack that is brown around the bottom.
Search has focused on the Pool 8 area
Local reporting from Monday’s media availability says investigators have focused on the former grain elevator property near Duncan Street and Syndicate Avenue South. Thunder Bay Police missing persons co-ordinator Jeff Saunders said investigators have been working around the clock on the site and, as of that update, did not have information suggesting the pair had left the property.
Police have used drones, searched the elevators and involved Thunder Bay Fire Rescue. Saunders said the nearby water is likely the next step, and that a water search would take longer and require assistance from the Ontario Provincial Police.
A third person who arrived with Skunk and Bottle was reportedly seen leaving the property, but police have not said Bottle or Skunk were seen leaving. That detail is important for the timeline, but no allegation of wrongdoing has been made in the public information reviewed.
Mishkeegogamang searchers are assisting on the ground
Mishkeegogamang First Nation has organized its own search effort alongside the police investigation. Searchers from the First Nation have been wearing bright orange clothing and checking properties in the surrounding area.
Chief Merle Loon, who is listed by Mishkeegogamang Ojibway Nation as the community’s current chief, has emphasized that the searchers are looking for loved ones and are not trying to disrespect private property. “We don’t mean to disrespect anybody’s property by any means, but you have to understand that we’re looking for a loved one here,” Loon said.
Public asked to check cameras and report small details
Thunder Bay Police and Mishkeegogamang searchers are asking people who live, work or travelled near the Syndicate Avenue South and former Pool 8 grain elevator area to review any surveillance, doorbell or dashcam video from the evening of April 26.
Police and the First Nation are especially asking for video from about 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. that night. Even a small detail — a sighting, a direction of travel, clothing, a vehicle, or movement near the river or grain elevator property — could help confirm the timeline.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Thunder Bay Police Service at 807-684-1200. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online through P3 Tips.
To join the search or help with donations, 807-323-0802 is the contact number for the Mishkeegogamang search team.
Why the search has broader significance
The disappearance of Bottle and Skunk has renewed concerns about safety for Indigenous people in Thunder Bay, particularly around waterways, isolated properties and high-traffic areas where there may be limited surveillance.
Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler said that the case raises concerns about the lack of cameras by the water and said similar concerns were heard during the Seven Youth Inquest.
The Seven Youth Inquest examined the deaths of Jethro Anderson, Reggie Bushie, Robyn Harper, Kyle Morriseau, Paul Panacheese, Curran Strang and Jordan Wabasse, seven First Nations youth who died while attending high school in Thunder Bay. The inquest remains an important reference point for Indigenous families and leaders calling for stronger safety measures, better response systems and accountability when Indigenous people go missing in the city.
Search remains active
The case remains active and evolving. Police have not released information confirming what happened to Bottle and Skunk after they were last seen.
Residents are urged not to spread rumours or speculation online. Anyone who believes they saw something, captured video, or found personal items in the area should contact police directly and avoid disturbing anything that could be evidence.
