What happened to Matt McGrath? Family seeks answers

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Good morning folks!

We have a bit of a different newsletter to bring you today. As we continue the transition following Robert’s departure, you are going to be seeing a bit more exclusive and unique stories here.

Over the weekend, I had the chance to speak with Melissa Rainville whose brother Mat McGrath went missing from his Carleton Place home in January. His body was found in the Mississippi River four months later in May. Rainville said the details of his disappearance don’t add up and she believes foul play may have been involved. We spoke for almost three hours about McGrath, who she called a hippie, with a zest for life and a passion for living each day to the fullest.

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Let’s get to today’s stories.

— Charlie Senack, [email protected]

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WEATHER REPORT

Wednesday: 20 🌡️ 13 | ⛅

Thursday: 22 🌡️ 14 | ☀️

Friday: 23 🌡️ 19 | ☁️

EXCLUSIVE STORY

Family searching for answers in death of Carleton Place man

The spring thaw was just finishing when Melissa Rainville got a call that her missing brother Matt’s body had been found in the Mississippi River near Carleton Place. 

He had been missing for almost four months when he finally surfaced.  The ability to grieve should have brought some closure, yet instead, Rainville was filled with more unanswered questions. 

A normal day: Mathew McGrath went missing from his Carleton Place home on either Jan. 17 or 18. He was last seen near the intersection of Grant and Coleman streets. What followed was a months-long search for answers. In February Rainville distributed 1,000 leaflets with McGraths photo. Posters hung in restaurants and lamp posts around town. 

What was most bizarre the entire time was the lack of answers. When McGrath left, he was wearing regular street clothes and left his dog Moe at home. There was no note. The suspicion many thought was suicide but Rainville said her brother would never have done that — especially in such circumstances. 

“He was always so carefree. I don't think he would ever think his life was that worthless,” said Rainville. “Especially to drown himself. We grew up with a pool and we’d taken private lessons until we were teenagers. Matt loved the water. That was his happy place. Why would you end yourself in that way? He would make sure that Moe was taken care of. That was my mom’s dog. He would have never left that dog alone or without a text to someone asking them to take care of him for a few days.”

Police searched wooded areas with ATVs and flew helicopters overhead. They couldn’t find any sightings of McGrath on CCTV footage and there was no activity in his bank accounts. It was as if he suddenly disappeared without a trace. 

• A mysterious trip: A few months before he went missing in November 2023, McGrath went on a trip to the Dominican Republic. Little is known about his time in the Caribbean nation, but he started having back pain on the plane ride there and it only got worse. 

When McGrath returned home on his scheduled flight, he brought with him only the summer clothes on his back. He allegedly told friends that he had been robbed. But when investigators called the hotel after his disappearance, resort staff said all his items were left in his room as if he left abruptly. There was a book on his bedside table and clothes left in the closet. 

McGrath didn’t appear to be the same when he got back to Canada. Rainville, who had an estranged relationship with her brother, said he didn’t talk to anyone about the trip. He took leave from his job at Carleton Place’s Waterfront Gastropub and never returned. 

Ontario Provincial police said there were no signs of foul play 

When OPP confirmed on May 15 that McGrath’s body had been found, they said there were no signs of foul play, per the autopsy, according to the Carleton Place-Almonte Canadian Gazette. 

“It appears the male had been in the water since he disappeared,” the OPP said in a media release. “No further information will be released.”

But that was before the toxicology report came back which could not prove or disprove that there were drugs in McGraths system, or that he was the one who put himself in the water. 

According to Rainville, there were certain factors that determine suicide that were not met. McGrath was also carrying a large amount of cash on him, something the coroner said would be unlikely to happen when someone commits harm to themselves. 

Could the police have done more? Rainville has believed from the beginning that someone did something to McGrath. Because of Canadian privacy laws, police were limited with what resources they could put behind his case before a body was found. She thinks police could have viewed his disappearance as more suspicious given the actions at play. 

“I think they should have taken a step out of the missing persons box because everything was out of the ordinary for Mathew. This isn’t someone who went missing on a regular basis and was a drug addict,” said Rainville. 

McGrath’s cell phone was left in his apartment. Police were unable to search it on the off chance he had gone away somewhere and would come back. But when police gave the phone to Rainville, she was allowed to independently have it searched. There were over 5,600 texts. 

Rainville is unsure if the police investigation is still ongoing or not. To her knowledge, the case is not closed because the coroner could not provide a definitive answer. She’s asking anyone with information to come forward to herself or the police. 

“There has got to be a reason why his body got in the water. Just come forward. Even if you think it’s the smallest thing that won’t matter, it could,” said Rainville. “I always remind people that crime stoppers pay if your information leads to something.”

Local stories like this take time and resources. And as a primarily reader-funded publication, we can only do these with support from you. We’re currently crowdfunding to hit 75 new members by Aug. 31. Become a new member today and help us write more stories like this one.

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OTTAWA BY THE NUMBERS

💵 $12,000: The amount of money a Gatineau woman was scammed out of in an Amazon fraud phone scam. TD Bank is refusing to reimburse the money. [CTV]

🎥 14: The number of CCTV cameras Prescott is installing. The municipality already installed 35 in the spring. [CTV]

🎤 2: The number of Taylor Swift tickets the Ottawa Food Bank is raffling off to celebrate its 40th anniversary. [CTV]

OUTSIDE DOWNTOWN

🏡 Jean-Guy Whiteduck has been elected as the new chief of Kitigan Zibi Anishinābeg. He beat his closest rival by only five votes. Bringing his 40 years of experience to the table, Whiteduck said he wants to build an Algonquin Language Learning Centre, extend Kitigan Zibi's water pipeline system, negotiate damages for flooding caused by Hydro Quebec, and explore a monthly per diem for elders. He would also love to build at least 10 new homes per year. [CBC]

🤺 Stittsville’s Trinity Lowthian is set to challenge herself at the 2024 Paralympics in fencing. It has been an uphill road of achievements since 2018 when she faced a significant health challenge – her autonomic nervous system was compromised – known as Autoimmune Autonomic Neuropathy and became wheelchair dependent two years ago. Despite this, she graduated high school with honours, completing her final two years primarily from her hospital​​​​ bed. [Stittsvile Central] 

🚛 Manotick residents are again pleading for truck traffic to stop driving through the town’s downtown roads. About 800 trucks cross the intersection of Manotick Main Street and Bridge Street each weekday. Seniors’ residences, a school, businesses and homes are all in close proximity. Those who live in the Village say they are loud, dangerous, and can take alternative routes instead. [CTV]

🐮 Ottawa Police were called to a suspicious incident at Wellington Street West and Holland Avenue over the weekend. When they arrived, they discovered three calves and a dog inside. Rumours started to swirl online that the animals were taken from the Central Experimental Farm located nearby, but those reports turned out to be false. [CTV]

GIG LISTINGS

The Fixer, Thursday 7 pm: Thunder Bay metallers delivering their signature mix of soaring vocals, dirty guitar riffs, and dark, edgy fun. At Cafe Dekcuf, 221 Rideau Street. Tickets $10. 

Samuel Cousineau, Friday 7:30 pm: Ottawa-based jazz saxophonist known for his work with the Grammy-nominated One O’Clock Lab Band. At Montgomery Scotch Lounge, 750 Gladstone Ave. Tickets $15. 

Frank Moyo, Friday 8 pm: Canadian-Italian singer-songwriter mingling folk-informed rhythms with pop sensibilities. At Red Bird, 1165 Bank St. Tickets $30.

The Beths, Friday 8 pm: New Zealand quartet blending power-pop and skuzzy guitar riffs. At the Bronson Centre, 211 Bronson Ave. Tickets $42. 

Piner, Saturday 9 pm: Nova Scotia-based songwriter bringing her songs of empathy and understanding which draw inspiration from her community. At Irene’s, 885 Bank St. Tickets $20.

Listings are provided by OttawaGigs.ca, the best place to discover live music in Ottawa. Check out Ottawagigs.ca for full listings across the city.

THE AGENDA

🚔 Ottawa Police said 47-year-old Jennifer Zabarylo was killed in a suspected femicide near Carp. The civilian employee and a longtime member of the Royal Canadian Navy Headquarters team was allegedly murdered by Michael Zabarylo, 55, who neighbours said was her husband. Police said a femicide is when someone is killed because of intimate partner violence. [CTV]

🏈 Bernie Glieberman, the former owner of two Ottawa CFL franchises, has died at the age of 84. The significant figure in Michigan real estate owned the Ottawa Rough Riders from 1991 to 1993 alongside his son Howie. A decade later he returned to the Capital to own the Renegades. [CTV]

🚎 OC Transpo is gearing up for significant changes ahead of the fall. LRT service will run less frequently during off-peak times, work is still underway on the Trillium Line, and once it opens, there will be a significant overhaul of bus routes across the city. The controversial changes will see some routes disappear, others added, and a few altered. The reduction of service should mean more reliable service, said OC Transpo. [CBC]

💉 Backlash is continuing to grow over the province's recent decision to close 10 safe consumption sites across the province including one in Ottawa. While the Somerset West Community Health Centre will be forced to stop operating its current model, it can apply to become a HART Hub. While they don’t provide access to addiction treatment on-site, they do offer a “more intense level of service.” [CBC]

💊 The Centretown BIA is trying new ways to help its businesses after the community's opioid and homelessness crisis worsened. Ottawa Police have ramped up their patrols in the neighbourhood, and the BIA has hired a cleaning team to help beautify the area. Some stores have even hired the homeless to do some small tasks and retailers have been given resources to call if issues arise. [Ottawa Business Journal]  

🦠 Cases of COVID-19 are spreading rapidly again across the Capital and Ottawa Public Health officials confirmed at least 14 locals have died from the virus since the beginning of July. During the week of Aug. 18, 44 Ottawa residents were admitted to hospital with COVID — 82% over the age of 60. [Ottawa Citizen]

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COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Find out how UOttawa students are making gyms more accessible. [Ottawa Citizen]

• Thousands of busy Canadians trust Real Estate Recap, a free newsletter to stay informed about Canada’s real estate industry and what it means to you. Subscribe today. [Sponsored]

• Kate Heartfield has released a new book that pits psychic spies against the Nazis. [Ottawa Citizen]

• If you’re looking for a new chicken restaurant, this African spot may be the place.

• The staff of Wildpine Residence brought an afternoon full of fun and entertainment to the residents at their annual carnival on Aug. 23. [Stittsville Central]

• Alcohol is arriving in Ottawa convenience stores and gas stations next week. Here’s where you can start purchasing your booze. [CTV]

SPORTS

🏟️ Eight athletes from Ottawa are getting set to compete at the Paris Paralympic Games. Find out who they are. [Ottawa Sports Pages]

🏈 Saturday was a good day for the Ottawa RedBlacks which won their game against the BC Lions 34-27. The team is on a winning streak going six straight games without a loss. [Sports Illustrated]

🏌️‍♀️ Mathieu Norman-Fortin and Louis-Charles Marcoux gave the crowds a show during the last during the Ottawa Sun Scramble’s Championship Saturday at Rockland Golf Club. The two golfers had birdies on each of the final five holes to polish off a round of 7-under 65. [Ottawa Citizen]

⚽️ Atlético Ottawa's broader Atleti Equal Access program is looking to kick the footwork skills of Indigenous children into high gear by providing easier access to the sport and high-level coaching. The children wear bright red jerseys stamped with the logo of Odawa Native Friendship Centre, which serves Ottawa's urban Indigenous community and the surrounding region. [CBC]

OTTAWA GAMES

We did not have a Geo guesser last week but we are back at it again this week!

Do you know where today’s Ottawa guesser is? Reply with your name and the correct location of the photo. The first five people to reply correctly will be mentioned in the next newsletter.