SHELBY, N.C. — Thursday marks nine years since Sandy Canipe was last seen. Now, deputies are taking steps once again to find him and bring answers to his family.
Channel 9′s Ken Lemon was at the command center in Cleveland County for the renewed search this week.
Police said it was perfect for visibility. With it being winter, there was no overgrowth or vegetation in the area to block their line of sight – and new technology will help.
The massive search included more than 60 firefighters, deputies, and a couple of search dogs, covering the wooded area where Canipe was last seen in 2016.
In January of that year, the then 48-year-old left his home on Dryer Drive and walked down a path in Shelby, where he often traveled.
Brittany Mathies, Canipe’s daughter, said the searchers went past right by their home Wednesday morning.
She told Channel 9 she often looks out of her window and wonders if there are clues there: “You look out and it’s like – I know he’s somewhere, where could he be?”
Unlike the first time, all of the searchers have a device on their phones that allows teams to know every area they’ve covered and the areas they may have missed.
It’s an app that plots their steps on a map.
Each line on this screen at the command center follows the path of one of those searchers. It even plots points of interest and keeps pictures of what they find there.
Canipe’s son, Lieutenant Chris Canipe, said he believed this search with the tracking app would make a big difference. He also believes someone out there knows something that can help.
“Somebody always knows someone, and I hope that they would come forward and give those answers,” said Canipe.
Officials said all the information uncovered in the search will be kept and used in other searches. A $10,000 reward is also being offered for any information that could help find Sandy Canipe.
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