Langford man vanishes, worried family ‘stumped’
It’s been nearly two weeks since Joshua Bennett disappeared after going bowling and his family is growing increasingly worried the Langford man was the victim of foul play.
Bennett, 31, was recently in touch with people connected to drugs and criminality, said his mother, Marlo Eveleigh. That has her worried that Bennett might have owed money to someone or found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“We’re just stumped — we don’t understand where Josh could be,” she said.
But West Shore RCMP spokeswoman Const. Nancy Saggar said police have no evidence to suggest foul play is involved in the disappearance.
Bennett was last seen on surveillance video walking in the industrial area near Langford Lanes shortly after 9:30 p.m. on March 9. He had been bowling with friends and told his girlfriend he would call a cab to take him to their friend’s house on Sooke Road at Ronald Road near the Luxton fairgrounds, according to his uncle Clayton Leachman.
The last call on Bennett’s cellphone was to a cab company, but instead of waiting for a cab, family members believe he started to walk. Investigators have not been able to check the phone’s GPS co-ordinates because it has been turned off since about 9:40 that night.
Police have checked surveillance video of businesses in the area but have not spotted Bennett.
West Shore RCMP and the Langford Fire Department have used drones, divers in Glen Lake, canine teams and search and rescue volunteers to scour the area. On Saturday, about 100 people searched the area around Langford Lanes, but no clues turned up.
Earlier on March 9, Bennett was seen on surveillance video leaving the Cascadia Liquor store on Langford Parkway. He was wearing blue Levi’s jeans, black shoes and an olive-green Volcom jacket. Bennett is about six feet tall and 160 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.
Bennett’s family does not believe he would have harmed himself and he did not have mental-health issues, Leachman said.
Bennett worked as a carpenter and recently sold his first home after fixing it up.
“Either someone took advantage of him or he got himself in trouble,” Leachman said. “If people knew he had money in the bank, you’re a target.”
The family is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to Bennett being found.
Anyone with information about Bennett is asked to call 911 immediately.