Unsolved Bryan Braumberger disappearance marks five years
Last Friday, Burnaby's Ron and Janice Braumberger planned to go for a long walk to clear their heads.
June 1 marked five years since the unsolved disappearance of their son, Bryan. The family still isn't any closer to finding out what happened to him, despite a $30,000 reward for information leading to his whereabouts or to a conviction of those responsible for his disappearance.
"There isn't anything new, we're basically in the same place we were five years ago today, which is a very hard place to be," Ron said last Friday.
Then 18, Bryan was last seen in the early morning of May 31, 2007 when he drove away from a parking lot near his friend's house in New Westminster, saying he had to work the next morning and was headed home.
He never showed up for work at Maxwell Paper in Coquitlam that morning.
Ron and Janice returned from a vacation the next evening, on June 1, to find a voice message advising if Bryan didn't move his car from the George Derby Care Centre parking lot, it would be towed. By midnight that evening, they realized something was wrong and reported him missing to police.
Police said at the time that Bryan's car, a red 1988 Honda CRX was found abandoned and unlocked but without the keys inside. CDs were still sitting on the seat and his stereo system was untouched.
George Derby is only two minutes from the Braumberger home.
"We deal with it the best we can," Ron said. "We just have to try and go day by day."
Bryan's disappearance has affected not only his immediate family, but grandparents, extended family and friends, he said.
He repeated his call for anyone with information on the case to share it with police.
"I know somebody knows something. I don't think he just disappeared off the face of the earth."
The last time the family heard from police was last December when a body was found near George Derby Conservation Area.
"They did contact us and let us know it wasn't Bryan," Ron said. "But other than that, the police, I guess if they have nothing, they're not going to call us.
"I think they're doing basically all they can with what they have and I don't think it's very much. I don't think they have very much to go with right from the very start."
On June 1, "My wife and I basically go for a long walk. I don't know what we could do," Ron said.
"People put it down as an anniversary, to us it's not really an anniversary. An anniversary is something to celebrate and today isn't really a day to be celebrating."
Bryan Braumberger is described as Caucasian, clean shaven, six feet tall, 185 pounds, with brown hair and eyes. He was last seen wearing a black t-shirt, shorts and white Adidas runners with no laces.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team tip line at 1-877-551-IHIT(4448), email ihittipline@rcmp-grc.gc.ca or, to remain anonymous, Crime Stoppers at solvecrime.ca or 1-800-222-8477
wchow@burnabynewsleader.com
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