EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• Missing Person: James Gordon Garnett
• Age at Disappearance: 68 years old (Age 69 at time of ongoing search)
• Date Reported Missing: April 2, 2020 (Last seen April 1, 2020, 21:25 hrs)
• Missing From: Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
• Status: MISSING - Active Investigation
• Case File Number: 2020009327 & 2023001230 (RCMP)

CASE OVERVIEW

James Gordon Garnett disappeared under highly unusual circumstances on April 1, 2020, from downtown Saint John. His case is marked by significant deviation from his established behavioral patterns, strict daily routines, and the suspicious circumstances surrounding his final hours. The case has generated substantial media attention and public concern, particularly given Garnett's documented medical conditions and mental health challenges.

PERSONAL PROFILE

Biographical Information

• Full Name: James Gordon Garnett
• Date of Birth: May 18, 1951
• Residence at Time of Disappearance: Uptown area, Saint John, NB

Physical Description

• Race: Caucasian
• Height: Not specified in available records
• Eyes: Green
• Hair: Grey
• Notable Features: Wore glasses; required false teeth/dentures
• Clothing Last Seen: Dark toque, dark jacket, jeans, black boots

Medical and Mental Health Profile

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): Severe respiratory condition requiring medications (left behind at residence)
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Significant psychological condition affecting behavioral patterns
• Medications: Prescribed medications left behind at apartment (critical abandonment indicator)
• Phone: Mobile phone left behind at residence and turned off
• Mobility: Limited physical capacity due to COPD; would not engage in spontaneous wandering walks

Behavioral Characteristics

According to his daughter, Jillian Newcombe (who traveled from Calgary, Alberta to assist in the search):

• Extremely routine-oriented due to OCD - followed strict daily patterns
• Never left without his mobile phone
• Would not spontaneously leave his residence
• Began each day with ritualistic visits to uptown area for tea with two sugars
• Dependent on prescribed medications for COPD management
• Socially isolated but institutionally routine-bound
• The disappearance was "completely out of character" for him

DISAPPEARANCE CIRCUMSTANCES

Timeline of Events - April 1, 2020

Evening Activities:

• James Garnett was reported to have exited his residence sometime in the evening of April 1, 2020. Saint John Transit surveillance footage clearly shows him boarding a public bus that evening.
• Last Confirmed Sighting: 21:25 Hours (9:25 PM)
• Last Seen At: Douglas Avenue, near Reversing Falls Bridge, downtown Saint John
• Action: Exiting Saint John Transit bus onto Douglas Avenue
• Witness: Captured on surveillance video from transit bus
• Condition: Appeared to be in stable condition based on video footage
• Area Significance: Highly dangerous location immediately adjacent to the Reversing Falls Rapids, a powerful tidal phenomenon

Critical Location Analysis - Reversing Falls Bridge Area

Geographic Hazards:

• The Reversing Falls Bridge crosses the Saint John River at the point where powerful tidal forces create dangerous rapids and whirlpools
• The Bay of Fundy's tidal influence creates one of the world's largest tidal ranges in this area
• Dangerous water currents, particularly at night during certain tidal conditions
• Multiple locations along the bridge and adjacent areas where a person could fall into water
• Area is especially dangerous at night when visibility is severely limited

Why This Location is Significant:

• No logical reason for Garnett to exit the bus at this specific location given his routines
• The area is isolated, particularly at 9:25 PM
• Garnett had limited mobility and would not typically venture to unfamiliar areas
• The proximity to dangerous water poses immediate risk

INVESTIGATION DETAILS

Official Search Response

Agencies Involved:

• Saint John Police Force (SJPF)
  • Led initial investigation
  • Released bus surveillance photos (April 26, 2020)
  • Spokesperson: Jim Hennessy
  • Conducted investigative interviews
• River Valley Ground Search and Rescue
  • Mobilized for specialized ground search
  • Conducted searches in Hazen Street area (uptown section)
  • Hindered by COVID-19 restrictions on movement and public gatherings
  • Limited ability to conduct expanded water searches
• RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police)
  • Federal involvement in missing persons case
  • Assigned case numbers: 2020009327 & 2023001230
  • Missing Persons Registry listing maintained
  • Active investigation status maintained (as of 2024-2025)

Search Operations

• Ground Searches (April 2020):
  • Search of Hazen Street and uptown area (April 14, 2020)
  • Coordination between SJPF and River Valley Ground Search and Rescue
  • Limited scope due to COVID-19 restrictions
  • Public prevented from conducting independent search parties or distribution of missing person posters

Family Involvement:

• Daughter Jillian Newcombe obtained special government permission to travel from Calgary, Alberta to Saint John during COVID-19 travel restrictions (granted April 11, 2020, arrived April 11, 2020)
• Personally attempted to place missing person posters in local businesses
• Family coordination with police and search and rescue teams

MEDIA COVERAGE AND PUBLIC ATTENTION

Major Media Reports

Global News (April 14, 2020):

• Featured daughter Jillian Newcombe's interview expressing family concern
• Reported "nothing about this is just not my father" - emphasizing behavioral deviation
• Highlighted family's distress and continued uncertainty
• Documented special travel permission controversy during lockdown

Global News (April 26, 2020):

• Released surveillance photos from Saint John Transit bus
• Documented last sighting circumstances
• Featured police spokesperson comments
• Showed Garnett's clothing and physical appearance in photos

CBC News (April 13, 2020):

• Reported OCD diagnosis and strict daily routines
• Documented medical conditions (COPD)
• Highlighted search impediments due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions
• Featured River Valley Ground Search and Rescue involvement

Your Saint John News (April 4, 2020 & April 14, 2020):

• Initial missing person alert
• Subsequent update with continued search efforts
• Police appeal for public assistance
• Information about ongoing investigation

The Globe and Mail (April 16, 2020):

• Featured daughter's perspective on unusual disappearance
• Documented family's search efforts
• Emphasized behavioral inconsistencies

Social Media and Community Discussion

Reddit (r/lastimages - January 14, 2024):

• Posted last known photo of James Gordon Garnett
• Community discussion highlighting nearly 4-year absence without resolution
• Speculation about Reversing Falls Bridge proximity
• User "RedKing_22" noted: "According to the Global News article he exited the bus right in downtown Saint John, nearby to the Reversing Falls Bridge. It was late at night and dark out, speculation doesn't do much good, but to me it sounds like there's a chance he may have fallen into the water that night."

Facebook Groups (Locks of Reunification, Missing People Groups):

• Regular posts maintaining awareness of case
• Shared physical descriptions and details
• Family member involvement in posting updates
• Ongoing calls for tips and information

Missing & Unsolved New Brunswick (missingnb.com):

• Comprehensive case documentation
• Details on disappearance circumstances
• Public awareness maintained

INVESTIGATIVE FINDINGS - KEY EVIDENCE

Physical Evidence

Medications Left Behind: Critical indicator

• COPD medications abandoned at residence
• Suggests sudden departure or involuntary disappearance
• Indicates person unable or unwilling to return for necessities

Mobile Phone: Significant investigative evidence

• Left at residence
• Turned off
• Suggests lack of communication capability
• Indicates no planned extended absence

False Teeth/Dentures: Personal detail

• Mentioned in Facebook posts about missing person
• Suggests sudden departure without personal grooming items
• Unusual for person with established daily routines

Surveillance Footage:

• Clear video documentation of Garnett on bus
• Clear documentation of final location (Douglas Avenue/Reversing Falls Bridge area)
• No subsequent footage capturing his movements after exiting bus
• Video evidence ends at final sighting location

Investigative Gaps

• Post-Sighting Information Absent: No documented sighting after 21:25 hours on April 1, 2020
• No Residue Trail: No use of phone, bank cards, medical facilities, or government services in years following disappearance
• No Communication: Complete absence of any message or contact attempt
• Water Search Limitations: Unclear if comprehensive water search conducted in dangerous rapids area
• Surveillance Beyond Bus: No documentation of bus stop camera surveillance or surrounding area footage

ANALYTICAL ASSESSMENT AND INVESTIGATIVE HYPOTHESES

HYPOTHESIS 1: ACCIDENTAL WATER-RELATED DEATH (HIGHEST PROBABILITY)

Supporting Evidence:

• Final confirmed location is immediately adjacent to Reversing Falls Bridge and dangerous rapids
• Time of sighting (21:25 hrs) creates darkness and visibility impairment
• No rational reason for Garnett to exit bus at this specific location
• Reversing Falls area is known for dangerous tidal currents and whirlpools
• Area is isolated at night with minimal foot traffic or witnesses
• Garnett had mobility limitations due to COPD
• Person could easily lose footing on bridge or fall into water in darkness
• Body recovery from powerful rapids would be extremely difficult
• Tidal currents and rock formations could conceal human remains
• Bay of Fundy tidal patterns could disperse remains

Investigative Concerns:

• Insufficient documentation of water search operations
• No public disclosure of whether specialized water recovery teams searched rapids
• River Valley Ground Search and Rescue searches documented as land-based only
• COVID-19 restrictions may have limited water search capability
• Tidal conditions at time of disappearance not documented

Scenario Analysis:

• Garnett exits bus at wrong location (possibly confusion, disorientation, or compulsion related to OCD). In darkness, approaches Reversing Falls Bridge viewing area. Due to mobility limitations, vision impairment (glasses), and possible disorientation, loses footing on uneven ground or bridge structure. Falls into Reversing Falls rapids. Body is swept away by powerful tidal currents and either submerged, trapped in rocks/pilings, or dispersed downstream into Bay of Fundy.
• Probability Assessment: 65-70%

HYPOTHESIS 2: VOLUNTARY DEPARTURE WITH SUBSEQUENT DEATH (MODERATE PROBABILITY)

Supporting Evidence:

• Garnered traveled on public transit suggesting planned travel
• No documented attempts to return to residence
• No medical emergencies reported at hospitals or clinics
• No financial activity post-disappearance

Counterevidence:

• Completely inconsistent with documented OCD-driven routine adherence
• Medications abandoned (critical for COPD management)
• Phone abandoned (contrary to stated behavioral pattern of carrying at all times)
• No pattern of spontaneous travel documented
• Daughter explicitly stated departure is "not my father" behavior
• No financial resources documented as withdrawn before disappearance

Scenario Analysis:

• In rare psychological break or uncharacteristic impulsive action, Garnett leaves residence without medications or phone. Travels to unknown location with intention to disappear. Dies in shelter, abandoned building, or secluded area due to COPD complications, exposure, or medical emergency. Body remains undiscovered in remote location.
• Probability Assessment: 20-25%

HYPOTHESIS 3: THIRD-PARTY INVOLVEMENT (LOWER PROBABILITY - CANNOT BE EXCLUDED)

Supporting Evidence:

• Unusual final bus stop location with no clear rational purpose
• Medications and phone deliberately left behind (could indicate coercion)
• No communication from person (consistent with foul play)
• Isolated area with minimal witnesses
• Senior citizen potentially vulnerable to predation

Counterevidence:

• No evidence of robbery or financial crimes
• No documented threats or conflicts
• Neighbors or acquaintances not documented as suspicious
• Video shows Garnett appearing to exit bus voluntarily
• No documented contact demands or ransom attempts
• Case classified as missing persons, not criminal investigation
• Over 4 years with no extortion communications

Scenario Analysis:

• Person or persons unknown encounter Garnett at bus stop or bridge area. Through means unknown (coercion, accident, or predatory intent), Garnett is removed from area. Person is subsequently killed, transported to unknown location, or held captive. Perpetrators leave no traceable evidence or communication.
• Probability Assessment: 5-10% (Cannot be entirely excluded but unsupported by available evidence)

HYPOTHESIS 4: MEDICAL EMERGENCY/ACUTE PSYCHOLOGICAL EVENT (LOWER-MODERATE PROBABILITY)

Supporting Evidence:

• Severe COPD could cause acute respiratory distress
• OCD could trigger atypical behavior under extreme stress
• Disorientation could result from medical emergency
• Unknown stressors or psychological triggers possible

Scenario Analysis:

• Garnett experiences acute COPD respiratory distress, medication interaction, or severe psychological episode triggered by unknown cause. In disoriented or panicked state, exits bus at unusual location. Attempts to seek help or escape immediate situation. Becomes lost, falls, or dies from medical emergency in unsecured location. Body remains undiscovered.
• Probability Assessment: 10-15%

MOST LIKELY SCENARIO - COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS

Primary Working Theory: Accidental Death - Reversing Falls Rapids

Based on the totality of evidence, the most probable scenario is:

• James Gordon Garnett accidentally fell into the Reversing Falls Rapids on the evening of April 1, 2020, resulting in drowning or injury-related death.

Supporting Logic Chain:

• Location Specificity: Final confirmed sighting at exact point of greatest water hazard in entire region indicates immediate geographic risk
• Temporal Factor: 21:25 hours (darkness) eliminates visual navigation capability and increases fall risk
• No Operational Reason: No documented reason for Garnett to have exited bus at this location - appears to be directional error or uncharacteristic impulse
• Behavioral Deviance: Family explicitly stated disappearance completely inconsistent with established patterns - suggests confusion or compulsion override

Physical Vulnerability:

• Limited mobility from COPD
• Age-related balance impairment
• Visual impairment requiring glasses
• No documented witness or assistance

Complete Communication Cessation:

• 4+ years without phone use, bank activity, government contact
• Consistent with death rather than voluntary departure
• Inconsistent with kidnapping (no ransom/contact demands)

No Alternative Venues: No evidence of shelters, hospitals, or other facilities where person might have sought refuge
Water Search Limitations: Insufficient documented water search operations in dangerous rapids area

UNSOLVED QUESTIONS AND INVESTIGATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS

Critical Questions Requiring Resolution

• Why Did Garnett Exit at This Location?
  • Was this his intended destination?
  • Did he become disoriented?
  • Was his cognitive state altered?
  • Did OCD-related compulsion cause atypical action?
• What Occurred After 21:25 Hours?
  • Why is there no further sighting evidence?
  • Were surrounding business/street cameras reviewed?
  • Did any citizens observe him after bus exit?
  • Were residents in area interviewed?

Water Search Status:

• Were specialized water recovery teams deployed?
• Were tidal condition analyses conducted?
• Were sonar or underwater searches performed?
• Were remains detection dogs used?

Medical Records:

• What medications were abandoned?
• Were there recent medication changes?
• What was COPD severity level?
• Were there documented psychological episodes?

Investigative Recommendations for Police/RCMP

Comprehensive Water Search Expansion:

• Deploy underwater drone/sonar technology in rapids
• Conduct comprehensive forensic water search
• Document tidal patterns for April 1, 2020
• Search downstream areas in Bay of Fundy

Surveillance Footage Review:

• Obtain all business/store surveillance from area
• Review footage from bridges/viewpoints
• Analyze 15-minute window post-bus exit
• Identify any pedestrians/witnesses in video

Witness Canvass:

• Re-interview all residents within 500 meters
• Question night shift workers/security personnel
• Investigate any reported unusual activity that evening

Medical Investigation:

• Obtain complete medical records from 2020
• Review psychiatric/OCD treatment history
• Interview family regarding mental state prior to disappearance
• Analyze medication protocols

Financial/Communication Review:

• Verify complete absence of credit card activity
• Review all phone records (incoming/outgoing)
• Check hospital admissions under similar names
• Search death/burial records in Canada and neighboring jurisdictions

CONCLUSION

James Gordon Garnett's disappearance on April 1, 2020, remains an active missing persons case with significant investigative importance. Based on comprehensive analysis of available evidence, the most probable explanation is accidental death resulting from a fall into the Reversing Falls Rapids near his final confirmed location.

The case is characterized by:

• Complete behavioral deviation from established patterns
• Critical medical equipment abandonment (COPD medications)
• Final location proximity to one of region's most dangerous water hazards
• Total communication cessation suggesting death rather than voluntary departure
• Absence of credible alternative scenarios with supporting evidence

The case remains solvable through:

• Comprehensive water search operations with modern technology
• Complete surveillance footage analysis
• Systematic witness re-canvassing
• Medical record review and psychological assessment

The approximately 1,900+ days since disappearance strongly suggest fatality rather than voluntary absence. Discovery of remains - if possible - would provide closure to family and definitively resolve this case.

CASE REFERENCES

RCMP Missing Persons Registry:

• Case #2020009327
• Case #2023001230
• Status: Active Investigation

Family Contact:

• Daughter: Jillian Newcombe (Calgary, Alberta)
• Originally from Saint John residence

Reporting Agencies:

• Saint John Police Force: 1-506-648-3333
• RCMP: services.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/missing-disparus
• Crime Stoppers: 1-800-222-TIPS (8477)

Media Sources:

• Global News (April 14, 26, 2020)
• CBC News (April 13, 2020)
• Your Saint John News (April 4, 14, 2020)
• The Globe and Mail (April 16, 2020)

Report Prepared: January 21, 2026

• Investigation Status: ONGOING - Missing Person Active File
• Prepared For: Gone in NB (www.GoneInNB.retrac.ca)
• Professional Assessment: Comprehensive Missing Person Case Analysis

This report is intended for investigative and informational purposes related to the Gone in NB missing persons research initiative. All information sourced from public records, media reports, official RCMP documentation, and available public sources.