It’s now been one year since anyone has seen or heard from Eli Wood.
On the morning of Oct. 19, 2025, flames destroyed the back unit of a home on Major Street in Kitchener, Ont., where the 25-year-old lived.
The Waterloo Regional Police Service launched an arson investigation but have never said what led them to that determination.
“We’re still looking into what the cause of the fire was and trying to get answers for that as well,” said Insp. Alison Sproule.
Eli’s remains were not found at the home and police continue to believe foul play was involved in the disappearance.
Now, one year after the fire, they renewed their appeal for information in the case.
“The anniversary doesn’t change anything for us,” said Insp. Sproule. “Investigators are trying to determine Eli’s last preceding moments prior to the arson and anyone that may have had contact with Eli.”
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- Questions remain in Eli Wood’s disappearance
Police also shared a video with a message from Eli’s mother.
“Eli doesn’t deserve this,” said Cindy Wood, her voice shaky.
“I think somebody does know something and I think it’s time that they spoke up.”
The disappearance has been hard on Eli’s family, especially their younger siblings.
“Eli is the most loving person you could ever meet,” Cindy said.
“Eli put them to sleep at night on video chat, helped them do homework over the phone. Eli’s kind of like the glue that keeps my family together.”
Eli grew up in Digby, Nova Scotia, then moved to New Brunswick to attend Mount Allison University.
That’s where Michelle Roy-Brock met Eli.
“Everything feels surreal,” she told CTV News. “I also feel very angry still and very sad because, when I look at everybody in the world, Eli is one of the most gentle souls I have ever met. I just can’t comprehend that somebody would want to harm him.”
Eli then moved to Waterloo, Ont., to study at Wilfrid Laurier University.
“Eli is a person whose kindness, compassion and commitment to justice have brought people together, made others feel seen and helped people feel less alone. These are the parts of Eli that deserve to be known, highlighted and celebrated, alongside the ongoing efforts to bring Eli home,” wrote Abbey, one of Eli’s former classmates, in an email to CTV News.
“We are still here. We are still advocating. We are still holding hope for Eli and Eli’s family. A year has passed, but our commitment remains unwavering.”
Katalin Puscas, another friend and former classmate, echoed that sentiment.
“One year of waiting, hoping, praying and living with so many unanswered questions,” she wrote. “My heart is very heavy and sometimes I don’t even know how to explain what I feel. This kind of grief is new to me, and I am still learning how to live with it. It is so painful when someone you care about so much is missing, and you don’t know where they are or what happened to them.”
Multiple searches have been organized over the last year by Eli’s friends and concerned community members.
So far, nothing has turned up.
“I’m very thankful for [everyone] who has taken it on themselves to organize vigils, searches and a beautiful garden for Eli in Waterloo,” Roy-Brock said.
Cindy, who still lives on the east coast, wishes she could have been part of those efforts.
“Having your child missing in your own province is one thing but to have them in another province makes it a hundred times harder.”
Family and friends are doing what they can to get answers by sharing Eli’s story on social media, knowing they just have to reach the right person.
“Somebody has to know and they’re keeping it to themselves because Eli doesn’t mean anything, Eli’s not a person to them,” Cindy said.
“Eli’s everything to us and I think they just need to call it in, no matter what it is.”
Eli is 4’10” tall and weighs between 85 and 95 pounds, with green eyes, white eyebrows and eyelashes. They also have several distinctive tattoos, including a flower and seahorse on their left forearm and a rainbow on their upper right arm.
“None of us are going to give up,” Cindy promised.
“We just want Eli to come home.”
Anyone with information, no matter how insignificant, is urged to call the Waterloo Regional Police Service’s Major Crime Unit at 519-570-9777, ext. 8191.
