Greater Sudbury Police have called off the weeks-long search for city councillor Michael Vagnini after the 62-year-old was found dead near a seasonal cottage about 50 minutes outside the Northeastern Ontario city.
The remains of the missing Ward 2 councillor were discovered Feb. 13 near his black Dodge Ram 1500 by the owner of a seasonal camp in Atikiameksheng Anishnawbek First Nation, police said. He had been missing since Jan. 27.
Mr. Vagnini was “located deceased a short distance from the vehicle,” the police service said in a press release. “Detectives are in the preliminary stages of the death investigation and at this time foul play is not suspected.”
Sudbury police said they were alerted of the discovery by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) shortly before 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 13.
Greater Sudbury Police Service (GSPS) Det. Staff Sgt. Barry Ornella told CBC News the property was not known to be an area Mr. Vagnini was familiar with.
“We continue to explore whether or not there is a connection to this property for Vagnini,” he said.
It also isn’t known how long Mr. Vagnini was deceased before his body was discovered. Police said a postmortem will be conducted by the Coroner’s Office to determine the cause and circumstances surrounding his death.
Mr. Vagnini’s disappearance prompted a massive aerial search by the OPP earlier this month as well as ground searches by city and provincial police, and North Shore Search and Rescue services.
Family and friends also held a vigil on the opening night of the Walden Winter Carnival on Feb. 9 to pray for his safe return, the Sudbury Star reported.
Mr. Vagnini’s partner Janie Galipeau told The Sudbury Star that he had been battling a health issue that put him in the hospital just after the New Year.
“But he seemed very optimistic and we were making plans for weeks or months in advance,” she said, adding that Mr. Vagnini could get confused if he neglected to take his prescribed medication.
“He did seem a little bit confused that day,” Ms. Galipeau said, referring to the last day Mr. Vagnini was seen.
Flags at all city facilities in Sudbury were lowered to half-mast Feb. 14 in honour of the city councillor, according to a Feb. 13 city press release.
Greater Sudbury Mayor Paul Lefebvre said Mr. Vagnini would be “greatly missed.”
“On behalf of City Council, my heart goes out to Michael’s partner, children, family and many friends, and to all those who have been helped in some way by him throughout his lifetime,” Mr. Lefebvre said. “His generosity and passion for his community were unmatched.”
Chief Administrative Officer Ed Archer said city employees were “shocked and saddened” by Mr. Vagnini’s death, adding that he would be “missed by many.”
Greater Sudbury Police described Mr. Vagnini as an “advocate” for city police during his time as a member of the Police Services Board and a “beloved member of this community.”
“Since the time that Michael was reported missing, the outpouring of support from the community has been unparalleled,” the police said. “We are extremely saddened to hear of his death, and we will continue to support his family throughout the investigation.”
