It was a gift to Eva Couture, mom of a missing man whose car was found at a Chilliwack trailhead two years ago.
Forensic sketch artist Diana Trepkov created an 鈥渁ge progression鈥� drawing of Kristofer Couture, and presented it to his mom on Jan. 26, to mark two years to the day since he went missing.
鈥淲here is he today? What happened to him?鈥� Trepkov posted on Facebook when she completed the sketch, adding she still holds out hope.
It was actually Kristofer Couture鈥檚 case from Jan. 26, 2019 that spurred Trepkov on to create the podcast, 鈥楥an I help you find your missing loved one?鈥� about her work. Trepkov has been involved in 233 cold cases, doing age progression sketches, putting faces on skulls, and working with police.
鈥淪o many missing loved ones are found years later. We can鈥檛 give up. Sure it doesn鈥檛 look good but we don鈥檛 know what we don鈥檛 know. Kris deserves to be located.鈥�
Her sketch was a gift straight from the heart.
鈥淣ow, let鈥檚 find you, Kris,鈥� she said softly in the video.
The Toronto artist, who has worked with police across North America since 2006, said she kept going back to the drawing of Kristofer, until she got 鈥渢hose big, beautiful brown eyes鈥� just right.
鈥淓yes are the windows to the soul.鈥�
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As his mom has recounted over and over since the investigation, Kristofer 鈥楰ris鈥� Couture first arrived in the Lower Mainland from Edmonton, Alberta in mid January 2019 to look for work at the age of 25. He found it in construction.
The established facts are that he went to his roofing job in Maple Ridge the morning of Jan. 25, 2019 and was seen at Good Life Fitness in Burnaby that afternoon. The next day he was spotted leaving the Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster.
His mom has never given up hope of finding out what happened, and why her son鈥檚 grey Saturn was abandoned at the Elk Mountain trail. It was found by an off-duty RCMP officer, with the rear window smashed out.
鈥淚 got to know Diana shortly after we reported Kristofer missing and she has been a huge supporter since,鈥� Couture said. 鈥淪eeing the portrait she drew for the first time on Tuesday, I was overwhelmed with emotion.鈥�
Couture said she was blown away by the kindness, too, shown by so many who hold out hope for her, and stand by her, even strangers. It has been 鈥渁mazing鈥� to her just how supportive the community of Chilliwack has been.
People have gone out of their way and she doesn鈥檛 even know them.
鈥淭he fact that so many people care makes me believe he will not be forgotten.
鈥淚 miss his smile, his laugh. I miss everything about him. This gift gave me renewed hope that I will see him again.鈥�
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