RCMP renew plea for tips 1 year after senior disappeared in southeastern Manitoba

RCMP have repeated a callhelp from the public to find a missing senior last seen in southeastern Manitoba a year ago.

Ywanna (Jean) Backman, then age 70,was last seen on Oct. 13, 2023, and was last in touch with a friend on Oct. 15 that year.

Backman wasn't at her home in the rural municipality of Piney, about 115 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg, when RCMP responded to a request to check on her on Oct. 19, police previously said.

A year later, she still hasn't been found, Manitoba RCMP said in an update Friday.

Police, community members, volunteers and others unsuccessfully searched for Backman, police said last November. An extensive ground search near her home also came up empty-handed.

On Friday, RCMP also released a photo of Backmantaken on Oct. 11, 2023, showing the senior wearing a green jacket that investigators believe she was wearing when she disappeared.

Anyone with information on Backman's whereabouts is asked to call Sprague RCMP at 204-437-2041, or send an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.