In the frost-bitten backwoods of Nova Scotia’s Pictou County, where whispers of the wind carry the weight of unanswered pleas, a seismic rumor has electrified the six-month vigil for missing siblings Lilly and Jack Sullivan: Stepfather Daniel Martell is allegedly on the run, fleeing accusations that he orchestrated the brutal killing of the 6-year-old girl and her 4-year-old brother. The claim, erupting from anonymous online forums and amplified by viral TikToks late last night, paints a frantic picture of Martell vanishing from his New Glasgow residence under cover of darkness, dodging RCMP checkpoints and leaving behind a trail of cryptic texts and abandoned vehicles. Yet, as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) issues a terse denial of any warrant or manhunt—insisting Martell remains cooperative and local—this “alleged” flight threatens to fracture the probe’s fragile trust, reigniting family feuds and fueling a digital witch hunt. Coupled with a heartbreaking “last smiles” photo leaked today—showing the children stacking firewood in innocent bliss just days before their May 2 vanishing—the narrative shifts from hope to horror: Was Martell the devoted dad in that snapshot, or the shadow who snuffed their light? In a case starved for closure, these allegations aren’t just gossip—they’re gasoline on a fire that’s scorched an entire community.

The rumor mill ignited around 10 p.m. EST yesterday, when a pseudonymous poster on Reddit’s r/UnsolvedMysteries—claiming to be a “family insider”—dropped a bombshell thread: “Daniel Martell Fled Last Night – Accused of Killing Lilly & Jack in Driveway Cover-Up.” The post, now deleted but screenshot-shared over 20,000 times, alleged Martell bolted after a leaked RCMP polygraph transcript (unverified) showed “deceptive responses” to direct questions like “Did you harm the children?” Eyewitness claims flooded in: A “suspicious black truck” (echoing May 1 sightings) spotted fleeing Gairloch Road at 2 a.m., an abandoned Chevy near the Trans-Canada Highway with Martell’s alleged work boots inside, and panicked texts to estranged wife Malehya Brooks-Murray: “They know—I’m sorry, but it’s too late.” TikTok sleuths, under #MartellOnTheRun, stitched the claims with archival footage of Martell’s “calm” interviews, dubbing him the “Ice Stepdad” in edits synced to ominous soundscapes. By dawn, the hashtag trended province-wide, amassing 150K views and prompting 200+ tips to Crime Stoppers—mostly duds, but enough to jam RCMP lines.

Martell’s “alleged” guilt traces to a toxic brew of circumstantial shadows that have haunted the case since day one. The stepfather, a 30-year-old mechanic with no prior record, was the last adult with the children that morning. Brooks-Murray and Martell reported hearing Lilly and Jack’s giggles until 9:40 a.m., then silence—followed by a 20-minute lag before the 10:01 a.m. 911 call claiming they’d “wandered off” through the sliding door. Initial sweeps found no breached fences, but a faint bootprint near the driveway woodpile—Martell’s size 10, per unconfirmed leaks—resurfaced in October forensics, dismissed as “old” but now scrutinized anew. Polygraphs cleared both parents as “truthful” in June, yet Martell’s vague “yelling for the kids” and Brooks-Murray’s post-disappearance move (blocking him online, relocating with toddler Meadow) sowed seeds of doubt. Bio-dad Cody Sullivan, vocal from New Brunswick, has long hinted at “red flags,” while Martell’s sister Janie McNeil’s “spluttering” police account of “sudden silence” in the driveway fuels speculation: Did harm befall them mere feet from safety, staged as wandering? The “killing” accusation escalates from online venom—rants labeling Martell a “monster” for his “lack of tears”—to leaked “insider” claims of a cover-up, tying to the pink blanket fragments “stuffed” nearby on May 4.

Yet, RCMP’s swift rebuttal this morning tempers the blaze: Spokesperson Cpl. Sandy Mataru, in a Stellarton presser, confirmed Martell is “accounted for and assisting,” dismissing the flight as “malicious misinformation.” No warrant, no APB—just routine check-ins, with Martell spotted at a New Glasgow diner yesterday afternoon, nursing coffee amid locals’ stares. “Rumors hurt more than help,” Mataru urged, echoing Premier Tim Houston’s Question Period vow: “Focus on facts—tips to 902-485-4333, not TikTok trials.” The force, probing 800+ leads since the $150K reward, attributes the surge to “coordinated harassment” from true-crime pods like Ninchi True Crime, whose Derwood O’Grady analyses (questioned in November) have vilified Martell. Family friend Cheryl Robinson, who shared the “last smiles” photo, decried the witch hunt: “Daniel’s broken too—accuse him, and you accuse the search.”

That photo, leaked from a private memorial group, adds visceral fuel to the fire. Timestamped April 28—four days pre-vanishing—it shows Lilly and Jack in the garage, beaming as they “stack” firewood with Martell: Lilly clutching a log like a trophy, Jack mimicking with kindling, their faces pure, unshadowed delight. “Their last captured joy—helping with ‘big kid’ chores,” Robinson captioned, the image now viral with 50K shares. TikToks overlay it with eerie music, Reddit dissects the “eerie normalcy,” and #LastSmilesForSullivans trends with 400K impressions. It humanizes the void: Lilly’s pigtails swaying, Jack’s dino boots scuffed from play. Yet, skeptics probe: Why surface now, post-reward? Does the woodpile proximity to the driveway hint at staging? For Brooks-Murray, viewing it in a RCMP update, it’s balm and blade: “Pure hearts—helping, laughing. A reminder of urgency.” Martell, polygraphed anew, reflected on KWKW: “They were my helpers—stacking like pros. Seeing it breaks me.” Sullivan posted tearfully: “Fighters in pink and blue—keep searching waters.”

The allegations’ toxicity has splintered the family further, echoing national scars like Tori Stafford. Brooks-Murray’s silence since June—protecting Meadow—now reads as “evasive” to detractors, while Martell’s “calm” demeanor fuels memes. Grandma Belynda Gray’s vigil plea: “Stop noise—find my grandbabies.” Public fervor blends hope/horror: Vigils swell to 100, firewood bundles at RCMP altars. Pods like The Missing dedicate episodes; Websleuths timeline the photo’s “convenient” date. RCMP redeploys K9s, radar for depressions—40 tips overnight, mostly duds.

Systemic waves crash: Missing Children Society pushes rural reforms—K9 funding, grid apps. Houston pledges: “No stone unturned—these smiles demand action.” For the family, it’s personal: Robinson notes Brooks-Murray’s “cautious hope” amid rifts. As forensics chew blanket scraps—prelims week’s end—the photo’s momentum endures. Lilly: 3’6″, brown eyes, purple runners. Jack: 3’2″, blue eyes, dino boots. Tips: 902-485-4333 or 1-800-222-TIPS.

In Pictou’s frost-kissed pines, Martell’s “alleged” run isn’t fact—it’s fracture. These last smiles? A call to chase light. Nova Scotia holds breath, hoping firewood leads to waving arms.