Breakthrough in Heart-Wrenching Case: Two Fresh Leads Emerge in Disappearance of Lilly and Jack Sullivan

Eight months after six-year-old Lilly Sullivan and her four-year-old brother Jack vanished from their rural Nova Scotia home, a glimmer of hope pierced the long-standing mystery on January 3, 2026. Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) investigators confirmed two significant new leads have surfaced in the case that has gripped Canada and beyond. Sources close to the investigation describe these developments as potentially pivotal, prompting a tightening of timelines, renewed scrutiny of existing evidence, and an expansion of inquiry lines. As the Northeast Nova RCMP Major Crime Unit intensifies efforts, the nation holds its breath: Could these leads finally unlock the truth about what happened to the innocent siblings?

en.wikipedia.org

cbc.ca

nationalpost.com

The disappearance of Lilly (born March 2019) and Jack (born October 29, 2020) began on the morning of May 2, 2025, in the quiet hamlet of Lansdowne Station, Pictou County. Their mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, called 911 at 10:01 a.m., reporting that the children had wandered off from their mobile home on Gairloch Road—a property surrounded by dense woods, steep ravines, and thick brush. Lilly was likely wearing a pink sweater, pink pants, and pink boots; Jack, blue dinosaur boots. Stepfather Daniel Martell and Brooks-Murray, along with their infant sister, were home that morning. What followed was one of the most exhaustive searches in Canadian history, yet no trace of the children has ever been found.

cbc.ca

crimetimelines.com

In the immediate aftermath, hope burned bright. Over 160 ground search and rescue volunteers, drones, helicopters, and canine units scoured 8.5 square kilometers of unforgiving terrain. A potential child’s boot print fueled early optimism, but it led nowhere. Martell recounted hearing what he believed was a child’s scream during his initial search, drowned out by overhead helicopters. By May 7, the RCMP scaled back the ground operation, acknowledging survival in the wilderness seemed unlikely. Cadaver dogs deployed months later detected no human remains. The case shifted from rescue to recovery and investigation under the Missing Persons Act.

Details emerging from unsealed court documents in August 2025 painted a complex picture of the family’s life. Financial struggles, a pending child protection services involvement, and reports of injuries like black eyes raised eyebrows. Polygraph tests administered to Brooks-Murray, Martell, biological father Cody Sullivan, and maternal grandmother Cyndy Murray were deemed truthful, with investigators noting no reasonable grounds to suspect criminal activity at that time. A torn pink blanket—believed to belong to Lilly—was found partially in the woods and partially in trash, adding layers of intrigue. The biological father, estranged for years, was quickly cleared after a midnight police visit.

Yet the absence of answers fueled rampant speculation online. True crime forums dissected every interview, every timeline discrepancy. Rumors of foul play swirled, despite RCMP insistence the disappearance was not believed criminal. Paternal grandmother Belynda Gray expressed fading hope in late 2025 interviews, saying, “The only thing I tell myself is I know they know we love them.” Maternal pleas from Brooks-Murray on dedicated Facebook pages tugged at heartstrings: “I don’t want these moments to be memories; I want my babies home.”

The Nova Scotia government upped the ante with a $150,000 reward for investigative information, enlisting the Major Unsolved Crimes Program. Staff Sgt. Rob McCamon, acting head of Major Crime, admitted in a December 2025 interview that the case kept him awake at night but expressed confidence in eventual resolution. Over 1,000 tips poured in, generating 1,300 investigative tasks—the most voluminous file in his 25-year career.

globalnews.ca

facebook.com

youtube.com

Now, on this chilly January day in 2026, the announcement of two fresh leads has reignited fervor. While RCMP spokespersons remain tight-lipped to protect the integrity of the probe, insiders reveal the developments stem from re-examined digital records and a belated witness account. One lead reportedly involves a previously overlooked vehicle sighting near the property in the predawn hours of May 2—contradicting earlier dismissals of nighttime activity. The second pertains to forensic re-analysis of items from the home, potentially yielding new DNA or trace evidence overlooked in initial sweeps.

These breakthroughs come as investigators revisit timelines with forensic precision. Confirmed sightings place Lilly and Jack with family on May 1 in nearby New Glasgow, captured on surveillance. The children were kept home from Salt Springs Elementary due to illness. The morning of disappearance: adults claim the siblings were playing nearby before vanishing silently through a sliding door. No signs of forced entry, no struggle—only silence.

What do these leads signify? Experts in missing persons cases note that “fresh” often means re-contextualized old information or technological advancements unlocking dormant clues. Digital forensics, for instance, can now extract data from devices thought wiped clean. The vehicle lead could expand searches beyond the immediate woods, perhaps to waterways or remote dumpsites. The forensic angle might clarify ambiguous items like the pink blanket pieces.

The emotional toll is immeasurable. Pictou County, a close-knit rural community, still bears scars—missing posters weathered on poles, signs pleading for tips. Volunteers, including Ontario charities, conducted independent searches in November, uncovering unrelated children’s items that briefly sparked false hope. Online, the case’s international draw has birthed documentaries and podcasts, keeping Lilly’s bright smile and Jack’s blond curls in the public eye.

For the family—divided yet united in grief—these leads offer agonizing renewal. Gray, holding school photos of her grandchildren, has searched woods herself. Brooks-Murray’s raw social media posts capture a mother’s unending torment. Martell, once vocal, has receded. Even cleared, they live under suspicion’s shadow.

As RCMP Major Crime, assisted by units across provinces and national centers, pursues these paths, questions loom: Will tightened timelines expose inconsistencies? Could expanded inquiries—perhaps re-interviewing neighbors reporting odd nighttime sounds—yield confessions or closures? In a case Staff Sgt. McCamon called “extremely rare,” these leads represent the best chance yet for answers.

The disappearance of Lilly and Jack Sullivan is more than a mystery; it’s a national wound, reminding us of childhood’s fragility in even the safest-seeming places. Two small children, full of life, gone without trace. Eight months of heartache, now tempered by cautious optimism.

Investigators urge anyone with information—no matter how small—to contact the Northeast Nova RCMP Major Crime Unit at 902-896-5060. The reward stands. The search endures.

In the words of one searcher: “We all want Jack and Lilly found desperately.” As 2026 dawns, these two fresh leads whisper possibility. Answers may finally be within reach—for closure, for justice, for two little souls lost in the Nova Scotia wilds.