Lauren Donald CRAVEN Missing Person Case

Lauren Donald

CRAVEN

71

67

70 inches

70 inches

201 lbs

201 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

In the small community of Fallis, Alberta, Lauren Donald Craven was a familiar and friendly face, known as the co-owner of the Fallis Country Store and Liquor for over two decades with his wife of 39 years, Christy. At 67 years old, life was presenting new challenges for Lauren, as his family had noticed personality changes in the couple of years leading up to his disappearance, following a fall where he hit his head. In the months before he went missing, he had been showing signs of anxiety and depression, and more recently, had begun to experience confusion and tremors when tired. Despite these struggles, the days leading up to his disappearance seemed to show a glimmer of his former self; he was more involved in the store and appeared more cheerful. On the morning of April 7, 2022, a sunny day that gave no indication of the heartache to come, Lauren helped unload a liquor order for the store. He then set out on what was believed to be a routine business errand to the neighboring town of Wildwood, about 120 kilometers west of Edmonton. He was last seen there around noon, wearing jeans and a rust-brown colored hip-length coat with wide reflective tape on the chest and back. This was the last time anyone in his life would see him. The initial belief was that Lauren, feeling overwhelmed with life, had simply gone for a drive, something he was known to do to clear his head. This theory was supported by the discovery that he had taken some cash and bedding with him, suggesting a planned, albeit temporary, departure. However, as the hours turned into days, a deep sense of worry settled over his family and community. A missing person report was filed with the Evansburg RCMP on April 11, 2022. The alert described Lauren as being 5'10" tall, weighing around 200-220 pounds, with brown eyes and short, grey hair. He also wears dark-rimmed glasses. Information about his vehicle, a grey 2003 Toyota Corolla with Alberta license plate CKK 9977, was widely circulated. The community rallied around the Craven family, distributing posters and searching the local area, while police followed up on tips and used helicopters to scour the region around Evansburg and Wildwood, but to no avail. For months, there was no sign of Lauren or his distinctive car. Then, on August 26, 2022, a significant break in the case came when his Toyota Corolla was found abandoned approximately 15 kilometers north of Sparwood, British Columbia, a considerable distance from where he was last seen. Inside the vehicle, investigators found a newspaper dated June 17, 2022, suggesting he may have been in that area at that time. It was later learned that Lauren had checked into the Grand Union Hotel in Coleman, Alberta, on April 11 and stayed there until June 16, 2022. Despite extensive searches of the area around where his car was found, with the help of police dogs and local search and rescue teams, no further trace of Lauren has been found. His disappearance has had a profound impact on his family, forcing the closure of their beloved store. The case remains an open and painful mystery, a story of a man who, possibly grappling with his health, vanished, leaving behind a loving family and a community holding out hope for answers. His family continues to plead for any information that might lead to closure, asking hunters and anyone in the Elk Valley area to report anything unusual to the RCMP.

Apr 07, 2022

Coleman

Alberta

Evansburg RCMP

Evansburg

Alberta

Law Enforcement

2022438451

Evansburg RCMP

Brown

Build: Medium; Hair details: Grey, Short

No