Man charged with murder of Edmonton boy who vanished in June

EDMONTON – Police in Edmonton have charged a man with second-degree murder in the death of a 14-year-old boy who disappeared in June.

The remains of Samuel Bird were found Thursday in a rural area outside the city, police said.

Bryan Farrell, 38, was arrested Wednesday and faces several other charges, including interfering with a body, aggravated assault and arson.

Samuel was last seen leaving his mother’s home in west Edmonton to visit a friend. He never returned.

At the time of his disappearance, police said it was unusual for the boy to be gone and not contact his family.

Posters with the Indigenous boy’s name and photo were plastered on utility poles across the city, and volunteers spent months searching.

In August, searchers from Manitoba travelled to Edmonton to help scour the North Saskatchewan River. In September, a sacred fire was lit at a command post where searchers had camped out.

Dakota Bear drove to Edmonton from his home in Ottawa several times to help in the search for Samuel.

Bear, who has been involved in searches for other missing people, including his brother three years ago, said he felt compelled to help when his wife told him about Samuel’s case. 

It’s a story that also resonated with others who turned out to help, he said.

“You know, as Indigenous community, we feel collectively, right?” he said by phone from Ottawa.

“Unfortunately, not all of them get justice. Not everyone gets to bring their children home and lay them to rest. And I think that was just the biggest thing is that people felt that pain.”

He said Samuel’s mother told him when the body was found.

“There’s that sense of relief that the family gets the closure that they deserve and overall, you know, it’s been a hard and heavy time,” said Bear.

“It was the same for her, you know … mixed emotions. Obviously, the sadness is there while it settles in. But you know, it’s relieving too — I’m sure of it. It’s that sense of even, you could say, happiness that you have that opportunity to be able to give a proper ceremony and a proper burial.”

Det. Jared Buhler said in a statement police are not looking for other suspects in the killing.

“After a lengthy and complex investigation, we are pleased to be able to conclude this file and hopefully bring some measure of resolution and justice to Samuel’s loved ones, who have been searching tirelessly for him,” Buhler said.

Court records listing the charges say Samuel was killed on or about June 1 and his body was moved “to a wooded area to avoid detection” on or about June 2.

The Confederacy of Treaty No. 6 First Nations offered condolences to Samuel’s family, who have asked for privacy.

“The family would like to thank everyone who assisted in the search efforts for Samuel, helped spread awareness and offered emotional and spiritual support,” the group said in a statement.

National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak of the Assembly of First Nations said it extended its support to the family and Paul First Nation.

“I am praying for the Bird family as they deal with this tragedy,” Woodhouse Nepinak said in a statement. “I lift them up as they seek justice for Samuel and I pray for their healing and peace and the healing of everyone affected.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2025.

Note to readers:This is a corrected story. A previous version had the wrong age of the accused based on information from police.