Search called off after E.K. man found dead

Family and friends of Bozo Saric had planned to conduct a second search for the missing East Kildonan man last Wednesday, but were left in tears that evening upon learning it was no longer necessary.

Winnipeg police reported July 10 that the 77-year-old Saric, who had been missing since Sun., July 6, had been found dead.

The following day, a Winnipeg police spokesperson said in a phone interview that police received a call about Saric’s whereabouts shortly before 4 p.m. on July 9, just a few hours before the search party was scheduled to head out.

“Police didn’t find him, someone else did,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson would not say where police found the body in the East Kildonan area, but said foul play was not suspected in the man’s death.

“We won’t be releasing any further information on this,” the spokesperson said.

Shortly before 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 9, people were gathered outside the home of Saric and his wife Dragica on Helmsdale Avenue in East Kildonan, hugging one another and leaving in tears.

Earlier that day, Saric’s granddaughter, Nivez Rasic, had said their family planned another search that evening for her grandfather.

The night before, she said a group of approximately 50 people split into smaller teams and scoured northeast Winnipeg.

On Friday, July 11, Rasic said her grandfather died as a result of an “accidental drowning,” but declined further comment.

Saric’s family began to worry about him on the morning of July 6, when he didn’t return from his walk.

Saric’s son-in-law, Ivan Rasic, said his father-in-law usually went on short walks around the neighbourhood a few times a week.

Rasic said Saric didn’t walk long distances, so they began to worry after he didn’t return after half an hour.

“He didn’t take no wallet, no I.D., nothing. Not even his house keys,” Rasic said from Saric’s house the afternoon of the day he was found.

Dragica, his wife of 54 years, said her husband was a healthy man and hadn’t gone missing in the past.

“He went out so happy in the morning and he said, ‘I’ll be back soon,’ ” she said from their home a few hours before police found him.

“He didn’t come back. He was happy, healthy. He had no dementia.”

Dragica said back when her husband had less difficult walking, he liked to walk around Fraser’s Grove Park, so she was afraid he could have fallen in.

“I told police that was my fear,” Dragica said, crying.