Robbie Thomson and Lawrence Bertrim (inset) and the drive to the home where their remains were found
Ontario Provincial Police say the discovery of Lawrence Bertrim’s remains on a Montague Township property answers one major question in the nearly four-year missing-person case, but investigators still have much more work to do.
OPP Sgt. Erin Cranton told LanarkLeedsToday.ca that human remains discovered Aug. 6 on Kelly Jordan Road were identified through a postmortem examination as Bertrim.
He was 42 when he disappeared after being last seen in downtown Smiths Falls at about 11 p.m. on Sept. 30, 2022.
Police have been working at the property since Oct. 30, 2025, when investigators executed a search warrant. Cranton said officers remain at the site and expect their presence there to continue as part of the work underway.
The case has drawn intense public attention as residents wait for answers about what happened on the rural property northeast of Smiths Falls.
Cranton said specialized police units and significant resources have been involved, with investigators following evidence wherever it leads.
Bertrim is the third missing person whose remains have been recovered from the Kelly Jordan Road property.
The first remains were found in October 2025 and later identified as Robbie Thomson, who had been reported missing in October 2023.
Three people were charged with first-degree murder in Thomson’s death. A fourth person, Mark Fenton of Smiths Falls, was charged in April 2026 with accessory after the fact to murder.
A second set of remains was discovered July 20 and identified as 75-year-old Robert Lambert, who had been reported missing in 2018.
Police say Bertrim’s cause of death has not been determined.
The discoveries have also led to public questions about whether the cases are connected to one another or to other investigations around Smiths Falls.
During the interview, Cranton was asked specifically about Steven Tate, whose body was found along Highway 15 five days after he was reported missing in 2023.
The OPP understands speculation can grow when information is limited, particularly with several missing people and repeated discoveries at one location.
Investigators, however, are working from evidence and are cautious about describing possible connections before they are established.
Cranton said the confirmed common point at this stage is that the remains of Thomson, Lambert and Bertrim were all located on the Kelly Jordan Road property.
Bertrim’s disappearance had remained highly visible in Smiths Falls for years. Signs and posters carrying his name were seen around the community as family, friends and police continued searching for information.
A $50,000 reward has also been offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
The identification gives Bertrim’s family an answer about where he was found, even as major questions surrounding his death remain unresolved.
Cranton was also asked what a discovery like this means for officers who work closely with relatives during missing-person investigations.
The case remains an active investigation by the Lanark County OPP and Smiths Falls Police Service under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch.
Police are asking anyone with information related to the missing-person investigations or the human remains found on the property to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
You can listen to the complete conversation with Sgt. Cranton below.
