When a loved one is lost the pain never goes away — but time can make it more gentle.Yet how can one expect a mother’s grief to even begin to ease when the secret of who killed her son is being shielded by people within her own community of less than 1,000?For two years, Cheryl Maytwayashing has had to withstand sleepless nights and relentless torment over the loss of her firstborn and not knowing what happened.In fact, imagine how this dark cloud hovering over it must heavily impact the entire community.Whoever murdered Maytwayashing’s 25-year-old son Lyndon McIvor continues to evade justice. No one has come forward with information. But both Maytwayashing and the RCMP are certain people within the community know exactly what happened and who murdered McIvor..SLOBODIAN: Tens of millions spent — zero female entrepreneurs empowered.“My son's ashes are still in the house. And I won’t bury him until I know,” said Maytwayashing.The last words of the father of two to his mom as he headed out to meet friends were, “I’ll see you later. I love you.”Five days after he went missing McIvor’s remains were found on August 31, 2023, near a trail in the woods of Lake Manitoba First Nation, 180 kilometers northwest of Winnipeg.This mother issued a heartbreaking plea on the second anniversary of her son’s death for someone to come forward with information, just like she did a year ago to no avail.“It’s hard. It happened in our community. And it's harder, right? Because everyone, like everyone, knows each other. And when something happens. It affects all of us,” said Maytwayashing in a video..Photos of McIvor and his children and of his proud mother standing beside him on graduation day can be seen.Memories and photos of her handsome son ripped from her life are all she has left. Yet there’s no anger in her voice, just a brave appeal by this soft-spoken, utterly broken mother for answers, for compassion, as she fights back tears.“If it's your child, your grandchild, your niece, your nephew, ask them to talk because it's affecting a lot of people.”She looked beyond her own pain to express concern for others in the community.“And you know, like, I'm scared. What if these people go and do it to another family and we don't want that. But hopefully somebody has a heart to tell what really happened that night. Because people do know.”.SLOBODIAN: Feisty rural Manitoba mayor won't let 'pile of thugs' take over town.After McIvor couldn’t be reached by his brother a frantic search by family and friends — driving, walking, knocking on doors —was launched. Then search and rescue teams were sent out. The RCMP’s major crimes unit soon became involved.Community searchers eventually found his body. RCMP determined it had been dumped there.Maytwayashing still doesn’t know how he died. RCMP ruled McIvor’s death as a homicide but haven’t disclosed the cause of death or details on suspects.Within days RCMP arrested Barry Leslie Swan, a resident of the First Nation and charged him with second-degree murder in connection to McIvor’s death. Then the charge was later stayed.They haven’t given up.“Manitoba RCMP Major Crime Services has continued to investigate Lyndon’s homicide and believes there are people in the community who can provide important information in this active investigation,” reads a statement issued by the RCMP..“We do have a theory as to what happened, but we need people to come forward and give us the evidence we need to take the investigation to the next stage,” Sgt. James Demidiuk of RCMP’s major crime services told Global News.“We can’t solve crime without help from the community, and we need people to come forward to tell us what they know so we can hold those people accountable and bring closure to Lyndon’s family.”In the meantime, Maytwayashing wants people to know who her son was..SLOBODIAN: Yet another Jewish senior randomly attacked — just another day in the new Canada.“Lynden was outgoing. He loved hockey. He loved baseball. He loved sports. He was proud of his babies. He took care of his babies. I always wonder what my grandsons think that he's away.”“Some nights I don't sleep. My grandsons won’t get their dad back. My sons won’t have their brother. We just need answers to what happened. We need, I need to know, my family needs to know. Why did this all happen?”Let’s hope this heartbroken mother won’t have to make the same appeal a year from now. She desperately needs answers. She needs to bury her son. Maybe that will make the profound pain that will never, ever go away a little more gentle.Anyone with information is asked to contact Major Crime Services Tip line at 431-489-8110.
