Stefan Lundström of the Skellefteå police has been working on Elliott's disappearance since last year. He is visibly frustrated that Elliott's car has not yet been found despite extensive search efforts and the considerable time that has passed since the disappearance.
On November 28, 2023, the then 20-year-old Skellefteå resident Elliott disappeared.
He was reported missing on December 1 after his parents realized he hadn’t shown up for work and hadn’t been heard from in days. The case quickly escalated to the serious crimes department, involving Skellefteå police.
Stefan Lundström, the lead officer on the case, reflects a year later with frustration and resignation over the lack of progress.
– This case has deeply affected me. I’m incredibly frustrated that we haven’t made headway, especially since we haven’t found the car. It’s not exactly small.
The police have one confirmed detail: Elliott left his workplace, Alimak, on November 28 at 15:30.
– A surveillance camera captured him leaving in his work clothes, explains Lundström.
The police believe Elliott likely returned to his apartment after leaving work, but this remains uncertain as no witnesses have confirmed seeing him do so.
Around 8 p.m., Elliott's phone becomes active, with cell tower data placing it in central Skellefteå before moving north along the E4. At 9:21 p.m., a tower in northern Jävre detects the phone just before it is manually switched off, remaining off since.
On November 25, Elliott refueled his car. Based on fuel prices that day, he likely did not fill the tank completely, though he may have had some gas prior. This makes it difficult to estimate how far the car could travel before running out of fuel.
The tracks of Elliott end in Jävre. There, Missing People has made many searches along the roads. In addition to that, several searches have been made in the water and in the air.
The police and Missing People are grappling with the fact that a year has passed without finding Elliott's car. It is believed to hold the key to uncovering what happened to him after his disappearance in November 2023.
Elliott's accounts have remained untouched since his disappearance. The last recorded transactions were routine payments after his November salary, including rent and bills.
Volunteers and Missing People staff have conducted extensive searches, covering between 150,000 and 180,000 miles by car, according to mission leader Martin Persson. Water searches around Jävre and Piteå have also been carried out due to the area's numerous waterways.
Persson has tirelessly spread awareness, contacting taxi companies, plow trucks, bus operators, hotels, and hunters, even distributing flyers to berry pickers and hunting teams to gather tips and observations.
When Elliott disappeared, a heavy snowstorm was taking place along the Norrland coast. The rest of the winter was long and snowy, which made the search difficult. For a long time, everyone involved hoped that Elliott's car would thaw in spring, but neither motorists, berry pickers nor hunters have come across it in the past year.
But despite all the thousands of kilometers driven by car and the enormous effort, every search has been fruitless. Like policeman Lundström, Martin Persson is frustrated.
– That such a large Volvo disappears is completely unimaginable.
On January 12, 2024, Missing People conducted one of many car searches and a large number of people turned up. "I have never been involved in such a huge operation," said the operation leader Martin Persson to Norran before the search operation. Archive image.
After a year of relentless searching, frustration has mounted. Yet, Martin Persson stresses the importance of staying motivated with each new search effort.
– You have to be positive, otherwise, there's no point, he says.
The organized car searches have seen significant participation, with Persson noting the immense public interest in Elliott's disappearance.
–This has been completely incomparable. So many people have helped.
The case remains open, with the police continuing to seek Elliott's car. Despite the slow progress, Lundström insists there are no plans to close the case. Any new leads could still emerge.
The police's practical reason for keeping the car on the wanted list is that, if it were to receive a parking ticket or be spotted, it would be flagged. So far, there have been no fines.
Both Missing People and the police consider the car to be the key to solving Elliott's disappearance.
Lundström explains:
– If we find the car, it will give us a place to continue our search.
Elliott's grey Volvo has been reported missing by the police. Tips and sightings can be reported to the police at 114 14.
Persson is hopeful. This week it just became clear that Missing People will be allowed to use advanced equipment to search for Elliott's car in the water. It is a device that can "see" what is under the surface of the water.
– It scans all the way down to the bottom, and then you can see everything, he says.
The idea is to place the device in a sled, and pull it behind a snowmobile. No date has been set for the search effort, but it must be proper winter first.
–There must be ice for us to be able to use it, says Persson.