Businessman accused of threatening missing man’s relatives
Roofer pleads not guilty to three charges of uttering threats
A Sussex-area business owner is accused of threatening the relatives of a missing man.
Troy Andrew Holland, 52, of Whites Mountain, has been charged with three counts of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm. Those threats were allegedly made on Oct. 21, 2024, to Gary and Lisa Saulnier, who are uncle and aunt to David Mitchell.
Mitchell, a father of three, was last seen on Sept. 9, 2024, at Holland’s camp in Whites Mountain, a 20-minute drive from Sussex, according to his family who reported him missing Sept. 25.
Mitchell’s disappearance has been deemed suspicious by New Brunswick RCMP. The force is still investigating whether criminality is a factor in the case.
Holland previously told Brunswick News he had nothing to do with Mitchell’s disappearance and has fully co-operated with the police investigation, which has included drone and canine searches of his property.
Last week, in Saint John provincial court, Holland pleaded not guilty to the three counts of uttering threats. A trial has been scheduled for Jan. 7, 2026.
Details about the content of the alleged threats aren’t included in the court file, but one of the charges is related to an alleged threat made to Gary Saulnier but directed at Cathy Mitchell-Cooper, the mother of David Mitchell.
At the time of his disappearance, Mitchell, who was living with his grandfather in Rothesay, was working for Troy’s Roofing and would stay over at his boss’s camp for days at a time, the family has previously told Brunswick News.
Family and friends of Mitchell have conducted their own searches for the missing father, as well as called on the RCMP to put additional resources on the case.
In January, the New Brunswick RCMP conducted its second search in two months in relation to Mitchell’s disappearance. The first search involved the area where Mitchell was last seen in Whites Mountain.
The latest search was also in Whites Mountain and was to obtain “any evidence” related to Mitchell’s disappearance. That search involved members of the New Brunswick RCMP, as well as its Specialized Policing Services and the Southeast District Community Crime Reduction (CCRU) units.
“Unfortunately, the search did not reveal any new information regarding the circumstances of his disappearance,” RCMP Cpl. Hans Ouellette said in an email last week.
Brunswick News asked the RCMP if it has received any new information in relation to the case. It was told the force is continuing to receive and follow up on tips from the public, but the CCRU – which is leading the investigation – and the Sussex RCMP are “looking for any new details about his disappearance, even if they seem small, as it may be that one piece of evidence required to help us locate David Mitchell.”
“Police continue to urge the public to report anything that may help further the investigation directly to police,” Ouellette said, “and not to speculate on the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.”
Dave Mantin