10/23/2026 BEMIDJI, MN — A tip from a family member has led investigators to search a property near Bemidji as part of the investigation into the 1982 disappearance of 3-year-old Kevin Ayotte, according to reporting by 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS. The Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension are searching a property in Sugarbush Township, a few miles from the home where Kevin disappeared on September 30, 1982. Sheriff Jason Riggs told the station that crews began work Thursday and expected to continue through the weekend. Investigators are focusing on outbuildings rather than the residence, according to the report. Riggs said someone previously considered a person of interest in the investigation once lived at the property. That person no longer lives there, although family members do. The report does not establish wrongdoing by the property’s current residents. The BCA confirmed to the station that it was assisting the sheriff’s office with the execution of a warrant in the township and referred further questions to the sheriff’s office. Kevin was nonverbal and lived with his mother and two older brothers when he disappeared with the family’s Springer Spaniel puppy, Flash. Investigator Joe Kleszyk previously said Kevin had wandered away before and had usually been found quickly. The disappearance prompted a large search. Earlier reporting described approximately 500 people taking part, with assistance from the Minnesota State Patrol, FBI and BCA. The sheriff’s office accumulated thousands of items in its case file. Flash returned on October 5, 1982, but Kevin did not. According to Kleszyk’s account, veterinarians examined the dog’s stomach contents and found swamp grass. Investigators later fitted the puppy with a tracking collar and released it at different locations in hopes it might lead them to Kevin. Each time, it returned home. The information provided does not report any findings from the new search. Kevin’s disappearance remains unresolved. Source: 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reporting provided to Minnesota Now, including statements attributed to the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office and Minnesota BCA. Minnesota Now | Beltrami County, Minnesota