In a chilling new twist to the mysterious disappearance of six-year-old Gus Lamont, police have uncovered what they’re calling a “critical piece of evidence” — a child’s jacket matching Gus’s description, eerily hung on a rusted fence along a deserted country road 12 kilometers from the Lamont family home.
The discovery, made by a volunteer search team early Tuesday morning, has left both investigators and locals in utter disbelief. The jacket — a small navy-blue winter coat with a missing button and faint mud stains — was reportedly neatly draped over a section of wire fencing facing a thick wooded area.
“It didn’t look like it had been there long,” said one of the volunteers who first spotted the garment. “It was hanging too perfectly — like someone wanted it to be seen.”
Authorities immediately sealed off the area and confirmed that the jacket bears the same label and stitching pattern as the one Gus was last seen wearing in CCTV footage from a local playground days before he vanished.
But what truly unsettled investigators was the bizarre condition of the find. Despite light rainfall over the weekend, the jacket appeared almost completely dry, suggesting that it had been placed there recently — possibly within the last 24 hours.
A senior police source described the discovery as “deeply suspicious” and hinted that this may have been an intentional move by the perpetrator to taunt or mislead investigators.
“There’s no logical reason that jacket should’ve ended up there on its own,” the officer stated. “We’re looking at the possibility that the person responsible came back to the area — or that someone close to them is trying to send a message.”
Forensic teams are now conducting comprehensive DNA and fiber analysis, including swabs for fingerprints and possible trace evidence. Early unconfirmed reports indicate the presence of foreign hair fibers caught on the inside collar — a discovery that has only deepened the mystery.
The fence itself borders a vacant farmland area, which police say was previously searched during the first week of the investigation. That detail has reignited speculation that the suspect may be monitoring police activity closely, placing the jacket there after realizing the area had been cleared.
Local residents describe feeling a growing sense of unease.
“It feels like someone’s playing games,” said a neighbor who joined the ongoing search effort. “Every time we think we’re close to finding Gus, something new appears — and it only raises more questions.”
Adding to the intrigue, CCTV footage from a gas station located 2km from the discovery site reportedly captured a figure in dark clothing walking along the roadside at approximately 3:17 a.m. Police have not yet confirmed whether the figure is connected to the case.
Detectives have since expanded the search perimeter and are using thermal drones and scent-tracking dogs to comb through the surrounding woodlands. The discovery has also prompted authorities to revisit earlier evidence, including prior sightings of a white pickup truck near the same stretch of road.
As the investigation deepens, one haunting question remains unanswered — and it’s the one that’s keeping everyone awake tonight:
If someone placed Gus Lamont’s jacket there on purpose… what message were they trying to send — and what will they leave behind next?