Someone Saw Something: The Disappearance of Sheryl Sheppard

Case number 08-501950

Sheryl Sheppard
Missing since: January 2, 1998 from Hamilton, Ontario
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: September 29, 1968
Age at Time of Disappearance: 29 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'4"-5'6"; 105 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Blonde hair; blue eyes.
Tattoos: A heart tattoo on her ankle, ankle unknown.
Also Know As: Fisher, maiden name Sweeney
Dentals: Available. Stained teeth.
DNA: Available

A Little About Sheryl Sheppard

Michael Lavoie with Sheryl

Sheryl was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario and attended Notre Dame High School until grade 10. She married at 21 but the marriage lasted less than six months. A second marriage lasted one year. Sheryl worked at Tim Horton's at Sanford Avenue North and Cannon Street East in Hamilton since it opened September 1997. Her fiance proposed to her live on Hamilton's television station ONtv on New Year's Eve, she accepted a marriage proposal this television appearance is believed to be the last time anyone saw her. Friends say the two had dated for about two years, and he had moved into the apartment with Sheryl and her mother - Odette Fisher - a few months before. Lavoie claimed to have dropped her off at the Concord Hotel in Niagara Falls for a dancing job on January 2, but police say she never arrived at the hotel. The Concord manager said she was never scheduled to work his establishment and he has never seen her. Sheryl had reportedly stopped dancing approximately 6 years before going missing.

Friends and family say she had a stormy and abusive relationship with Michael Lavoie. She was supposed to have picked up her mother at the Pearson Airport January 4, but she never showed up. A check of her apartment turned up her wallet and identification. Foul play is believed to have occurred. Her fiancé, Michael Lavoie was found in a storage locker with his car running. He was treated and released from Henderson Hospital. In 2008 Lavoie was named the person of interest by the head of the Homicide Unit, Staff Sergeant Ian Matthews.

In 2011 the Sheryl Sheppard case also received some publicity for increasing the reward from $10,000 to $50,000 for tips leading to a conviction.

In 2016, Someone Knows Something with David Ridgen did a Podcast series regarding this case. Please give it a listen at http://www.cbc.ca/radio/sks

Hamilton Police Services - Sheryl Sheppard - Case number 08-501950

The Doe Network: Case File 2337DFON

The Missed Lives Project - Sheryl Sheppard Case

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

Hamilton Police Service

Detective Peter Thom

905-546-3843

Agency Case Number: 98-501950