*Last Updated – August 8, 2024*
UPDATE
AUGUST 2024:
On May 1, 2024, investigators launched a 33-day search of the Saskatoon landfill for Mackenzie Trottier’s remains. This was later extended, with it lasting 93 days and involving 44 personnel equipped with excavators and trained dogs. Over the course of the three-month search, the area of interest was expanded three times, with around 5,000 tonnes of garbage sifted through.
On August 6, 2024, the Saskatoon Police Service announced that Mackenzie’s remains had been discovered at the landfill; partial remains were found on July 30, with the full recovery happening on August 1 and her identity being confirmed through the use of dental records. While a cause of death hasn’t been determined, the coroner continues to investigate.
According to investigators, no charges will be laid in the case, as the one and only suspect, who will not be named, died in December 2023 of an unrelated drug overdose. While they and Mackenzie were known to each other, no other details regarding their relationship will be revealed. Officers were quick to note, however, that the suspect wasn’t the man in the surveillance footage released in 2021, with them adding that that individual is no longer believed to be involved.
A search of the suspect’s cellphone following his death found searches regarding local garbage pickup schedules, leading to the belief that Mackenzie’s body was placed in a bin on the 1300 block of Avenue B North, in Saskatoon’s Mayfair neighbourhood, where both the missing woman and the suspect were known to frequent.
GPS data from the city’s garbage trucks then allowed investigators to determine a general search area at the landfill, where the suspect’s electronic devices were also found. The search for Mackenzie’s remains cost $1.5 million, $1 million of which will be covered by the province, according to government officials.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
EARLY LIFE:
Mackenzie Lee Trottier was born to parents Paul and Gina Trottier. The eldest of three children, she grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, where those around her described her as being a smart, kind and gentle person. Not only did she have a love for animals, she also had a talent for singing and dancing, which brought joy to those who watched her perform.
LEAD UP TO DISAPPEARANCE:
Mackenzie was last seen leaving her parents’ residence in the 300 block of Trent Crescent, in Saskatoon’s College Park East neighbourhood, on the evening of December 21, 2020. Before entering a ride-hailing vehicle, she’d told her family that she would see them around Christmas, which was only a few days away.
According to her parents, she did not appear under duress.
DISAPPEARANCE:
According to Paul, Mackenzie last accessed her cellphone on the afternoon of December 24, 2020. It hasn’t been used since. It was on this day that her parents became alarmed, as she hadn’t shown up for Christmas celebrations and hadn’t been in contact with them. Paul and Gina spoke with their two youngest daughters, Sadie and Laurenne, to ask if they’d heard from their sister, but they hadn’t had any contact with her. The same was true when they asked Mackenzie’s circle of friends.
Paul looked around the area of north Idylwyld Drive, where Mackenzie is reported to have been dropped off after leaving Trent Crescent. Unfortunately, he found nothing that would indicate his daughter’s whereabouts.
Mackenzie was officially reported missing to police on December 30, 2020.
SEARCH:
In February 2021, police released a photograph of an unidentified man they wish to speak to in connection to Mackenzie’s disappearance, along with security footage of him that had been captured in late December while he was in the 1400 to 1600 block of north Idylwyld Drive. While they believe he may have information related to the case, they haven’t disclose much else.
That same month, 34 digital billboards across Canada began showing information about the case, including Mackenzie’s image and name. Each prompted anyone with information to contact the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) or Crime Stoppers.
In May 2021, the Trottier family announced a $20,000 reward for information leading to Mackenzie’s return. The money was raised through fundraising efforts put on by the family, their friends, Saskatoon’s arts community and agencies from across Canada. The arts community overall was very active in the search, given Paul’s connection to it – he’s a landscape artist and runs a small art supply store in the city.
Both the family and police express concern that Mackenzie may be in a vulnerable state, especially as she hasn’t been active on social media. While she’s known to leave home for periods at a time, she always maintained contact with her loved ones.
AFTERMATH:
The Trottier family is incredibly active in their search for Mackenzie, setting up a Facebook group and website dedicated to the case. They also started the “I am missing” social media campaign, which is aimed at helping to keep attention focused on those who are missing. Users can frame their profile pictures with the “I am missing” Canadian maple leaf that has a puzzle piece omitted to show their support.
DETAILS:
Mackenzie Lee Trottier was last seen in the 300 block of Trent Crescent in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on December 21, 2020. She was 22 years old, and while what she was last wearing hasn’t been released, her family shared she normally is dressed in a heavy green jacket and black yoga pants. She typically wears heavy makeup and is known to carry a large purse.
At the time of her disappearance, Mackenzie stood at 5’0″ and weighed 145 pounds. She has medium-length blonde hair that’s shaved on the right side of her head, green eyes, a tattoo on her right ankle and two piercings: one in the middle of her bottom lip and another on the left side of her nose. Her front teeth are also broken.
CASE CONTACT INFORMATION:
Currently, Mackenzie’s case is being treated as a missing persons investigation.
Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to contact the Saskatoon Police Service at (306) 975-8300. Those wishing to remain anonymous can submit tips via Crime Stoppers at +1 (800) 222-8477.
Image Credit: Facebook
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