*Last Update – June 23, 2024*
EARLY LIFE:
Very little has been publicly shared about Amber Ellis’ childhood and early adulthood. We know she was born in 1988 to her mother, Donna, and that she has a stepfather named Tim Scott. She’s also the mother of two children. Despite living what the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) call a high-risk lifestyle, she regularly kept in contact the them – she’d Snapchat her daughter daily.
At the time of her disappearance, Amber was living in Hagersville, Ontario, Canada. However, she had connections to other locations in the region, including Hamilton, Norfolk County, Brantford and Cambridge.
DISAPPEARANCE:
The exact date Amber went missing is unknown. According to her family, she’d been out of contact since early February 2021, with news publications reporting that she was last seen toward the middle-to-end of the month, at a residence at 3698 Sixth Line in Ohsweken, Ontario. The rural community is located within Six Nations of the Grand River territory.
Amber was reported missing by her mother on March 8, 2021. This was largely prompted by her lack of contact with anyone in the family, especially her children.
INVESTIGATION:
The OPP’s Criminal Investigation Branch took control of the investigation into Amber’s disappearance, with assistance from the Haldimand County detachment, the Six Nations Police Service and the Brantford Police Service. Very little has been revealed regarding the investigation. However, the OPP has shared there’s unconfirmed information that Amber may travel to western Canada.
In June 2023, the OPP, with the help of the Six Nations Police Service, launched an “evidence-based search” of the property where Amber was reportedly last seen. The grounds were searched, as was the area behind the residence, which the Ellis family states has been empty for quite some time. Investigators wouldn’t say what they were searching for or what type of evidence, if any, was found.
Another search occurred in March 2024, this time at a property on First Line, between Chiefswood and Seneca roads. Investigators, with the aid of the OPP’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) and the Six Nations Police Service, were expected to be at the site for several days, but wound up calling off the search later that day, as no human remains were found.
While they refused to state why they’d been drawn there in the first place, the search team did say the property owners are not considered persons of interest in the case.
The OPP has interviewed dozens of individuals over the course of the investigation, with little headway made in the case. To help raise awareness and generate more tips, Donna created the Missing …..Amber Ellis Facebook group.
DETAILS:
Amber Ellis was last seen sometime in February 2021, at a residence in Ohsweken, Ontario. She was either 32 or 33 years old at the time, and is described as having a thin build, standing at 5’9″ and weighing between 120-121 pounds. She had straight, long black hair and brown eyes.
According to the OPP, Amber is missing some teeth, with noticeable gaps. She also has a scar on her left thigh, the result of a stab wound, and a horizontal mark between her eyebrows. A Chinese symbol is tattooed on the nape of her neck.
CASE CONTACT INFORMATION:
Amber’s disappearance is currently being investigated as a missing persons case, with foul play suspected. The OPP is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible.
Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to contact either the OPP’s Criminal Investigation Branch at +1 (888) 310-1122 or the dedicated tip line at +1 (866) 549-2090. Tips can also be submitted anonymously via Crime Stoppers at +1 (800) 222-8477.
Image Credit: Ontario Provincial Police – West Region
Stories of the Unsolved 