EARLY LIFE:
Shirley Joanne Lonethunder was born on January 3, 1966, as the oldest of five children. From the White Bear First Nations near Carlyle, Saskatchewan, she grew up in Saskatoon, making trips back and forth between the city and the reserve.
Known for being stubborn and strong-willed, Shirley struggled with substance abuse and was said to be working in the sex trade. She was a mother of two children and worked on the streets to help make ends meet.
In 1991, Shirley and her children were staying with her mother. She was reportedly looking for her own place and, according to her mother, was starting university the following year. However, her brother, Stacey Longthunder, says this isn’t true and that his sister was looking to get out of Saskatoon to avoid the police.
DISAPPEARANCE:
Shirley went missing on December 24, 1991, four days after she was last seen by her family. She said she was going out to buy presents that afternoon in downtown Saskatoon, but didn’t come home.
Unfortunately, Shirley’s family didn’t realize she was missing until March 1992, when they were contacted by her lawyer after she missed a court date. Upon receiving the news, she was reported missing to the Saskatoon Police Service.
SEARCH:
Some believe Shirley’s disappearance may be related to serial killer John Martin Crawford, who was active in the Saskatoon area around the time she went missing. He killed his first victim, Mary Jane Serloin, in the early 1980s and was sentenced to 10 years in prison on a charge of manslaughter. He was released in 1989, during which time he sexually assaulted a woman named Theresa Kematch, but wasn’t arrested. Instead, she was.
In 1995, Crawford was arrested and charged with the murders of Eva Taysup, Shelley Napope and Calinda Waterhen. He was convicted in June 1996 and sentenced to three life stints with no chance of parole for 25 years, to be served concurrently. He passed away on December 16, 2020 at the Regional Psychiatric Centre in Saskatoon. No cause of death was revealed.
Shirley’s disappearance is listed as a historical missing person’s case by the Saskatoon Police Service, with it still considered active. For years, her mother was the point of contact with investigators, but she has since passed. According to Stacey, those responsible for the investigation haven’t contacted him since around 1997-98.
DETAILS:
Shirley Joanne Lonethunder was 25 years old when she went missing from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada on December 24, 1991. She had a slender build, standing between 5’3″ and 5’5″ and weighing 128-130 pounds. She had long black hair and brown eyes, and was last seen wearing a black jacket, blue denim jeans and white running shoes.
Shirley has two tattoos: a heart of her left ankle and a bird and heart on her right calf. She also has a four-centimetre scar on her left cheek.
CASE CONTACT INFORMATION:
Shirley’s case is classified as endangered missing.
Anyone with information regarding her disappearance is asked to contact the Saskatoon Police Service at (306) 975-8300. Tips can also be submitted anonymously via Crimestoppers at either (306) 931-8477 or +1 (800) 222-8477.
Image Credit: RCMP
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