Private investigators seek answers in mysterious disappearance of Barrie woman

Seven months following the mysterious disappearance of a Barrie woman, her family has enlisted the services of a private investigation team in their pursuit of answers.

"The longer this goes on, the colder it gets, so we really want to get on top of this investigative effort and see what evidence and where this investigation will lead," said Derwin Johnson, president and owner of Present Truth Investigations Inc.

Video surveillance shows Autumn Shaganash leaving the family house and meeting with someone on Burton Avenue around 9 p.m. on June 9. The following day, police say the 27-year-old Indigenous woman was with a friend near Sunnidale Park around 10:30 a.m. while an ALS fundraising walk was happening.

Police say Autumn's friend became momentarily distracted, and when he turned around, she was gone.

"One minute she was there, the next minute she was gone," said Det. Const. Melanie Beard, in a September interview with CTV News to appeal to the public for information.

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Despite several searches of Sunnidale Park and the surrounding area, there are still no clues about what happened to Autumn.

"We haven't heard anything at all. It's really hard that there's really no leads," said Lili Moore, Autumn's sister. "It's been too long. It's been a really hard seven months. We really miss her."

"We're hoping that we do find her alive and well. At this point, we can't really comment on as to her well-being," Johnson said on Friday. "We're in the preliminary stages of the investigation at this point."

Autumn Shaganash hasn't been seen or heard from by family in eight weeks.(Courtesy of Lili-Anne Moore)

Police have previously said they can't rule out the prospect of human trafficking.

"Unfortunately, this circumstance happens on a frequent basis. I mean, over 60,000 people go missing in Canada every year," noted Johnson.

"It's heartwrenching for the family," the private investigator added. "I couldn't imagine what they're going through."

While the Shaganash family has questioned the police search efforts, Johnson said he plans to provide the authorities with a "more focused approach to assist" with the investigation.

"I'm sure the police services are doing their absolute best. I know the Barrie Police Service, they're inundated with caseloads and different missing person cases and other criminal activity, so I know that they're doing their absolute best to find her," he said.

The last time Autumn was seen, she wore a black hoodie, shorts, and Puma sandals and carried a black/tan purse.

Anyone with information on the investigation, including video footage from June 10, 2023, between 10 a.m. and noon, is urged to contact the authorities.

"Hopefully, we can get more answers to things," Moore said, adding a message to her sister. "It just hurts so much not knowing where you are. I wish you could come home to us."

"May our collective efforts yield valuable insights and contribute to the safe return of Autumn," Johnson concluded.