Landfill search for First Nation woman's remains in Thunder Bay, Ont., comes up empty
CBC
WARNING: This story contains references to missing and murdered Indigenous people. Resources can be found at the bottom of this story.
After a nearly month-long search of the city’s landfill, Deborah Anishinabie’s family is still seeking closure as an investigation into her homicide in Thunder Bay, Ont., continues.
The 42-year-old member of Sandy Lake First Nation was last seen leaving New Newfie's Pub on the city’s south side on Dec. 5, 2024. Her body was found on Dec. 14, 2024, less than two kilometres from the pub, in the 800 block of Finlayson Street and the 400 block of McKellar Street North.
However, police are still searching for the rest of her remains.
Levi Michael Lawson, 25, faces charges of second-degree murder and indignity to a human body in connection with the case. He is expected to appear in court next on Jan. 5, 2026 for a trial date to be set.
The search of the Thunder Bay Solid Waste and Recycling Facility began on Sept. 22 and ended on Nov. 21. A month after its completion, the Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) issued a statement saying “no new evidence was discovered.”
“Providing closure for the family has been our priority,” said TBPS chief Darcy Fleury in a news release on Dec. 22. “Conducting this search was both necessary and appropriate, regardless of the outcome.”
The Thunder Bay landfill search comes on the heels of two prominent searches in Manitoba landfills for three First Nations women.
An $18 million-search of the Prairie Green landfill north of Winnipeg earlier this year uncovered remains belonging to Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran, both from Long Plain First Nation.
Meanwhile, a search of the Brady Road landfill in Winnipeg began on Dec. 1 for the remains of Ashlee Shingoose of St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation.
“Considering there was so much attention and focus and criticism when it came to the Winnipeg landfill search[es], it was quite obvious that no other police services would try to discourage or disagree to those kind of requests,” said Anna Betty Achneepineskum, a deputy grand chief with Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN), in an interview with CBC News on Tuesday.
The Thunder Bay landfill search was led by the TBPS alongside the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, Lac Seul Police Service and the City of Thunder Bay.
It’s estimated to have cost around $700,000, a spokesperson for the TBPS told CBC News in an email, with about $600,000 for equipment rentals and $100,000 in overtime wages.
The provincial and federal governments are expected to help with the search costs.
WARNING: This story contains references to missing and murdered Indigenous people. Resources can be found at the bottom of this story.
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