🚨 Missing Woman – December 14, 2003 – Timmins, Ontario (Cold Case)
Pamela Jayne Holopainen, a 22-year-old Indigenous mother of two, disappeared under suspicious circumstances on December 14, 2003, in Timmins, Ontario. More than two decades later, her case remains unsolved and is now considered a cold case by both the Timmins Police and Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
On the night of Saturday, December 13, Pamela and her common-law partner, Chris Manchester, attended a house party. According to multiple witnesses, the couple got into a heated argument around 2:00 a.m. on Sunday. Pamela left the party alone, reportedly walking home to their apartment on Fourth Avenue in the Schumacher neighbourhood. Manchester later claimed that they both returned home, but that Pamela was gone when he woke up. She has never been seen or heard from again.
In the days following her disappearance, Pamela’s sister, Vanessa Brousseau, tried repeatedly to reach her—leaving voicemails and even stopping by her home with Christmas gifts for the children. There was no answer. The family initially believed Pamela, her partner, and their children might have gone out of town. But when they learned from a relative at a bingo hall that Pamela had allegedly left her partner and left the children behind, alarm bells rang. Vanessa and her mother went straight to the police to report her missing.
Despite these concerns, Timmins Police were slow to act, suggesting initially that Pamela may have gone drinking and encouraging the family to wait. It wasn’t until December 31, 2003, that she was officially listed as a missing person. On January 4, 2004, police issued a public notice claiming she may have traveled to Hamilton, Ontario, and that foul play was not suspected—despite her complete disappearance and lack of contact with her close-knit family.
The family has consistently expressed frustration with the early stages of the investigation. During a police meeting, officers presented Pamela’s family with a nude image found on her computer and suggested she was engaged in sex work—claims the family adamantly denied. In May 2004, the OPP was brought in to take over the case. It was during their investigation that blood evidence was discovered inside Pamela’s apartment. Later that year, between October 26–29, OPP cadaver dogs and excavators were used to search the Deloro Landfill Site, but no remains were found.
Despite over 100 interviews and numerous searches, no arrests were ever made. In 2005, the Ontario government offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Pamela’s disappearance. Her mother, Holly Kowtook, was later granted joint custody of Pamela’s two sons before her death in 2007. The children were later placed in foster care and with their father at different points.
Pamela’s sister, Vanessa Brousseau, became a vocal advocate not only for her sister but for all Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). She criticized the lack of urgency and systemic racism in the case, and later used social media—particularly TikTok—to raise awareness, gaining over 20 million views. Vanessa also testified during the national MMIWG inquiry, though she noted the inquiry’s limited accessibility for rural and northern families like hers.
📌 Description
- Name: Pamela Jayne Holopainen
- Age at time of disappearance: 22
- Height: 5’2″ (157 cm)
- Weight: 126 lbs (57 kg)
- Hair: Long brown
- Eyes: Blue
- Ethnicity: Indigenous
- Clothing: Purple Columbia winter jacket
- Jewelry: Silver necklace with eagle pendant; up to four rings
- Identifying Marks: Tattoo of “DI” and a web pattern on her left hand; had worn braces
📞 How to Help
If you have any information about Pamela Holopainen’s disappearance, please contact the Timmins Police Service at 705-264-1201 or email police@timmins.ca.
You can also provide tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
🔗 Sources
👉 What You Can Do
- Share Pamela’s story and raise awareness about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG).
- Support Indigenous families seeking justice by amplifying their voices and contacting your local representatives.
- Report any tips, even anonymous ones—your voice could help solve this case.
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