🚨 Missing Woman in Masset, British Columbia – Shaylanna Lewis, 23 – Last Seen March 21, 2020
Shaylanna Meaghan Lewis, 23, vanished from her community of Old Masset on March 21, 2020. She was last seen walking southbound on Highway 16 near Pure Lake, just outside of Masset. More than five years later, her family and the RCMP continue to search for answers.
Her disappearance shook the small community of Haida Gwaii. Old Masset, where Shaylanna grew up, is home to fewer than 800 people, and the tight-knit community rallied together in the days and weeks after she went missing. Despite searches by land, water, and air, no clear answers have ever emerged.
📌 Early Life
Shaylanna was born in April 1997 and grew up in a spiritual and culturally rich household. Her family embraced their Haida traditions, and Shaylanna was a dancer with the Tluu Xaadaa Naay dance group. She was known for her intelligence, curiosity, and creativity, often challenging traditional thinking and exploring her identity through writing and performance.
Friends and family recall her as vibrant, artistic, and thoughtful. She wrote extensively in journals and on her laptop, expressing herself through poetry and personal reflections. Her mother remembers her as someone who loved deeply but also struggled at times with feelings of fear and anxiety.
📌 The Days Before Her Disappearance
In the weeks leading up to her disappearance, Shaylanna confided to her family that she felt she was being stalked and harassed. This created tension and fear in her life. She often went on long walks to clear her mind, and she wrote on her laptop daily. On March 20, 2020, she posted a photo of herself writing while listening to music, captioned “yous is it.” That night, she apologized to her mother for the trouble she felt she had brought into their lives.
The next morning, she woke up early and left the house for a walk, leaving behind her cellphone. This was unusual for Shaylanna, who normally carried it with her. It is unknown whether leaving the phone was intentional or accidental.
📌 The Disappearance
The last confirmed sighting of Shaylanna was at around 5:15 p.m. on March 21, 2020, walking along Highway 16 near Pure Lake, just outside Masset. Witnesses saw her heading south, but she never returned home. Her mother, Monica, reported her missing that same evening.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, large-scale search efforts were initially limited. Authorities advised people not to gather, which hampered early community-led searches. Despite this, a helicopter search and RCMP Police Dog Services were deployed. On March 30, searchers found some of Shaylanna’s belongings, including clothing and part of her backpack, near Port Clements, about 43 km away. After that, the trail went cold.
📌 Investigation
Police examined her laptop and cellphone. On her laptop, they found writings that investigators suggested could be a suicide note. However, her family strongly disputes this interpretation. They believe it was simply another example of Shaylanna’s creative writing, which she was known for.
Authorities have not released many details publicly, and the case remains open. Despite years of searching, no further evidence has been found. For her family, the lack of information is devastating, as they remain in the dark about what truly happened.
📌 Community Response
Shaylanna’s disappearance is one of many cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada. Her story has become part of the broader call for justice and awareness. The Haida Gwaii women organized the Tears to Hope Relay, an annual event held on the anniversary of her disappearance, to raise awareness for Shaylanna and other missing Indigenous women and girls.
Her family has also offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to answers in her case. In addition, a Bring Shaylanna Home Facebook page was created to keep her case in the public eye and to gather tips from the community.
📌 Description
- Age at disappearance: 23
- Gender: Woman
- Ethnicity: Indigenous (First Nations)
- Height: 5 ft 3 – 5 ft 7 in
- Weight: 150 – 174 lbs
- Hair: Brown, shaved at the time of disappearance
- Eyebrows: Shaved
- Eyes: Brown
- Tattoo: Raven tattoo on her back
- Scars: On one thigh
📞 How to Help
If you have any information on Shaylanna’s disappearance, please contact the Masset RCMP at (250) 626-3991 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS). Even the smallest detail could bring her family closer to the truth.
🔗 Sources
- RCMP – Masset Release
- RCMP Update – 2025
- HubPages – Disappearance of Shaylanna Lewis
- International Missing Wiki
- Bring Shaylanna Home – Facebook Page
👉 What You Can Do
Share Shaylanna’s story and keep her case in the public eye. Cold cases are never truly closed, and public awareness can play a vital role in bringing answers to families.
Visit CanadaMissing.ca for more missing persons cases and resources nationwide.
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