🚨 Missing Woman – Shelly Tannis Dene, 25 – Last Seen August 2013 – Edmonton, Alberta (Cold Case – Over 12 Years Missing)
More than twelve years after she vanished without trace, the disappearance of Shelly Tannis Dene, a 25-year-old Indigenous woman from Fort McKay First Nation, remains one of Edmonton’s most haunting unsolved cases. Last in contact with family around mid-July 2013, she was formally reported missing on November 8, 2013, when her phone was disconnected – a silence her loved ones knew was not like her.
Born December 7, 1987, Shelly grew up navigating the intergenerational trauma of residential schools. Her parents struggled with alcoholism, separating in 1997; Shelly and her siblings then moved with their mother to Vernon, BC, later living in Kelowna, Fort McMurray, and Fort McKay. Despite hardship, she was remembered as trusting, artistic, and the light of every room. She painted drums, designed clothing, crocheted, and dreamed of becoming an interior designer.
Shelly became a mother in 2007 – her son was her pride and joy. She completed grade 12 in 2010, stayed sober for three years, and enrolled in college. In 2012 she spent her estranged father’s final days at his bedside in Edmonton. After his death, grief and depression led to relapse; her son was removed from her care, devastating her.
In July 2013, Shelly agreed to house-sit for her grandmother Katie Dene in Edmonton. When Katie returned from vacation in late August, Shelly had packed up and left. Family initially believed she had gone to the Yukon. Her sister Candice received one final text – “No” – and then nothing. On November 8, 2013, her phone was disconnected and Candice reported her missing.
The Edmonton Police Service Missing Persons Unit took the case, but communication with the family largely stopped after December 2014. Candice has publicly criticised the investigation, citing systemic issues faced by Indigenous women. In 2014 the family held a rally at Churchill Square; they maintain an active Help Find Shelly Tannis Dene Facebook page. Unconfirmed tips suggested she may have travelled north with a First Nations man in a red pickup truck.
Today, at age 37 (if still alive), Shelly’s disappearance is part of the broader MMIWG crisis. Her son and family deserve answers.
📌 Description
- Name: Shelly Tannis Dene (also known as Shelly Tanis Dene / Shelly Dene)
- Date of Birth: December 7, 1987 (would be 37)
- Gender: Female
- Race: Indigenous – Fort McKay First Nation
- Height: 5′7″ (170 cm)
- Weight: 110–111 lbs (50 kg)
- Hair: Brown, shoulder-length
- Eyes: Brown
- Distinctive Marks: Scar on right cheek, piercing above left upper lip
- Last Known Location: Area of 114 Street & 102 Avenue, Edmonton
📞 How to Help
Contact any of the following with information, even from 2013:
- Edmonton Police Service: 780-423-4567 (File #13-151984)
- Crime Stoppers (anonymous): 1-800-222-8477 or online
- RCMP National Centre for Missing Persons: canadasmissing-disparuscanada@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
🔗 Sources
- RCMP National Centre – Shelly Tannis Dene
- Global News 2013 article
- Someone Saw Something – 2024 update
- Stories of the Unsolved
Visit CanadaMissing.ca for verified missing-person cases across Canada.
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