Cold Case Solved After 47 Years: Pamela Harvey, Missing Since 1978, Identified as Homicide Victim Found in Quebec
Published March 2026
After nearly five decades of uncertainty, a collaborative forensic effort has confirmed the identity of Pamela Harvey, a woman who was reported missing from Greater Sudbury on December 25, 1978. She was 23 years old at the time of her disappearance.
The Discovery and the Cold Case
In March 1979, the body of an unidentified woman was discovered in St-Eustache, Quebec. Investigators determined that she was the victim of a homicide. Despite the limitations of forensic science at the time, evidence was carefully collected and preserved by investigators and forensic specialists at the Laboratoire de sciences judiciaires et de médecine légale (LSJML) of the ministère de la Sécurité publique du Québec, and has been securely maintained ever since.
For the next 47 years, members of the Sudbury Regional Police Service and later the Greater Sudbury Police Service (GSPS) remained committed to Pamela’s case, diligently following up on every tip and lead.
The Breakthrough
In 2018, the National Missing Persons DNA Program was launched, allowing familial DNA samples to be submitted in support of identifying missing persons and unidentified human remains. GSPS detectives met with Pamela’s family members and collected DNA samples, which were submitted to the national database.
In 2025, a forensic odontologist was able to connect Pamela Harvey’s missing persons case with the unidentified homicide victim discovered in St-Eustache, using historical investigative records documented by SRPS detectives at the time of her disappearance. Subsequent forensic analysis — comparing preserved exhibits dating back to 1979 with the familial DNA provided in 2018 — resulted in a positive identification through the RCMP National DNA Data Bank, confirmed by the Québec Coroner’s Office.
The Person Responsible
Through the Sûreté du Québec investigation, detectives determined that the person believed to be responsible for Pamela Harvey’s homicide died in 1979.
A Collaborative Effort
The identification was made possible through a collaborative effort between the Sûreté du Québec, the Greater Sudbury Police Service, the Québec Coroner’s Office, and the LSJML. The agencies extended their deepest condolences to Pamela’s family and praised the dedicated professionals whose perseverance across jurisdictions and decades made this resolution possible.
Pamela’s family has been notified and has requested privacy. They will not be participating in media interviews or providing public comment. The public and media are asked to respect their wishes.
Pamela was never forgotten. Her life mattered, and she will always be remembered.
🔗 Source
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