‘Every day has been difficult’: Police offer $50K reward in disappearance of Ontario woman

Barrie police are offering a $50,000 reward for any information that leads to the whereabouts of a woman who disappeared last year.

Autumn Shaganash, who is now 27 years old, was last seen by family leaving her home in Barrie, Ont. on the night of Friday, June 9, 2023. She was last heard from via text message the following day. Her disappearance was reported to police on June 12.

“It’s been almost eight months since we last saw or heard from her and every day has been difficult,” said Lili-Anne Moore, Autumn’s sister.

During the middle of her prepared statement, Moore fought back tears, putting her hand on her forehead as she thanked Barrie police for their efforts in trying to find her missing sister.

“I hope that this reward that is being offered will help in finding her and bringing her home,” Moore said.

The lead investigator on the case, Sgt. Brett Carlton, told reporters that video they have last showed Autumn leaving her home in Latisha Heights on the morning of June 10, 2023 at around 10 a.m.. She was walking with a friend en route to the airshow in Barrie.

A video shared with Global News last year shows Shaganash leaving her home shortly after 9 p.m. on Friday. Minutes later, she can be seen on surveillance video passing a nearby convenience store and crossing the street to meet someone.

Autumn has not been seen since.

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Barrie police have authorized a $50,000 reward for information that leads to finding Autumn.

“No detail is too small,” Carlton said. “Anyone with information regarding Autumn’s disappearance is asked to reach out.”

Detectives have investigated “numerous leads” from all over Ontario “to the end” but those leads have not been able to locate her, Carlton said. He also noted that a number of officers have been assigned to the case to find her.

Carlton said Autumn had connections, such as friends, in Toronto and Sarnia and that those jurisdictions were investigated.

Autumn is described as an Indigenous woman, five-feet-three inches tall, and around 130 pounds, Carlton said. At the time she was last seen, she was wearing a black hoodie, tan pants, slip-on puma sandals and was carrying a Couture purse.

Barrie police chief Rich Johnston said they hope the reward will prompt anyone with information to come forward and “make a phone call.”

“We would like Autumn reunited with her family,” Johnston said. “We don’t stop. The exhaustive efforts that our detectives have taken continue and they will continue until Autumn is returned home.”