London police renew search for missing Shelley Desrochers
Desrochers vanished in January of 2016 and despite hundreds of tips, police are still stumped
London police have renewed their search for missing 43-year-old Shelley Desrochers, who has yet to be found after she vanished about two years ago.
Investigators began their renewed search on Tuesday, canvassing neighbourhoods where Desrochers was known to visit frequently. Officials could be seen putting up missing posters in the hope that the renewed effort might bring to light some crucial clue.
It comes as a relief to Desrochers' family and friends who have been waiting patiently for answers that, despite an ongoing police investigation, seem to be hard to come by.
"We try to leave the children as far away as we can from the conversation about what happened to their mom," Desrochers' friend Penny Drake said Tuesday.
"There's no peace. It's tough. We've never stopped looking for Shelley."
Ongoing investigation
Desrochers, a mother of three children and a grandmother, was last seen in the city's downtown in early January 2016, but she wasn't reported missing until January 21, 2016.
Since then, police have been actively investigating her disappearance, but on Tuesday investigators made a public announcement in the hopes of drawing renewed attention to Desrochers' case.
"We are very interested in any information anybody can provide to us about Shelly, her whereabouts and any information that would help us explain to her family Shelly's disappearance," Det. Sgt. Alex Kyrgsman of the city police service's major crime section said Tuesday.
Desrochers is known to lead what police call "a high-risk lifestyle." She's also struggled with addiction, which has investigators very concerned.
Despite that concern and hundreds of tips from the public, Krygsman said police have yet to gain a solid lead that's led them to Desrochers' current whereabouts.
"We still need more from the community," he said. "We know that Shelly was well-known. She's loved and we believe that there are people out there who have information that would assist us in finding her and explaining the circumstances around her disappearance."