News Release

News Release

Re-Evaluation Concluded into Woman’s Death in Thunder Bay in 2023

Case Number: 23-OOD-536   

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SIU Concludes Investigation into Woman’s Death in Thunder Bay

Mississauga, ON (8 June, 2026) ---
Following a change of evidence and re-evaluation, the Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, remains of the view there were no reasonable grounds to believe that a Thunder Bay Police officer committed a criminal offence in the death of a 21-year-old woman in 2023.

This re-evaluation was prompted following a meeting with the woman’s family and representatives last August where the SIU agreed to re-examine the time of the woman’s last known cell phone activity. The Ministry of Finance’s Forensic Data Recovery Unit conducted the re-examination and concluded on this occasion that the last known cell phone activity occurred later than originally reported -- at 0517 hours on December 30, 2023. 

Director’s Report Corrigendum: https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.

If you or someone you know has been negatively affected by an incident under SIU investigation and would like support, the Affected Persons Program is here to help. You can reach us at 1-877-641-1897. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7, every day of the year.

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (municipal, regional and provincial police officers, police officers with the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must

  • consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
  • depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
  • publicly report the results of its investigations

Lisez ce communiqué en français.

Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES