The Lethbridge Police are asking for information on a missing person case from the early 1980s.
Julie Ann Derouin was last seen on January 1, 1980, and there have been no confirmed sightings of her since then, causing her whereabouts to remain unknown.
When she was officially reported as missing on June 6, 1983, Derouin was 26 years old, and the initial investigation had determined that she had moved to Lethbridge from the lower mainland of B.C. in the latter part of 1979.
At that time, Derouin was associated with the now-defunct Ghost Riders Motorcycle Club, which was based in B.C. and Washington.
During the investigation, which has been ongoing for over 40 years, police received conflicting and unconfirmed reports that Derouin may have returned to B.C. or moved to Ontario.
It was also reported that she was the victim of a homicide.
But, despite their extensive efforts, the police have been unable to locate Derouin or to conclusively determine what happened to her.
Back in 1985, police obtained a warrant to search and excavate the southside home Derouin was believed to have lived in with her common-law husband, but even after an exhaustive forensic search of the property, they found no evidence to further the investigation.
Over the last four decades, they have received many tips, with the most recent being from earlier this year, and every report and every piece of information has been followed up on.
Even as science and technology have evolved, the police have pursued new avenues of investigation, including the provision of familial DNA samples to the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains for comparison, in case remains are located.
Derouin's familial DNA has been tested in connection with multiple cases that involved the discovery of unidentified remains, but all results have come back negative.
A member of the Violent Crimes Unit is still assigned to this open and unsolved case, and the police are asking for anyone with any information on Derouin that hasn't already been reported to come forward.
"We believe someone, somewhere, can help us prove what happened to Julie Derouin," explained Staff Sgt. Ashlin Snowdon, Criminal Investigation Section, in a social media post about the case. "Julie’s remaining family members deserve answers and any closure that knowledge can provide."
Any information on Derouin, no matter how insignificant it may seem, could end up leading to the police finding her.
Information can be provided to the police at 403-328-4444 (reference file 83706641).
Anyone who wishes to remain anonymous can give the information to Crime Stoppers at www.p3tips.com or by calling 1-800-222-8477.