Found Deceased Canada - Shannon Burgess, 25, Calgary, 26 Nov 2014 - #2 *Arrest*

[deugirtni]

Yes, anything's possible, just making the point that we really haven't been told anything other than she 'left' without her car and cellphone (but people have suggested she could have had 2 cellphones?). We don't know if LE even searched her home, or what they found, if anything, that was missing; and the dog who was initially SB's.. no mention of him either, did she leave him? Does she still have the dog? When I go out in the car sometimes just for a quick jaunt to pick up a kid or go thru a Tim's drive-through, I sometimes only take my debit card.... although I do my best to always always always take my cellphone just in case something were to happen, like a car accident, or car failure, or... whatever.. I can't imagine being without that. ..... but... if it were dead and I was only leaving for a quick errand, then no use in taking it.. I'm just saying it's so unfortunate there are so few details from the family/friends that could potentially help. Was her phone dead at the time and that's why she didn't take it? Did she have 2 and she took the alternate one? Those 2 are the only reasons I can imagine for why she wouldn't have taken her phone (if she left willingly). MOO
PS Her car could have still had brake issues, ... I wonder if they checked with every cab company to see if any of them had a pickup at her address that night? Personally...... if I were going to 'walk' somewhere at that time of night (it wouldn't happen in the first place, but just saying..), somewhere close enough to walk to.. I'd at least take my dog with me.. unless of course she had planned on 'walking' to the local pub or whatever (but why walk, really?? a single woman walking alone at night with no cellphone just doesn't equate).

Possible re a suitcase, but then why leave car and cellphone? Is there a local store open at that time of night that SB may have just decided to walk to, rather than drive? When I go to my local convenience store I take nothing other than keys, driver's licence, debit card .. that's it.

 

[Topcat]

Yes, anything's possible, just making the point that we really haven't been told anything other than she 'left' without her car and cellphone (but people have suggested she could have had 2 cellphones?). We don't know if LE even searched her home, or what they found, if anything, that was missing; and the dog who was initially SB's.. no mention of him either, did she leave him? Does she still have the dog? When I go out in the car sometimes just for a quick jaunt to pick up a kid or go thru a Tim's drive-through, I sometimes only take my debit card.... although I do my best to always always always take my cellphone just in case something were to happen, like a car accident, or car failure, or... whatever.. I can't imagine being without that. ..... but... if it were dead and I was only leaving for a quick errand, then no use in taking it.. I'm just saying it's so unfortunate there are so few details from the family/friends that could potentially help. Was her phone dead at the time and that's why she didn't take it? Did she have 2 and she took the alternate one? Those 2 are the only reasons I can imagine for why she wouldn't have taken her phone (if she left willingly). MOO
PS Her car could have still had brake issues, ... I wonder if they checked with every cab company to see if any of them had a pickup at her address that night? Personally...... if I were going to 'walk' somewhere at that time of night (it wouldn't happen in the first place, but just saying..), somewhere close enough to walk to.. I'd at least take my dog with me.. unless of course she had planned on 'walking' to the local pub or whatever (but why walk, really?? a single woman walking alone at night with no cellphone just doesn't equate).

if she had a second phone, wouldn't there be a record of her purchasing minutes? or do you suppose she went to a store and paid cash everytime to purchase minutes? wouldn't any of her friends have that second number?

 

[news.talk]

Possible re a suitcase, but then why leave car and cellphone? Is there a local store open at that time of night that SB may have just decided to walk to, rather than drive? When I go to my local convenience store I take nothing other than keys, driver's licence, debit card .. that's it.

There is a 7'11 less than a block away. Maybe she hadn't got her brakes fixed or was planning on drinking, hence why she may leave the car at home.

 

[LoisLane]

There is a 7'11 less than a block away. Maybe she hadn't got her brakes fixed or was planning on drinking, hence why she may leave the car at home.

Possibly Shannon left her phone at home to charge and she expected to return. Or she could have been out of minutes if she had a "pay-as-you-go".

If she did leave willingly for the long-term and didn't want to be reached then leaving the phone makes sense. I think if she did this and has not reached out to someone in her family by now then she is not in a good-place mentally.

I am still curious what her main income was. I wonder if she had a cash-only, under-the-table employment. Such as a dancer at a gentlemen's club. Just a thought...

 

[charminglane]

Leaving the dog.
Never.

 

[LoisLane]

Leaving the dog.
Never.

Unless the dog died or was given up prior. Or the new place she was going didn't allow pets. It would be interesting to see of the dog is still around. I wonder if the husband is still at the house and if he walks the dog around the neighborhood.

I had a dog who I loved for 15 years. When my life circumstances changed I left him with the ex until I was in a place where I could have him back.

 

[Leischa]

When I go out in the car sometimes just for a quick jaunt to pick up a kid or go thru a Tim's drive-through, I sometimes only take my debit card.... although I do my best to always always always take my cellphone just in case something were to happen, like a car accident, or car failure, or... whatever.. I can't imagine being without that. ..... but... if it were dead and I was only leaving for a quick errand, then no use in taking it.. I'm just saying it's so unfortunate there are so few details from the family/friends that could potentially help. Was her phone dead at the time and that's why she didn't take it? Did she have 2 and she took the alternate one? Those 2 are the only reasons I can imagine for why she wouldn't have taken her phone (if she left willingly). MOO

The phone bothers me a lot in this case. It doesn't make sense that she willingly left the house that late into the night, alone, without a cell phone. Unless she's been used to not carrying it around, and also used to walking alone at night. If the phone was dead, alright, but even then, I wouldn't have gone out alone without a cell phone, especially if I'd planned on walking to my destination.

It could be that she wasn't alone when she left, maybe... Let's say a friend called her and said ''I'll go pick you up, we'll go there!''. Shannon agreed, saw that her phone was dead and told herself that she didn't really need it anyway since she'd be with someone she trusted. This is just an idea that crossed my mind. I remember when my girlfriends used to come pick me up late at night and we'd go on road trips. I didn't care too much about bringing my own cell phone because I knew that they all had one. But that was 2001. This happened in 2014 and people are usually always checking their phones for new text messages, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and what not.

 

[lynck]

Common sense normally prevails in situations like this and I can speak from personal experience that if I leave my phone at home when I go out, normally it's because either I don't want to be contacted, that the battery is dead anyway, or that I'm not going to be out long enough that I couldn't call someone back if they called and I didn't answer. If I'm going out for a long enough time, then I would just charge it in my car so it would have a least a bit of a charge. Rarely would I leave my phone at home for the first reason.

 

[Sillybilly]

Cell phone aside ... given that Shannon is reported to have taken her keys (presumably house key and car key), I think we can conclude this indicates she either planned on driving her car OR if she didn't plan to drive the car, then she planned on coming back to the residence (from wherever she may have gone on foot or in a vehicle with someone else). Otherwise, why take the keys at all? IMO, this indicates she planned to return (all contingent on IF she even left alive or voluntarily in the first place).

 

[OutOfTheDarkness]

Cell phone aside ... given that Shannon is reported to have taken her keys (presumably house key and car key), I think we can conclude this indicates she either planned on driving her car OR if she didn't plan to drive the car, then she planned on coming back to the residence (from wherever she may have gone on foot or in a vehicle with someone else). Otherwise, why take the keys at all? IMO, this indicates she planned to return (all contingent on IF she even left alive or voluntarily in the first place).

... or to lock the door.

 

[deugirtni]

But if the ex and her still live together, as they are reported to, then would she need to lock the door behind her if she had no intention to return? It sounds like he was at the home when he last saw her at 12;30am, and it is said that 'she left'. If he didn't know that 'she left', then wouldn't a more normal way to describe be to say 'she disappeared', because nobody would know that 'she left', or was taken or just disappeared into thin air, but the sister says, 'she left'.

If SB had a second cellphone, I'm positive that someone in her group of friends and/or family would know this, and LE would also therefore know this. ie if during their questioning of people whom she was last seen with, like job contacts, said 'this is the phone number I had for her', and it was different from the one she left at the house.. MOO

Exactly.. why take the keys if you weren't driving your car? Only to get back into your house. Or to lock the door on your way out.. but.. as mentioned, if ex is there at the house, and she has no intent to return, why take the key and lock the door?

IMOO we can't forget that this is reportedly completely out of character for her not to be in touch with family, and she missed appointments with many, including family, and then she missed Christmas. I'm not sure how anyone can even think she left willingly and chooses to just stay away. MOO

Why is the family so quiet, and friends, and ex, etc.? Not a soul out there who knows her is pushing for more to be done, why? Here we are, a group of people who only know OF her and her public case of being missing, and yet 'we' want more to be done.. and yet.. the people who know and love her,..... silence.

Too weird.

 

[deugirtni]

Just thinking to myself.. but.. say the hubby, JB, was staying somewhere else, with friends, family or a new flame(s).. and for whatever reason, he went TO the house for something, saw her there at 12;30am.. and then he left. The normal way to describe that would be to say that HE left. Like it would be said, he saw her at the home, but then after he left, she was never seen again. But for it to be said that SHE left, and to know that she supposedly took only her keys and her ? (wallet/purse/money? I forget?), but left her car and cellphone.. then wouldn't that indicate that he was still there and saw that 'she left'? So why isn't he saying where she went, if he obviously must know that 'she left'? MOO

 

[evafiore]

I really do hate speculation, but with LE, SM's family and friends remaining so silent about this for so long, it's all that can be done. I've been keeping an eye on this case since the beginning, but for me, it's time to stop. It's apparent to me that she has been found safe, and that this has not been disclosed to the public at her request. Her family's FB profiles indicate that their lives have gone back to normal, celebrating Christmas, going to Superbowl parties, all day to day stuff---not things you'd be doing within a few weeks of an immediate family member going missing.

I'm guessing she's fine.

 

[newone]

I really do hate speculation, but with LE, SM's family and friends remaining so silent about this for so long, it's all that can be done. I've been keeping an eye on this case since the beginning, but for me, it's time to stop. It's apparent to me that she has been found safe, and that this has not been disclosed to the public at her request. Her family's FB profiles indicate that their lives have gone back to normal, celebrating Christmas, going to Superbowl parties, all day to day stuff---not things you'd be doing within a few weeks of an immediate family member going missing.





I'm guessing she's fine.

welcome to websleuths!

usually LE will issue a ''found safe'' no other details will be released kind of media statement.....

 

[evafiore]

Thanks newone. I agree, LE usually would issue a media statement. But they aren't legally obligated to, and if SM cut off contact for privacy to deal with a personal conflict, it's likely she would want to maintain that. If she is alive and she's willingly disappeared due to difficulties, having the media and public judge her for her actions would only make things more difficult and potentially harmful.

Also, it may be worth noting that she's not listed on the Canadian Missing Persons webpage. I'm not sure if she ever was, as it's up to the lead investigator to list a case, but if she had been and it's not there anymore, it tells me she's no longer missing.

 

[newone]

Thanks newone. I agree, LE usually would issue a media statement. But they aren't legally obligated to, and if SM cut off contact for privacy to deal with a personal conflict, it's likely she would want to maintain that. If she is alive and she's willingly disappeared due to difficulties, having the media and public judge her for her actions would only make things more difficult and potentially harmful.

hmm I didn't know that --

 

[LoisLane]

Thanks newone. I agree, LE usually would issue a media statement. But they aren't legally obligated to, and if SM cut off contact for privacy to deal with a personal conflict, it's likely she would want to maintain that. If she is alive and she's willingly disappeared due to difficulties, having the media and public judge her for her actions would only make things more difficult and potentially harmful.

Also, it may be worth noting that she's not listed on the Canadian Missing Persons webpage. I'm not sure if she ever was, as it's up to the lead investigator to list a case, but if she had been and it's not there anymore, it tells me she's no longer missing.

I would be very relieved to learn that Shannon is alive.

IIRC in January the CPS was asked if Shannon is still missing to which they replied that Yes, she is still missing.

If she is alive and well and the family is aware of it I strongly believe the family would be responsible enough to inform LE so as to not waste any further resources into a supposed disappearance. If the family has provided such information to the police and they do not follow up with a brief statement to confirm that the SB is safe then that is completely unprofessional on the part of CPS. What would happen to other potential missing people if the police did not have to update the public? I think the public would stop paying attention to these cases.

 

[evafiore]

I'm sure that the family would inform LE. However, I really don't think that LE is obligated to update the public. In most cases, I believe they would, to maintain professionalism, however there would be cases that this could do more harm. As CPS's role, in the end, is protect people from harm or undue hardship, there could be some cases where they choose to protect the missing's privacy or respect the family's requests. One possible example of this would be the case of Cathy Pietz---it appears as though they may have found her, but haven't updated the public at the family's request. Her case has been removed from Niagara Police website and she is not listed on the official national database for missing persons.

Do you remember where you heard or read that CPS had confirmed Shannon's still missing? I can't find any news on her after December 18th, 2014.

 

[Lalalacasbah]

I really do hate speculation, but with LE, SM's family and friends remaining so silent about this for so long, it's all that can be done. I've been keeping an eye on this case since the beginning, but for me, it's time to stop. It's apparent to me that she has been found safe, and that this has not been disclosed to the public at her request. Her family's FB profiles indicate that their lives have gone back to normal, celebrating Christmas, going to Superbowl parties, all day to day stuff---not things you'd be doing within a few weeks of an immediate family member going missing.

I'm guessing she's fine.

Welcome to websleuths!

IIRC, the family of Shannon delegated a family friend to be a contact/liason for info and tips, as maybe they felt this was best to do. So maybe the family appears to be doing normal day to day things when there might be things happening behind the scenes.

I'm just not sold that she's fine and resting somewhere and wants privacy. She's not a celebrity, and I don't LE would treat her with special treatment in regards to not letting a worried public know the status of this case especially after such a press conference. JMO.

 

[LoisLane]

I'm sure that the family would inform LE. However, I really don't think that LE is obligated to update the public. In most cases, I believe they would, to maintain professionalism, however there would be cases that this could do more harm. As CPS's role, in the end, is protect people from harm or undue hardship, there could be some cases where they choose to protect the missing's privacy or respect the family's requests. One possible example of this would be the case of Cathy Pietz---it appears as though they may have found her, but haven't updated the public at the family's request. Her case has been removed from Niagara Police website and she is not listed on the official national database for missing persons.

Do you remember where you heard or read that CPS had confirmed Shannon's still missing? I can't find any news on her after December 18th, 2014.

I will see if I can find it again. Can someone post the question on the CPS FB page and ask if she is still missing? That way we have an updated answer.