NY NY - Michelle Marie Smits, 44, Niagara Falls, 19 Jan 2016

[mlhenn]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

5’5”
180lbs
44 (now 49) yr old, female, White / Caucasian, Hispanic / Latino, Uncertain
Brown hair
Blue eyes
Tattoo
tattoo on right forearm of a black cat and tattoo on left hand of a vine with blue flower on top

Last Known Location: Niagara Falls, New York

Circumstances of Disappearance
MP was alive on January 19th, 2016 when she crossed the border from Canada into the US and was still communicating with her family up until February 3, 2016.

Vehicle was located near Boston Harbor, MA on 2/11/2016.

https://www.namus.gov/api/CaseSets/NamUs/MissingPersons/Cases/81347/Images/160628/Original (Additional photos)

 

[mlhenn]

Missing People

We are investigating several open missing person cases. Often a small tip could help bring a cases to a close. If you have any information that could help us solve one of these cases contact us or Crime Stoppers.

In January 2016, Michelle Marie Smits fled to the United States from Cambridge, Ontario.

In February 2016, Smits' vehicle was located in Boston, Mass.

Smits, born in 1971, is described as white, 5' 5" tall, 180 lbs, brown hair, blue eyes. Smits has a tattoo on her right forearm of a black cat and a tattoo on her left hand of a vine and flower.

 

[mlhenn]

I wasn’t expecting this...

BEHIND THE CRIMES: Missing woman Michelle Smits disappeared to the U.S. after allegedly setting fire to family home

April 2021
Bill Smits' life started to unravel when he stepped off a plane from British Columbia on Jan. 19, 2016.

Returning to Cambridge from a vacation to see his daughter Chantelle, Smits learned there had been a fire at his west Galt home and his wife of 29 years, Michelle Smits, had taken the car and fled to the United States. Damages were estimated at $100,000.

The family also found Michelle, who took care of the family’s finances, hadn’t paid the home insurance and mortgage for a year. Household bills had gone unpaid as well.

On Jan. 29, the mortgage company seized their Westcliffe Way home.

Not long after Michelle Smits left the country, her car was found in Boston. Online messages to family members stopped in February 2016.

 

[mlhenn]

BEHIND THE CRIMES: Missing woman Michelle Smits disappeared to the U.S. after allegedly setting fire to family home

More info at link above

 

[Aurora90]

bumping for visibility.

 

[Nate_Bro]

She was quite heavy for a short female.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

 

[Aurora90]

How has she managed to stay off the grid this long?

 

[Irishknit]

How has she managed to stay off the grid this long?

Just my opinion, she had not paid the bills for a year. That could have turned into a nice cash nest egg to start over.

 

[MarieAnn70s]

She was quite heavy for a short female.
Why does that matter? The point is she's missing!

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

 

[Nate_Bro]

The reason I said that was because it is a 'Distinctive Physical Feature', also shared by the Jane Doe in the link I posted.

 

[Aurora90]

Bumping

 

[Caring1]

2 Unidentified Person Exclusions

 

[Smasherella]

Coquitlam Jane Doe seems to have had extensive surgery.