Donna Marie Bester was 27 when she vanished from Toronto in the winter of 1981. On January 16 she was last seen by her boyfriend, Gary, who was driving her to her sister Theresa’s home; at a stoplight she unexpectedly got out and said she would make her own way. She was wearing a grey corduroy jacket, blue jeans, a maroon sweater, and beige boots.

Donna grew up in a fractured family situation after her mother died when Donna was 11 and her father was later injured in a car crash; the children were placed in the care of relatives. Described as a quiet, freckled redhead who wrote poetry and belonged to a sailing club, she worked at a Toronto child care centre and struggled with depression and relationship problems. She had a prior episode of leaving for several days at Niagara Falls before being brought home.

Police found no signs of foul play, her bank accounts showed no activity, and the family lacks dental records that could aid identification of remains. The Toronto Police Service still has an open file on her disappearance. If anyone knew Donna or saw someone matching her description in January 1981, please come forward with information.