Mary was an Inuk woman whose remains were discovered in September 2022, five years after she was last seen in the Vanier area of Ottawa in April 2017.
Mary was 39 years old when she went missing. Her disappearance was considered suspicious by police, and the major crimes unit took over the investigation in July 2017. Her remains were found by construction workers in the backyard of a home on Deschamps Avenue in Vanier on September 28, 2022.
Mary’s cause of death has not been publicly released, however her death is officially classified as a homicide. As of late 2025, the case is still under investigation, and no arrests have been publicly announced. The Ottawa Police have offered a reward of up to $75,000 for information leading to an arrest.
Originally from Pangnirtung, Nunavut, Mary was a mother of ten and a beloved member of the local Inuit community in Ottawa. Her case has been highlighted as part of the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) in Canada. Community members and family expressed frustration with the initial police investigation and the national inquiry process. The City of Ottawa has approved the renaming of Emond Park, a place where Papatsie often spent time, to “Mary Papatsie Park” to honor her life and serve as a monument for MMIWG.
If you have information on Mary’s case, please contact any of the following:
Ottawa Police Service:
Telephone: 613-236-1222, extension 5477
Case reference: 81-158234
Crime Stoppers: 1-800-222-TIPS(8477)
Online at: https://www.canadiancrimestoppers.org/submit-a-tip/submit-a-tip
Crime Stoppers provides anonymous tipping
Source: Ottawa Police Service, APTN News, Nunatsiaq News
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