To chants of “Bring our girls home!”, dozens of Sudburians marched along Lasalle Boulevard on Saturday afternoon to raise awareness and demand action in the case of four missing women from the Greater Sudbury area.
Organized by Lorry Lafortune, the sister of Wendy Lafortune, who has been missing since May 1, 2024, the event highlighted three other local women who are also missing. They are: Shanda Playford, who has been missing since Feb. 25; Juanita “Winnie” Migwans of M’Chigeeng, who has been missing since Oct. 2, 2024, and; Parisa (no last name released by police), who has been missing since April 7.
The walk late Saturday afternoon followed the route Lafortune is believed to have taken the last time she was seen alive. CCTV captured Lafortune walking past 721 Lasalle Blvd on May 1, 2024.
On May 3, a crowd of supporters marched from Belfry Avenue and along Lasalle Boulevard past where Lafortune was last seen. They gathered in the parking lot of École Félix Ricard where information about each missing woman was handed out, one-page leaflets that include a photo and information about each woman. Each leaflet encourages anyone with information to call Greater Sudbury Police.
The walk was organized by Lafortune’s sister, Lorry Lafortune. As people in the crowd, many of whom were related to the Lafortune family, spontaneously shouted out, “We love you, Lorry!”, Lorry herself thanked all of those who came out for their support.
She also highlighted the work of Cristina Scarpellini of Angels of Hope Against Human Trafficking, a local grassroots organization that works with victims of human trafficking, and two online groups that specialize in missing people, Please Bring Me Home and Whereabouts Unknown.
Lorry also encouraged those in attendance to leave a message of hope for Wendy Lafortune’s daughter.
“Please, leave a message of hope for her — she’s losing hope,” Lorry said.
The group has produced magnets and postcards to help spread the word and is fundraising to install a billboard on Lasalle Boulevard that would highlight each of the four missing women.
Sadly, Lorry said, many people are quick to dismiss the plight of these missing women (and the plights of the families who love them) as victims of the addiction crisis plaguing the city — it’s time to get upset about the situation, she said, not write these people off.
“They’re not just addicts — these are beautiful, smart people. They’re families love them,” Lorry said. “Wendy was funny and fun … she didn’t have a bad word to say about anyone. It’s time we stop looking the other way … they’re taking our girls and we have to get upset. And we’re not going to stop looking for them.”
For Shanda Playford’s father, Kevin Playford, coming out to the march and fighting to find his daughter is how he is coping with her disappearance six weeks ago. He said no matter what was going on in her life, she would call him. That he hasn’t heard from her in almost two months makes him fear the worst, Playford said.
He wants people to see Shanda how he sees her.
“She has a beautiful soul … she loves her family. She has a beautiful voice. She loves her dog; she loves all animals,” he said, pausing each time he was overcome with emotion.
Playford, too, spoke about the prejudice many people hold in their opinions about people who struggle with addiction.
“I wish I could somehow make people look at addiction in a different way. Addicts are people like (anyone else), but they look at them like scumbags,” Playford said. “I want them to see the human being, no different from them. Anyone can take that journey into addiction.
“There are beautiful people out there (missing). My daughter is one of them.”
One of the people working to find the missing women, GSPS Detective Constable Ryan Bignucolo also participated in the march and vigil. He said it is difficult not to become invested in missing persons cases like these, but that is why officers are so motivated to solve them.
“I came out to be a support for the family. I can only imagine what they are dealing with. We’re working everyday to bring some resolution,” Bignucolo said.
He said the best thing the public can do to help is to share any scrap of information they can with police.
“Anyone with information, please come forward,” Bignucolo said. “We would like to talk to you.”
Anyone with information related to the whereabouts of Lafortune is asked to contact police at 705-675-9171 or Crime Stoppers at 705-222-8477.
Mark Gentili is the editor of Sudbury.com.