Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say the search of property north of Peterborough, Ont., earlier this week failed to find a trace of a woman who has been reported missing for over 51 years.
On Tuesday Peterborough County OPP searched a property in North Kawartha Township as part of their ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Francis Muriel Harris (nee Johnson). She was last seen on April 21, 1972, at her home on Highway 28 just south of the village of Apsley — about 60 kilometres north of Peterborough.
OPP say the search of the family’s property was based on information received from the public in connection to Harris.
“The property where the search was conducted was where Harris lived at the time of her disappearance,” said Const. Dan Gay.
“At the conclusion of the search, no evidence was found that would assist in moving the investigation forward.”
The search was the second one following an extensive search in 2012. Three year ago, OPP released a forensic artist’s sketch of Harris, depicting what she may have looked like at age 65 in hopes of solving the missing person case.
If she is alive today, Harris would be age 96.
Police have said on April 21, 1972, Harris and her husband Stanley travelled to Peterborough for a medical appointment. They reportedly stopped in the village of Lakefield on their way home before arriving around 11 a.m.
OPP say Stanley reportedly went to work from 1 p.m. to 5:05 p.m. Their son Rod, age 13 at the time, came home from school around 3:40 p.m. that day but his mother was not home.
Since then, there have been no confirmed reported sightings of the woman, police say. Her husband died in June 2021 at the age of 92. The couple had three children.
“The disappearance of Francis Harris continues to be an open investigation, under the direction of the OPP criminal investigation branch,” said Gay.
Anyone with information is asked to call Peterborough County OPP at 705-742-0401 or the non-emergency line at 1-888-310-112 or anonymously via the Peterborough/Northumberland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at stopcrimehere.ca.
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