The Unsolved Murder of Simone Sandler
Case File Overview
21-year-old Simone Sandler was last seen on Saturday July 23rd, 1994, in the Yonge Street and Gerrard Street area in Toronto, Ontario. Simone was working for the now defunct casting company Actors and Models Studio near Eaton Centre the afternoon she went missing, trying to recruit passersby to serve as extras in films.
Sandwich board sign used by Simone on the day of her disappearance*
When Simone’s parents, Linda and Stephen, notified the police on July 24th that their daughter had failed to return home the prior evening, the York Regional Police believed that Simone had merely skipped her curfew on purpose and was out living it up. As a result, they failed to notify the Toronto Police Service, and the investigation into Simone’s disappearance did not begin for a week—an eternity in a missing person case.
At approximately 3:00PM on Saturday July 30th, 1994, the police responded to a 911 call from Lake Shore Boulevard E. and Don Roadway. Simone’s badly decomposed body had been spotted floating in the Keating Channel waterway by a couple passing by in a vehicle.
Location where Simone’s body was found*
Shoes Simone was wearing the afternoon of her disappearance*
Knapsack Simone had with her when she vanished; it has never been located*
*apologies for the small, poor quality photos, but they are the only ones that the Toronto Police Service has released.
Since Simone’s murder, the Toronto Police Service has reportedly interviewed over 100 people and has travelled to Vancouver, Saskatoon, and Northern Ontario to look for answers. Even though the police offered a $100,000 reward in 1998 for information leading to the conviction of Simone’s murderer, her case remains unsolved.
Case File Theories
Sadly, it is not an easy task to discuss possible theories in Simone’s case. In fact, the police have said that there are “no motive, suspects or leads.” Regardless, I will offer a quick overview of some of my thoughts on Simone’s murder.
Simone had just completed her first year in hospitality and tourism at Humber College when she began recruiting extras in a somewhat sketchy area of downtown Toronto. Simone was from Thornhill, a suburb of Toronto, and according to her parents she had lived a sheltered life and lacked street smarts.
Who do you think murdered Simone?
Simone has been described as “sweet and pretty, shy and trusting … [and] she loved to pose for pictures, bake carrot muffins and work out at the YMCA.” No doubt her tragic loss has irrecoverably broken the hearts of her loved ones. Her parents, Linda and Stephen, still seek justice for their daughter. They told the media that “…someone should not be getting away with this. If [the police] do find [the killer], it will at least give us some sense of closure.” Unless someone comes forward and provides the police with the break they need, it is unlikely the Sandlers will find the closure they seek.
If you have any information regarding this case, please contact the Toronto Police Service at 416-808-7400. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416−222−TIPS (8477), or reach the organization via the internet at www.222tips.com.
Related Reading
Simone Sandler – Toronto Police Service case file overview
“Woman’s murder unsolved but not forgotten” – The Star article
“What money can’t buy: information” – The Globe and Mail article
Interested in unsolved murders? Check out the murder of Lisa Leckie and the slaying of Shelia Henry.
I speculate that they would have checked to see if there were any similar crimes in the surrounding area. Losing that week to investigate Simone’s disappearance was definitely a huge mistake by the York Regional Police. I feel there is a good chance that her disappearance centers around the party she attended that night being as it was the last place she was seen. Having no forensics of any value sure will make this a hard case to solve. So sad for the family to have to go through this trauma with no resolution in sight.
Hi Grace – Thanks for reading and for taking the time to comment! I agree wholeheartedly that the lost week is a huge hurdle to try to overcome. Like you, I feel that the people who were at the party are key to solving this case. One day I hope that someone comes forward so that Simone’s loved ones can have some closure.