Sheri-Lynn McEwan

Sheri-Lynn McEwan was a kind, smiling, and happy person, a woman remembered by friends as beautiful inside and out. The 40-year-old female was a dedicated operating room nurse at Health Sciences North in the Sudbury, Ontario, area and had previously served as a volunteer firefighter in her community of Estaire. Known for her bright-red hair, love of motorcycles, and feisty personality on the roller derby track where she was dubbed “Red Rock Crusher,” Sheri-Lynn was beloved by her family, friends, and colleagues. Her obituary recalled a woman whose smile and giggle would be remembered forever.

On the afternoon of Monday, October 7, 2013, Sheri-Lynn returned home from a weekend trip to Las Vegas with friends. They dropped her off at her house at 7 Elbow Lake Road in Estaire, a small community about 30 kilometers southeast of Sudbury. Shortly after she arrived home, around 4:00 p.m., a 911 call was placed from the residence. Police have not confirmed who made the call or if there was any sound on the other end of the line. When first responders, including members of the Estaire-Wanup Volunteer Fire Department, arrived on the scene, they found Sheri-Lynn inside her home with grave injuries from an assault. She was rushed to the hospital, where she died from her injuries. Her death was immediately ruled a homicide.

The investigation, led by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), began immediately. Evidence at the scene suggested a possible break and enter; firefighters who later visited the home noted that a garage door appeared to have been broken into and an interior door had been kicked in. Sheri-Lynn's husband, Terry Boyle, who was the deputy fire chief for the local volunteer department, was working as a truck driver in Sudbury at the time of the attack and was quickly ruled out as a suspect by police. Friends recalled that his firefighter pager went off when the emergency call came in for his own address.

Tragedy struck the community again less than three weeks later. On October 27, 2013, Terry Boyle was found deceased in the same home he had shared with his wife. Police did not suspect foul play in his death, and friends said he died of a broken heart. At Sheri-Lynn's funeral, a sobbing Boyle had delivered a eulogy, begging those in attendance to never let her spirit die.

In the years since, the OPP has continued to investigate Sheri-Lynn's murder. Detectives have regularly reviewed evidence and followed up on tips. In October 2017, police conducted a large-scale ground and air search of the area around the home, using a drone and a helicopter, hoping to uncover new evidence. Investigators have also stated they are taking advantage of new DNA analysis technology that has helped solve other cold cases. Still, police have remained tight-lipped about many details, including the specific cause of death or whether any suspects have ever been identified.

Friends and colleagues have kept Sheri-Lynn’s memory alive. On the first anniversary of her death, staff at Health Sciences North held a potluck and erected a plaque in her memory. Jenny Borton, a friend and fellow volunteer firefighter, remembered the confusion and fear that gripped the small community. "When this happened, nobody could believe it," she said. "Not Sheri-Lynn." OPP investigators have repeatedly appealed to the public for information, no matter how insignificant it may seem. "It could be the smallest little tidbit of information," Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford said in 2023. "It isn't too late."

As of October 2023, a decade after her death, Sheri-Lynn McEwan's murder remains an active and unsolved investigation. The Government of Ontario continues to offer a $50,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for her death. Anyone with information is urged to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122, the dedicated OPP tip line at 1-866-220-2505, or to remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).