The Murder of Sharron Prior

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Kristi Lee (0:12)

Hi there. I hope you're well. I'm Kristi Lee, and I'm so happy you're joining me for another episode of Canadian True Crime. I also want to say a big thank you for all the supportive and kind messages you've sent after the case updates episodes. I appreciate it so much. Today's case centers on the murder and sexual assault of a teenage girl, a case that baffled investigators and might have been forgotten had it not been for the persistence of her family. Please take care when listening, and our sincere condolences to her loved ones and anyone else affected. To piece this case together, we relied largely on the news archives, most notably the daily reporting of The Montreal Star, The Montreal Gazette, Nouveau and CTV's W5 program, as well as the family's website, sharronprior.com. If you know anyone related to this case, please respect their privacy. And with that, it's on with the show.

It's Easter weekend in Montreal, Quebec, and 16-year-old Sharron Prior has spent much of her Saturday at home painting Easter eggs with her family. Sharron lives with her mother, Mrs. Yvonne Prior, and her younger siblings in Point St. Charles, a working-class neighborhood just south of downtown Montreal. Sharron's parents had divorced a couple of years earlier, and while her father's involvement with the family appears to be minimal, Mrs. Prior dotes on her children. The eldest, Sharron, at 16, 14-year-old twin sisters, a 12-year-old brother, and a 4-year-old boy the family is fostering. Some time after painting Easter eggs together, they sit down for dinner. It's stew, which Sharron doesn't particularly enjoy, but she says she's really looking forward to the turkey dinner they'll be having the next day, Easter Sunday.

Some time between 6 and 7 p.m., a neighborhood friend of Sharron's shows up for a visit. Sharron tells her that she's getting ready to meet up with her boyfriend and some other friends, but invites her in to chat until then.

Sharron Prior is academically gifted. She's won multiple awards and is known for her love of science. She's always conducting little science experiments of her own. Sharron has long strawberry blonde hair and an easy smile. She loves sports, especially hockey, and she's a popular student at school, described as spunky with a great sense of humor, warm, friendly, but also sensitive and a little shy. And Sharron has an especially strong connection with animals. She's constantly bringing home strays to care for. Her mother would say her greatest pain was seeing animals hurt. There would be cats and dogs, rabbits kept in the bathtub, and on occasion, her sisters would discover the odd little turtle somewhere in the house.

Sharron already knows what she wants to do when she finishes school. She wants to become a veterinarian, but she's only in grade 10, so there's plenty of time for future plans. That Saturday night before Easter, Sharron is planning to do what many local teenagers do on a Saturday night, head to Marina's Pizzeria. It's a popular hangout for students from her school, and she plans to meet up with her boyfriend, John, and some friends there. Sharron tries on some different outfits while her neighbor friend looks on. They joke about how many tops she has to try on before deciding on her final outfit. She's wearing blue jeans, a sweater, and dark colored shoes. She wants to wear her three quarter length brown suede jacket, but it's raining outside, and she doesn't want to ruin it. She asks her mom. Mrs. Prior reassures Sharron that it's just a drizzle. The jacket will be fine. Sharron's neighborhood friend offers to walk her to the pizzeria. It's around 7:15 PM by this point, so it's not late, but it is dark outside, and it's March in Montreal, so most days the temperature is below freezing. Sharron shakes her head. It's only about a 7-minute walk from her house. She'll be fine. She tells her neighbor to enjoy her night and says goodbye to her mother, who yells back, Goodbye, Sharron. Be careful. That's what Mrs. Prior always says to her children when they leave, but she's not really worried at all. Sharron has never been a problem, and she's trustworthy and reliable. The 16-year-old is usually back by curfew, and if she needs an extension, she's always found a way to call home.

About two hours later, Mrs. Prior answers the phone at home. It's one of Sharron's friends. She doesn't want to scare Mrs. Prior, but she just heard that a woman was attacked on Ash Avenue earlier that evening, just down from Marina's Pizzeria. The friend immediately thought of Sharron and wanted to see if she was okay. 14-year-old twin sisters Maureen and Doreen are listening to the conversation, and they notice that their mother immediately becomes frantic. Mrs. Prior hangs up the phone, suddenly overcome with the feeling that something is terribly wrong. Typically, Sharron is home by 11 On some occasions, she's asked to extend her curfew as late as 1 a.m. Right now, it's only about 9.3 or so, so there's really no logical reason to worry, but Mrs. Prior cannot shake the feeling. All she can do is hope that Sharron comes home soon. She waits with the twins in the living room, looking out the window, willing Sharron to come walking down the street, anticipating the innocent explanation that will surely come. But that doesn't happen. Midnight passes, then 1 a.m. At some point, Mrs. Prior learns that Sharron didn't show up at Marina's Pizzeria at all that night.