Manon Dubé

On the afternoon of Friday, January 27, 1978, ten-year-old Manon Dubé left her home in the Lennoxville district of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. She was heading out to go sledding with friends—a typical winter activity for a child her age.

But Manon never returned home. Her mother reported her missing that evening, and within hours, search teams spread out across the area. Despite freezing temperatures, no sign of Manon was found in the days that followed.

After nearly two months, on March 24, 1978, a discovery was made near Ayer’s Cliff, more than twelve miles from where Manon disappeared. Her frozen body was found face down in a shallow stream.

She was partially clothed, still wearing her winter coat, and had signs of head trauma. While her cause of death was not clearly established, police deemed it suspicious, though they initially stopped short of calling it murder.

Initially, investigators considered the possibility of an accident—perhaps Manon fell, hit her head, or drowned. But this theory was inconsistent with several details about the case, including the distance from where she vanished; the fact that her body showed signs of preservation, as if she hadn’t been outdoors the entire time; and suspected evidence of assault (though this was never officially confirmed).

Some investigators and family members believe that Manon may have been abducted and held somewhere, possibly alive, before her body was dumped. However, no suspects were ever identified, and no arrests were made.

Several observers have noted similarities between Manon Dubé’s death and other unsolved cases in the region during the same era, including those of Louise Camirand from 1977 and Theresa Allore from 1978. All three were young, all went missing or were found in remote areas, and all investigations were plagued by slow police responses. Some believe this points to the possibility of a serial offender active in the Eastern Townships in the late 1970s.

Critics argue that police made critical errors in the early stages of Manon’s case. By initially treating it as a likely accident and failing to preserve potential crime scenes or pursue leads aggressively, vital time and evidence were lost.

More speculative theories suggest that officials may have downplayed foul play to protect local reputations or avoid public panic. This remains unproven but continues to fuel public skepticism.

In the 2000s, John Allore, the brother of another suspected victim, launched a campaign to link unsolved deaths in Quebec. His efforts, along with journalist Patricia Pearson, led to a popular podcast and documentary series, increased media pressure on Quebec law enforcement, and renewed calls for a provincial cold case squad.

Though the case remains open, there has been no official progress announced in years. As of 2025, no one has been charged in the death of Manon Dubé. Her family—and the public—still wait for justice.