Pleas for information on anniversary of Sudbury woman’s disappearance

A Sudbury father is pleading for answers one year after his daughter, Shanda Playford, vanished.

Feb. 25, marked the one-year anniversary of the day a missing Sudbury woman, Shanda Playford, was last seen on Melvin Avenue.

CTV News had the opportunity to speak with her father, Kevin Playford, on the heartbreak of living without answers and to police who are appealing for first-hand information in the case.

Kevin is Shanda’s father. He told CTV News that she loves animals, camping, singing, fishing and her dog Charlie.

“She had a good heart and a good soul. She was a good person,” said Kevin. “She just had some issues.”

She’s is described as 5’5” to 5’7” (165-170 cm), about 150 lbs (68 kg), with long brown hair – often in a ponytail – and blue eyes.

The father said that 38-year-old Shanda was heavily addicted to drugs including fentanyl and crack at the time of her disappearance.

“Went from smoking pot, to doing ecstasy, you know, the whole gamut of doing drugs until she hit the hard drugs,” said Kevin.

He said that his dog, Teddy, and writing poetry has given him comfort during this agonizing time – adding that the not knowing is a nightmare with the constant wondering.

‘Into thin air’

“She’s basically vanished in thin air,” her father said.

“You know is she alive? Is she not alive? If she is alive, what kind of situation is she in? You know I have heard some bad stories about these dealers these guys from southern Ontario.”

The Greater Sudbury Police Service said the missing person investigation into the Shanda’s disappearance is active and ongoing.

“We have conducted a thorough investigation; we have spoken to over a hundred different individuals throughout. We have followed up on many leads and tips and information that has come through – we actively investigate those,” said Detective Const. Ryan Bignucolo.

Police said someone knows something and her father believes the same.

“We do believe strongly that there are people in the community that have first-hand knowledge of Shanda’s whereabouts and we are pleading for them to come forward,” said Bignucolo.

“I beg these people to, you know, find their humanity,” said her father.

Kevin said he has been told that Shanda went to a well-known drug dealer’s house on College Street the evening she disappeared and he believes she never made it out of there.

Looking for firsthand accounts

Police told CTV News that at this time they have not been able to corroborate any of the third-hand information they have received and that is why they are appealing for anyone with direct first-hand information to come forward.