Peaceful woman's disappearance a mystery

Emily Osmond worked hard throughout her long life, eventually returning to her roots to live off the land at Kawacatoose First Nation, about 25 kilometres north of Quinton, Sask.

Then, two years ago this month, Osmond, 78, vanished without a trace.

Her disappearance has confounded police and family members.

The last person to see Emily was a man who helped her chop wood on Sept. 9, 2007.

'This one is really strange.' — RCMP Sgt. James Morton

On the calendar she used to keep track of her medication, the days were marked off until Sept. 13, four days after she was last seen.

Her family reported her missing a week later.

Saskatchewan RCMP Sgt. James Morton said there have been no leads to indicate foul play, nor any sign of a struggle on her land where she lived happily in a shack without running water or electricity.

"She didn't keep money in her house at all," Morton said. "She had no enemies that we know of and she kept basically to herself.

"So there's no reason for anyone to want to hurt her. Nothing seemed to be missing, none of [her] prescriptions, so this one is really strange."

Searches turn up nothing

Extensive, but fruitless searches were conducted within a 25-kilometre radius of Emily's property, most of it dense bush and sloughs.

Family members were each given a polygraph test, which produced no leads.

A forensic anthropologist tested all the bones on the property, and none were found to be human.

Morton, who has been a police officer for 25 years, said the case is unique.

"It's really difficult to understand what might have happened to her. Emily just disappeared."

Worked as food instructor

Glen Osmond, Emily's nephew, said she raised him and his siblings after his own family disintegrated when he was eight.

They moved to Edmonton because Emily's then-husband was in the Canadian Forces. She took a job as a food instructor at a local college and was known for her work ethic.

In the 1970s, she owned several restaurants in Whitehorse, working to keep the family together.

Emily was eventually pulled back to Saskatchewan to retire, Glen said.

He'd visit her at her rustic home, where she lived a serene, happy life with a large number of dogs.

"She told me she didn't want to be in a place where people put their old people, sitting around, all [drugged up] waiting to die," Glen said. "She didn't want that life. She kept active."

Emily told him the dogs were company and protection and would warn her of any trouble. She had a habit of locking them up, he added.

Glen grew concerned when, about seven years ago, Emily told him, "someone is watching this property," he said.

"When she made that comment I dwelled on it for a long time … but she said her dogs used to bark and she was convinced there was someone out here," he said.

"You hear stories of people stashing money in mattresses and all that, these hobos having millions of dollars. Maybe the motive to me — maybe this is what they thought. That's the only thing I can think of."

But Morton told CBC News that Emily wrote cheques for everything and didn't keep cash on hand.

RCMP have featured her in Crime Stoppers videos but have never received any tips.

Anyone who knows anything about Emily's disappearance is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit the Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers website.