Lengthy article.
By Peter EdwardsStaff Reporter
Sat., July 8, 2023
www.thestar.com
''An Irish family hasn’t given up hope of discovering the fate of a relative who vanished from Toronto almost 50 years ago — even though their prime hunch was dashed this week by DNA testing.
The family of nursing assistant Anne Moran had been pinning their hopes on the emerging genetic genealogy technology to prove she was the “Nation River Lady” — the woman at the centre of one of this province’s most puzzling unsolved mysteries.
Moran disappeared from her College Street apartment sometime in the early 1970s and hasn’t been seen since, her niece Annie McKay said. Moran’s family had suspected that she might be the Nation River Lady, whose body was discovered in a river near Ottawa in 1975. Although Moran’s family had struggled to come up with an exact timeline of her disappearance, the resemblance to photographs and descriptions of the unidentified woman was strong enough — and there were other coincidences, such as how the body was found with a tea towel with an “Irish Toast” design.''
''Moran, who was born July 22, 1940, shared the College Street apartment with her husband Tom when she went missing. The couple had no children; the family members who are now trying to locate her were children at the time, McKay said.''
''Before she vanished, Moran frequently corresponded with relatives, including her mother, in Ireland, sending them updates on her life and photos, McKay said.
Then it all just stopped.''
Moran was the same height as the Langford, both five-foot-three to five-foot-four; neither woman had children.
Moran’s husband Tom, a pharmacy assistant, died two years ago, at age 84. McKay said her side of the family lost contact with him not long after Moran’s disappearance.
McKay said that Tom Moran, whom she described as a man who “never let his feelings show,” told her family he had hired a private detective to find his wife.
However, McKay said she believes her aunt’s disappearance was not reported to police at the time — meaning Moran was not officially classified as a missing person.
Tom told the family the P.I. had “traced her to the motel near the airport that serves the USA,” McKay said. “Which I found strange since she didn’t take her passport.”
''Before they lost contact with him, Tom also said his wife had become increasingly religious and may have joined a Toronto-area cult, McKay said.
He wasn’t the only one who spoke of Moran showing more interest in religion before her disappearance.
“My father James went to work in Canada about 1966 to 1968; he told my mum Anne had become more spiritual during that time,” McKay said via email.''
''McKay said she, her sister and her uncle have all submitted DNA to Toronto police, in hopes of tracking down her aunt.
Anne Moran immigrated from County Kerry in southern Ireland and spoke with an Irish accent. Her maiden name was O’Sullivan.
Anne and Tom Moran moved to Toronto around 1966.''
By Peter EdwardsStaff Reporter
Sat., July 8, 2023
How new DNA tech solved the ‘Nation River Lady’ mystery — but not this family’s heartbreak
“We will continue to search for Anne,” says the niece of Toronto nurse Anne Moran, the missing person they’d hoped would be identified as the “Nation River Lady,” but wasn’t.
''An Irish family hasn’t given up hope of discovering the fate of a relative who vanished from Toronto almost 50 years ago — even though their prime hunch was dashed this week by DNA testing.
The family of nursing assistant Anne Moran had been pinning their hopes on the emerging genetic genealogy technology to prove she was the “Nation River Lady” — the woman at the centre of one of this province’s most puzzling unsolved mysteries.
Moran disappeared from her College Street apartment sometime in the early 1970s and hasn’t been seen since, her niece Annie McKay said. Moran’s family had suspected that she might be the Nation River Lady, whose body was discovered in a river near Ottawa in 1975. Although Moran’s family had struggled to come up with an exact timeline of her disappearance, the resemblance to photographs and descriptions of the unidentified woman was strong enough — and there were other coincidences, such as how the body was found with a tea towel with an “Irish Toast” design.''
''Moran, who was born July 22, 1940, shared the College Street apartment with her husband Tom when she went missing. The couple had no children; the family members who are now trying to locate her were children at the time, McKay said.''
''Before she vanished, Moran frequently corresponded with relatives, including her mother, in Ireland, sending them updates on her life and photos, McKay said.
Then it all just stopped.''
Moran was the same height as the Langford, both five-foot-three to five-foot-four; neither woman had children.
Moran’s husband Tom, a pharmacy assistant, died two years ago, at age 84. McKay said her side of the family lost contact with him not long after Moran’s disappearance.
McKay said that Tom Moran, whom she described as a man who “never let his feelings show,” told her family he had hired a private detective to find his wife.
However, McKay said she believes her aunt’s disappearance was not reported to police at the time — meaning Moran was not officially classified as a missing person.
Tom told the family the P.I. had “traced her to the motel near the airport that serves the USA,” McKay said. “Which I found strange since she didn’t take her passport.”
''Before they lost contact with him, Tom also said his wife had become increasingly religious and may have joined a Toronto-area cult, McKay said.
He wasn’t the only one who spoke of Moran showing more interest in religion before her disappearance.
“My father James went to work in Canada about 1966 to 1968; he told my mum Anne had become more spiritual during that time,” McKay said via email.''
''McKay said she, her sister and her uncle have all submitted DNA to Toronto police, in hopes of tracking down her aunt.
Anne Moran immigrated from County Kerry in southern Ireland and spoke with an Irish accent. Her maiden name was O’Sullivan.
Anne and Tom Moran moved to Toronto around 1966.''
| Height (estimate) : | 160 cm – 162 cm (5’3” – 5’4”) |
|---|---|
| Weight (estimate) : | 45 kg (99 lbs) |
| Hair Colour : | Blonde – light brown, worn short |
| Eye Colour : | Blue |
| Gender : | Female |
| Race : | Caucasian |
| Aliases : | Unknown |
Details
| Dental Information : | Teeth – in poor condition Missing teeth – at least one missing tooth |
|---|---|
| Medical Information : | Unknown |
| Notable Identifiers : | Speech – spoke with Irish accent Eye – one eye appears to be squinting Build – slim Complexion – light/fair |
| Clothing/Jewelry : | Unknown |
| Other Personal Items : | Unknown |
| Additional Information : | Anne (nee O’Sullivan) was from County Kerry in Southern Ireland and spoke with an Irish accent. She and her husband emigrated to Canada and settled in Toronto. The exact date of Anne’s disappearance is not known. However, she went missing in the early to mid 1970s. The date listed above is an estimate only. At the time of her disappearance, Anne left the home that she shared with her husband in the College Street and Gladstone Avenue area of Toronto. At that time, Anne was working as a nursing assistant. Prior to going missing, Anne had become increasingly religious. |
| Contact : | Toronto Police Service – Missing Persons Unit By phone: 416-808-7411 By direct email: missingpersons@torontopolice.on.ca Additional Details and Contacts |
| Case Reference : | Toronto Police Service 2022-1803542.HOM – NCMPUR 2023005753 |
| Source Links : | Family member |
