Calgary woman missing since 1966 identified as Nevada murder victim

Calgary police say a cold case nearly 60 years old has been linked to the discovery of a body in the United States.

The work of the Calgary Police Service’s (CPS) Historical Homicide Team started in 2024, when officers began to revisit the case of Anna Sylvia Just.

Just was 29 years old when she was reported missing by her family in August 1966. She was last seen getting on a bus in Calgary on Aug. 17, 1966. In March 1968, some of Just’s belongings, including her suitcase, purse, and bloody clothing, were found buried in the Nevada desert.

In September 2024, after contacting the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, CPS detectives learned Just was thought to be a victim of homicide, but her remains were never found.

CPS also discovered at this time that no missing person profile existed for Just on local, national, or international databases.

Calgary police began searching for close relatives of her who could give a DNA sample to create a profile.

Investigators found Just’s 97-year-old sister, who was living in Calgary, in November 2024. She was the woman’s only living relative and provided DNA to be submitted with a missing person’s profile on various platforms.

Just last month, CPS was notified by Las Vegas police that a DNA match had been made to a historic Nevada homicide investigation in which human remains were found in September 1970. Until now, the remains had been unidentified.

Earlier this month, detectives met with Just’s sister and were able to give her the long-awaited update about the circumstances of her death.

“We recognize how difficult it must have been for Anna’s family to wait decades for these answers,” says Staff Sgt. Sean Gregson of the CPS Homicide Unit. “This case is an example of our unwavering commitment to seeking answers for victims and their families, no matter how much time has passed. Even decades later, our investigators are dedicated to ensuring every victim is remembered and no stone is left unturned.”

CPS is still investigating at least 120 historical homicides, 56 historical missing persons cases, and 14 historical unidentified human remains cases.