Sherrey Shelley was found inside a burned vehicle on College Dr., early on Nov. 14. Police are treating the situation as a homicide. (Submitted photo)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

homicide

Murder investigation underway after missing Nanaimo woman found inside burned vehicle

Dec 9, 2025 | 9:02 AM

NANAIMO — Local Mounties are investigating the apparent murder of a Nanaimo woman.

Sherry Shelley, 65, was reported missing on Nov. 14, with Nanaimo RCMP now stating her remains were found inside a burned vehicle in a wooded area on College Drive the same day.

Cst. Sherri Wade said the investigation is being led by the detachment’s Serious Crimes Unit, and they’re attempting to determine how her vehicle, a white Volkswagen Tiguan, went from the north Nanaimo area to College Dr.

“They have done extensive canvassing in the College Dr. area but are now looking for people to check their dashcam and any external surveillance cameras from 11 p.m. on Nov. 13 to 3 a.m. on Nov. 14. It’s unclear which way her car was going, but we do know she was in her car.”

Mounties are particularly interested in routes from the Doumont area to College Dr. via the Nanaimo Parkway, Jingle Pot Rd., or from Harwood Rd. in Lantzville, along Old Logging Rd. to Vipond Rd.

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Anyone with information is asked to contact Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345, quoting file number 2025-36216.

Police say there was a nearly month-long delay in reporting the situation to the public due to the difficulty in positively identifying Shelley’s remains, as well as needing to notify her family first.

Wade told NanaimoNewsNOW the detachment is devoting considerable resources towards the case, noting the first few days are a sprint.

“When something is deemed a possible homicide, it is front-loaded. After Ms. Shelley was discovered, the Serious Crimes Unit was working about 20 hours a day, and we bring in resources from the detachment, so we had a lot of members from other units doing canvassing for video surveillance, starting to do warrants, so it’s a very large front-loaded process.”

She added officers are continuing to work long hours reviewing information, getting evidence ready for charge approval and preparing warrants for anything relevant to their investigation.

Wade was unable to comment on whether police had identified any suspects or persons of interest.

She also said there is not presently believed to be a connection between Shelley’s disappearance and the disappearance and subsequent death of Mahadi Redwan the day prior.

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