‘Always a smile on her face’: family remembers woman whose remains were found in northeast Edmonton

Family members of Teanna Lacoursiere set up a memorial in northeast Edmonton where her remains were found in January 2025. (Nav Sangha/CTV News Edmonton)

Family members of Teanna Lacoursiere gathered in northeast Edmonton, where her remains were found, to remember her and call for help in finding out what happened to her.

Lacoursiere’s remains were found by Edmonton police in January. DNA testing identified the remains in April as a woman who had been reported missing in 2024.

“She was just 25-years-old,” said Lacoursiere’s Aunt Jacquie Tonner in front of a memorial on Aurum Road and 17 Street. “She was just a baby.”

Lacourisere was also mother to a nine-year-old daughter.

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Tonner said they had initially reported Lacoursiere missing in 2023 after they lost contact with her following her father’s death.

“We tried to report her (missing) a few times,” said Tonner, adding that police would say Lacoursiere was likely away on her own will.

The family would contact police every few months to report her missing but no pictures or notices were shared with the public.

“From my understanding, they really didn’t do much … nothing happened until this point.”

A statement from the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) said its missing persons unit coordinated multiple searches over the last two months near the area where the remains were found.

“The search area was large and forested, which made this particularly complex,” said Staff Sgt. Kevin Harrison, with the EPS Historical Crimes Section in a statement issued last week. “Investigators planned to complete a full grid search prior to issuing a public notification in hopes of gathering important evidence that would advance the investigation.

While the remains were initially found in January, police weren’t able to conduct a thorough search due to deep snow cover and winter conditions.

• Human remains identified as missing Edmonton woman: police

Tonner said partial remains were found along with some clothing.

“It’s been my worst nightmare. It’s devastating.”

While it’s been hard on the family to have their loved one in the media, they think it’s necessary for finding out what happened to Lacoursiere.

“As it is right now, we pretty much know nothing other than they found a piece of her,” said Lacoursiere’s uncle, Jay Tonner, who said she was like a daughter to him. “We have no idea what happened … it breaks my heart and it makes me worry about my other two daughters even more.”

The family is looking to get any information about Lacoursiere, big or small, so they can put together the pieces of her last moments.

While her loved ones seek to find out what happened to Lacoursiere, they also want to find the rest of her remains.

“We still don’t even have all of her, which is another thing that’s very unsettling and upsetting,” said Jay. “At least, if we had all of her, it’d be easier to lay her to rest.”

The area where Lacoursiere’s remains were found is just east of the city’s waste management centre.

“I work in the area so I drive past the road here every day,” said Lacoursiere’s uncle Caleb Ford-Mulligan. “It’s surprising to find out this is where they found her remains.”

EPS did not have an update on the investigation.

Lacoursiere was described as 5’1” tall and 120 lbs with blue eyes and brown hair, though she changed her hair colour often. She had a script tattoo across her chest and was known to go by the name “Mistey.”

The family has set up a GoFundMe to help with memorial costs.

With files from Nav Sangha