
MURDERED: Sharmini Anandavel
When 15-year-old Sharmini Anandavel doesn’t come home from her first day at a new job, her family is immediately suspicious of one of their neighbors. But despite an overwhelming amount of circumstantial evidence, her death remains unsolved… at least, in the eyes of the law.

For our friends in the Deaf and Signing community, you can view an ASL version of this episode.
A 2001 newspaper clipping from the Toronto Star describing the unanswered questions that remain in Sharmini’s case.
We’d love to speak with you and see how we can support.
If you’re a law enforcement agency or family member of one of the people we mentioned in this episode, or if you’re looking for more coverage on a case, please reach out. You can email us at:
Episode Source Material
- National Post (Toronto, Ontario, Canada): Police express concern for missing girl, 15, by National Post.
- National Post (Toronto, Ontario, Canada): Concern mounts for missing 15-year-old girl, by Chris Eby.
- Calgary Herald (Calgary, Alberta, Canada): Missing girl’s family clings to hope, by The Canadian Press.
- National Post (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) Police stumped in search for missing teenager, by Shannon Kari.
- North Bay Nugget (North Bay, Ontario, Canada): Missing Toronto teen not part of arranged marriage – family, by Canadian Press.
- National Post (Toronto, Ontario, Canada): Search for missing girl hits wall, by Desmond Brown.
- National Post (Toronto, Ontario, Canada): Police find bone fragments after discovery of skull, by Mark Gollom.
- The Windsor Star (Windsor, Ontario, Canada): Bones found in park, by Canadian Press.
- Toronto Star (Toronto, Ontario, Canada): Accused in abduction a convicted ‘predator’, by Paola Loriggio and Daniel Dale.
- Canadian Broadcasting Company (Ottawa, Canada): Who killed Sharmini?, by Amy Husser, Michelle Shephard, Kathleen Goldhar and Ilina Ghosh.
- Toronto Life (Toronto, Ontario, Canada): The Girl Who Vanished, by Michele Shephard.
- Canadian Broadcasting Company (Ottawa, Canada): TRANSCRIPT: UNCOVER: SHARMINI – EP 1.
- Canadian Broadcasting Company (Ottawa, Canada): TRANSCRIPT: UNCOVER: SHARMINI – EP 2.
- Canadian Broadcasting Company (Ottawa, Canada): TRANSCRIPT: UNCOVER: SHARMINI – EP 3.
- Canadian Broadcasting Company (Ottawa, Canada): TRANSCRIPT: UNCOVER: SHARMINI – EP 5.
- Canadian Broadcasting Company (Ottawa, Canada): TRANSCRIPT: UNCOVER: SHARMINI – EP 6.
- Canadian Broadcasting Company: S5 E7 Sharmini Bonus: Potential Witnesses Emerge.
Suggested Episodes
WANTED: Justice for Rhys Pocan & MMIW Part 2
In 2021, we set out to cover the case of Rhys Pocan, a 35-year-old Indigenous woman who was murdered in Wisconsin in the ‘80s. In Part 2, we look into cases of two other female dismemberment victims in Wisconsin with striking similarities to Rhys Pocan’s.
WANTED: Justice for Rhys Pocan & MMIW Part 1
In 2021, we set out to cover the case of Rhys Pocan, a 35-year-old Indigenous woman who was murdered in Wisconsin in the ‘80s. But while we were in the field, we uncovered a disturbing pattern of murders with similarities to Rhys’ that were just too blatant to ignore. So, we spent the next three years working with local and federal law enforcement to try and get to the bottom of it.
WANTED: The Keddie Cabin Killer
A family’s brutal murder rocks a tiny California town and leaves behind too many unanswered questions.
Join our Fan Club to listen to this episode and more!
Unlock all of the exclusive benefits and dynamic listening experience as a Crime Junkie Fan Club member.
Join the Fan Club now to reap the rewards!
