On Friday, the 13th anniversary of the disappearance of Emma Fillipoff, the Victoria Police Department said the missing person case is now with VicPD’s Historical Case Review Unit and will continue to be investigated.
Emma Fillipoff was last seen on Nov. 28, 2012, outside the Empress Hotel on Government Street. She was 26 years old at the time.
In a statement on Friday, VicPD said around 7 p.m. that night, officers had checked on Emma and determined she was “safe.”
“At the time of her disappearance, Emma appeared to be suffering from the onset of some mental health issues,” VicPD adds.
Police later found her van in a nearby hotel parking lot. Upon searching the van, police found “most of her belongings, including her passport, laptop, journals, camera, and recently borrowed library books.”
While the case is now with VicPD’s Historical Case Review Unit and will continue to be investigated, Emma’s mother, Shelley, continues her efforts to get the word out.
Despite the anniversary marking a painful reminder for Emma’s grieving mother Shelley Fillipoff, her search and awareness-raising efforts haven’t waned.
“As time wore on, keeping that hope alive became more difficult,” Fillopoff said in VicPD’s statement. She continues, stressing the importance of keeping hope alive, and staying strong as a mother for her three other children. “Without it,” she says, “I have nothing.”
A large part of her efforts can be seen in an upcoming six-part docuseries called Barefoot in the Night. Set to launch on Jan. 6, 2026, which is Emma’s 40th birthday, Fillipoff hopes it will renew public awareness of Emma’s case. A vodcast will also be available.
Sharing a photo from 2001 with VicPD, Shelley recalled how much Emma loved Christmas. “She always took charge of decorating the tree with me and her youngest brother, Alexander,” Shelley remembered fondly.
Shelley’s efforts are supported by filmmaker and advocate, Kimberly Bordage, who directed the upcoming six-part series, Barefoot in the Night: The Search for Emma Fillipoff.
Shelley shares one of the first poems she wrote after Emma’s disappearance, “The Storm Behind the Smile.” For her, poetry became a way to mark each passing month – a means of keeping time and connection alive. Kim and Shelley reflect on how words, film, and memory intertwine to sustain hope and remembrance.
In a newly released vodcast episode, The Search for Emma Fillipoff: 13 Years Bordage and Fillipott discuss what it means for Emma’s file to now be officially designated as a historic missing person case.
“Despite the formal reclassification, both Shelley and Kim emphasize that the search is ongoing. They remain in active communication with investigators and continue to receive and forward tips from the public. The re-designation does not close Emma’s case – it simply marks another difficult milestone in a long journey that remains very much alive,” states a release.
For the grieving mother, she continues her efforts, emphasizing public awareness, information sharing, and compassion for families of the missing.
“Emma is still missing, but she is not forgotten,” states Shelley.
The first episode can be viewed for free at the following public link through: Bayberry Films and Help Find Emma Fillipoff.
More information about Emma’s disappearance and other Canadian missing persons investigations can be found on the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains website: Canada’s Missing | Case details (rcmp-grc.gc.ca).