Overview

Delaine was 13 years old when she was last seen alive on July 14, 1983, walking north on the west sidewalk in front of 13512 66 Street in Edmonton. She had gone to Atlas Pizza, a hangout a few blocks from her home. She left her mom a note on the kitchen table to say she was coming back later. She had recently started having seizures and took medication for them. Delaine had taken 2 tablets of her medication with her. They were found in her pocket after her body was discovered. Law enforcement said that some friends had driven past her and waved, noting she appeared upset or crying before she disappeared.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Delaine Goudriaan Case: 1983 Edmonton Cold Case That Remains Unsolved

Thirteen-year-old Delaine Goudriaan disappeared in Edmonton, Alberta, during the summer of 1983 after leaving home to visit a neighborhood pizza restaurant. More than a month later, her body was discovered in a secluded field, and investigators ruled her death a homicide. More than four decades later, the case remains unsolved and continues to be actively listed by the Edmonton Police Service as an open homicide investigation.

Delaine was last seen alive on July 14, 1983, walking north along 66 Street in northeast Edmonton. She had reportedly left a note for her mother saying she would return later after visiting Atlas Pizza, a popular gathering place for local teenagers. According to later accounts, friends recalled seeing her shortly before she disappeared and believed she appeared upset.

On August 16, 1983, a badly decomposed body was discovered beneath a large signboard in a field south of Manning Freeway, across from the Edmonton Maximum Security Prison. The victim was later identified as Delaine Goudriaan. Due to the advanced state of decomposition, investigators were unable to conclusively determine the precise cause of death, although the death was officially classified as a homicide.

The investigation faced significant challenges from the beginning. Limited forensic evidence could be recovered because of the condition of the remains. An RCMP forensic laboratory examined Delaine’s clothing but reportedly found no unusual damage that could identify a suspect or establish exactly how she was killed.

One of the most controversial developments surrounding the case emerged decades later when it became known that much of the original physical evidence had been destroyed by police in 1985, less than two years after the homicide. The loss of evidence has greatly complicated modern forensic testing and significantly reduced opportunities to apply advances such as modern DNA analysis to the original exhibits.

Despite these setbacks, Delaine’s homicide has never been closed. The Edmonton Police Service continues to publicly list the investigation among its unsolved homicide cases and encourages anyone with information to come forward. Her family has also continued making public appeals in hopes that someone with previously unknown information will help solve the case.

Latest Investigation Information

As of 2026:

The destruction of much of the original physical evidence remains one of the primary obstacles to solving the homicide.

The Edmonton Police Service continues to classify Delaine Goudriaan’s death as an open, unsolved homicide.

Police continue to request information from the public and ask that tips reference EPS File #83-126018.

There have been no publicly announced arrests, suspects, or major investigative breakthroughs in the case.

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The Unsolved Murder of Delaine Goudriaan

Delaine was 13 years old when she was last seen alive on July 14, 1983, walking north on the west sidewalk in front of 13512 66 Street in Edmonton. She had gone to Atlas Pizza, a hangout a few blocks from her home. She left her mom a note on the kitchen table to say she was coming back later. She had recently started having seizures and took medication for them. Delaine had taken 2 tablets of her medication with her. They were found in her pocket after her body was discovered. Law enforcement said that some friends had driven past her and waived, noting she appeared upset or crying before she disappeared.

Her badly decomposed body was found over a month later, on August 16, 1983, hidden beneath a large signboard in a field south of the Manning Freeway, across from the Edmonton Maximum Security Prison.

Delaine’s cause of death was never definitively determined, but her death was ruled a homicide. The amount of physical evidence was limited due to decomposition. An RCMP lab examined the Delaine’s clothing but found no unusual damage.The case remains unsolved. A significant challenge in the ongoing investigation is that most of the evidence from the file was destroyed by police in 1985.

Delaine’s sisters have made public appeals and pushed for answers decades after the murder, keeping the case in the public eye.

If you have information on Delaine’s case, please contact any of the following:

Edmonton Police Service:

Telephone: 780-423-4567

Case reference: 83-126018

Crime Stoppers: 1-800-222-TIPS(8477)

Online at: https://www.canadiancrimestoppers.org/submit…/submit-a-tip

Crime Stoppers provides anonymous tipping