Overview

Date last seen: July 1998 (exact date unknown; NamUs uses July 1, 1998, while other sources indicate she was last seen sometime during July)

Last known location: Anchorage, Alaska, after traveling from Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada.

Main Circumstances at a Glance

• Theresa Johnny was originally from Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada.
• She traveled to Anchorage, Alaska, in 1998.
• She disappeared sometime during July 1998.
• No confirmed sightings have been publicly reported since.
• Authorities have suggested it is possible she may have been living transiently or on the streets when she vanished.
• Her disappearance remains unsolved and she is still listed as a missing person.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Theresa Johnny (1998) Missing Person Case: Disappearance, Timeline, and Latest Investigation Update

Very Brief Case Summary

Date last seen: July 1998 (exact date unknown; NamUs uses July 1, 1998, while other sources indicate she was last seen sometime during July)

Last known location: Anchorage, Alaska, after traveling from Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada.

Main Circumstances at a Glance

• Theresa Johnny was originally from Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada.
• She traveled to Anchorage, Alaska, in 1998.
• She disappeared sometime during July 1998.
• No confirmed sightings have been publicly reported since.
• Authorities have suggested it is possible she may have been living transiently or on the streets when she vanished.
• Her disappearance remains unsolved and she is still listed as a missing person.

Theresa Johnny’s Disappearance

Theresa Johnny, a First Nations woman born on July 28, 1967, disappeared during the summer of 1998 after traveling from Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada, to Anchorage, Alaska. More than two decades later, there has been no confirmed contact with her, no verified sightings, and no public indication that investigators know what ultimately happened.

Authorities classify the case as an endangered missing person investigation.

According to available records, Johnny left Whitehorse sometime during March 1998 before traveling to Anchorage. She was reportedly last seen during July 1998. Because investigators have never established a precise last-known date of contact, databases differ slightly on the official disappearance date. NamUs lists July 1, 1998, while narrative summaries simply state she was last seen sometime during July 1998.

At the time of her disappearance, Theresa was 31 years old.

She was approximately 5 feet 2 inches tall, weighed about 147 pounds, and had black hair and brown eyes. Authorities have also noted that she may have used the surname Essman, an important detail for anyone researching historical records or potential sightings.

Circumstances of the Disappearance

Publicly available investigative information remains limited.

Authorities have never released evidence indicating foul play, although they also have never ruled it out.

One challenge in the investigation is that Theresa had traveled internationally between Canada and the United States shortly before disappearing. Her known movements place her in Whitehorse during early 1998 before she relocated to Anchorage.

Investigators have stated that it remains possible she could have been living on the streets after arriving in Alaska, meaning they have never conclusively established whether she disappeared because of criminal activity, chose to remain out of contact, or experienced another unknown circumstance.

No suspect has ever been publicly identified.

No arrests have been announced.

No remains believed to belong to Theresa Johnny have been recovered.

Latest Investigation Information

As of 2026, Theresa Johnny remains an active missing person.

Her case continues to appear in official missing persons databases maintained by both Canadian and U.S. agencies, including NamUs, indicating that investigators have not closed the file. There have been no publicly announced breakthroughs, arrests, identified suspects, or major investigative developments released in recent years.

Authorities continue to encourage anyone with information about Theresa Johnny’s whereabouts or disappearance to contact law enforcement.