Memorial set up for Brantford woman on the 40th anniversary of her disappearance

Mary Hammond in an undated photo provided by Brantford Police.

A memorial has been set up for a Brantford woman who hasn’t been seen in 40 years.

A tree and plaque have been dedicated to the memory of Mary Hammond.

She disappeared around 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 8, 1983 while walking to work at a local bakery. Only her lunchbox and some blood were left behind.

Hammond was just 25-years-old at the time and a newlywed.

“I fear we will never know what happened to Mary,” her husband Larry Hammond told CTV in 2022. “Her absence leaves a deep wound.”

A memorial for Mary Hammond in Brantford, Ont. on Sept. 8, 2023. (Source: Brantford Police)

A month after her disappearance, police searched a residence on Memorial Drive. Evidence gathered in 1983 remained in police custody for decades before they were able to make a connection.

In 2022, investigators used DNA testing to identify the man they believed was responsible for Hammond’s abduction and presumed death.

Steven Mudko was named a suspect in the case.

He died in 2010 but police hoped that identifying Mudko would generate new tips from the public.

Friday, on the 40^th anniversary of her disappearance, Brantford Police said they “remain dedicated to the investigation and focused on the efforts to help bring Mary home.”

Her plaque reads: “In loving memory of Mary Emma Hammond. Taken from us too soon. Her love, laughter and strength will live on in our hearts forever. Here where you’d like to be, climbing in a tree.”