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Elizabeth Marie Bain Missing Person Case

Last seen in Toronto, Ontario on Jun 19, 1990

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Victim Details

Elizabeth Marie

Bain

58

22

62 inches

62 inches

108 lbs

108 lbs

White / Caucasian

Female

Blouse Other, Button-up; floral pattern; polyester Pants Cotton, Black, Jogging pants Shoes Leather, Brown, Flats

Jun 19, 1990

Toronto

Ontario

Toronto Police Service-Missing Person Unit

Ontario

416-808-7411

416-808-7411

Law Enforcement

1990-4339.D42

Toronto Police Service-Missing Person Unit

Brown

Brown

Brown

No

Oct 11, 2026


Area Last Seen:

Case Description

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Summary based on 4 sources
On June 19, 1990, a 22-year-old University of Toronto student named Elizabeth Marie Bain walked out of her family's home in Scarborough, Ontario. She told her mother she was making the short, 10-minute drive to the university's Scarborough campus to check the tennis schedules. A quiet and kind young woman who studied psychology and history, Elizabeth was last confirmed to have been seen at 3:45 p.m. when she withdrew $80 from a bank. This routine errand would become the last known trace of her. Elizabeth, a woman with shoulder-length brown hair, brown eyes, and a compassionate nature, never returned home, sparking a mystery that would endure for decades and evolve into one of Canada's most prominent and troubling unsolved cases.

The initial days following Elizabeth's disappearance were filled with desperate hope that quickly turned to dread. Three days after she was last seen, her silver Toyota Tercel was discovered abandoned on Military Trail, not far from the university campus. The discovery inside the vehicle was grim: a large pool of blood was found in the back seat, which forensic testing later confirmed belonged to Elizabeth. Her body, however, was nowhere to be found, and there were no immediate witnesses to explain what had happened to her. The investigation soon focused on the person closest to her, her 24-year-old boyfriend, Robert Baltovich. Despite his cooperation with police and active participation in the searches for Elizabeth, he was arrested five months after her disappearance and charged with her murder.

The legal proceedings that followed took a dramatic and contentious path. In March 1992, despite the absence of a body or any physical evidence linking him directly to a crime, Robert Baltovich was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. He spent eight years behind bars steadfastly maintaining his innocence. In 2004, the Ontario Court of Appeal set aside the conviction, citing legal errors and a biased jury charge, and ordered a new trial. By April 2008, the case against him collapsed entirely when the prosecution presented no evidence, leading to his formal acquittal. The case was reclassified as unsolved, leaving the question of what happened to Elizabeth Bain unanswered. Over the years, speculation has arisen regarding a possible link to Paul Bernardo, the serial predator known as the 'Scarborough Rapist,' who was active in the area at the time of Elizabeth's disappearance. However, no direct evidence has ever connected him to her case. The disappearance of Elizabeth Bain is a profound and lasting tragedy, a story not only of a young life vanished but also of a justice system that faltered. Her body has never been recovered, no one has ever been held responsible for her death, and a family has been left without answers for over three decades. As of 2026, students at the University of Guelph-Humber have been reviewing the original investigative files, hoping a fresh perspective might uncover new leads in this deeply unsettling cold case.
Last Seen: Jun 19, 1990

Links to Additional Sources (4)

See any mistakes? Let us know!
  • Canada's Missing - RCMP case 2014004096
  • Elizabeth Marie Bain Case Classification: Endangered Missing ...
  • 35 Years Missing – Help Us Keep Elizabeth Bain's Story Alive ...
  • Elizabeth Bain disappeared in Scarborough in 1990. Her ...

    • Possible Unidentified Matches (1)

    Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

    77%Possible
    Jane Doe — San Antonio, Texas - unidentified case UP3939
    Jane Doe — San Antonio, Texas
    UP3939 • Found Nov 1, 1990
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 18–26 vs 22
    Race 100%White
    Location 25%Different state
    TimingFound 4 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'1" vs 5'2"
    Weight 100%119 lb vs 108 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    Clothing: both mention blouse, floral

    These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

    Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.

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    Forum Posts (1)

    I was just reading about Elizabeth Bain's case again, and something struck me about the timing of... ...Read More
    09/29/2024

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