CIRCUMSTANCES

Shawna Vanderbasch had only moved to Calgary recently from her hometown of Vancouver, BC. She had started work as a stylist at Moda Hair Design.

On June 19, 1991, Shawna spent an evening having fun with co-workers and friends. She first hung out with people at a restaurant, then around 9:30 met up with other friends at a club called the Tasmanian Ball Room on 12th Ave. and 1st St. in Calgary, for a benefit fashion show. She reportedly left the club around 1:30 a.m.

Around 3:30 a.m., Shawna was dropped off by an aquaintance on the corner of Southland Dr. and MacLeod Trail.

Her nude body was discovered at 8:30 later that morning (June 20, 1991) next to a rural road near the Priddis turnoff north of Hwy. 22X.

Shawna’s was the first of three Calgary murders in 1991. Although there are no reports that Shawna worked as a street prostitute like the other victims, she was known to work as an escort. 

Her murder bears resemblence to other Calgary murder cases, including:

• Jennifer Janz
• Jennifer Joyes
• Keely Pincott
• Tracy Maunder
• Rebecca Boutilier