MISSING: Bonnie Joan Thomas (1978) - St. Stephen, NB
Bonnie Joan Thomas
Missing Since March 18, 1978St. Stephen, New BrunswickBonnie Joan Thomas (née Cooper) lived in Rollingdam, New Brunswick, in a house with her husband. They shared the home with her husband’s foster brother and faster father. In 1978, Bonnie was 30 years old and worked at the StarKist Tuna Plant in St. Andrews.
Bonnie Thomas worked at the Star-Kist Tuna Plant in St. Andrew. The plant employed approx. 500 people. From 1985-1987, the plant closed during the midst of a health hazard scandal involving its products. Photo: CBC
March 17, 1978 - The dance
On Friday, March 17, Bonnie and some friends drove across the border at St. Stephen to Calais, Maine, to attend a St. Patrick’s Day dance at the local American Legion Hall on Church Street. The Hall was less than 30 minutes from her home, and just five minutes past the U.S./Canada border.
After the event, Bonnie left alone to return to Canada, driving a red 1973 Volvo station wagon.
At the border crossing in St. Stephen, she hit the customs booth with her car, causing minor damage. The last confirmed sighting of Bonnie was at the border, talking to a Customs Officer.
What happened to Bonnie?
On March 18, her husband, Frank, reported her missing when he realized she had not returned home.
That day, Bonnie’s abandoned Volvo was discovered abandoned on a logging road near St. Stephen, in a wooded area along the St. Croix River.
According to one source, Frank was abusive and had assaulted Bonnie many times. These attacks often sent her to the hospital. When he reported her missing, he told police that she had left for work that morning but never made it. However, he reported her missing before she would have started her shift (Bonnie reportedly worked the night shift from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.).
Since Bonnie’s disappearance, there have been no publicly named suspects, and no answers to what happened after she crossed the border in St. Stephen nearly 42 years ago.
Bonnie Joan Thomas was last seen wearing brown leather shoes and faded denim pants. She has brown eyes, long black hair and poor teeth with visible decay. She is described as 5 ft tall and 185 lbs with a heavy build and dark complexion.
Bonnie would now be 73 years old.
Maps of Key Locations:
Last seen: St. Stephen, New Brunswick / Calais, Maine
10 Church Street, Calais, Maine:
Bonnie Thomas - Physical Characteristics:
Missing since: March 18, 1978
Year of birth: 1947
Age at disappearance: 30
Gender: Female
Bio group: White
Eye colour: Brown
Hair: Black, Long
Teeth: Visible Decay, Poor teeth
Height: 152cm / 5 ft 0 in
Weight: 84kg / 185 lbs
Build: Heavy
Complexion: Dark
Additional Photos:
Posters: Physical Description & Contact Information:
If you have information about this case, please contact any of the following:
J Division West District RCMP: 506-357-4300
Reference Case#: S20091418849Crime Stoppers: 1-800-222-TIPS(8477) or online at https://www.canadiancrimestoppers.org/tips
Crime Stoppers provides anonymous tippingSend email to the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains at:
canadasmissing-disparuscanada@rcmp-grc.gc.caCase reference: 2013000125