Human remains recovered at Hamilton landfill where search was active for missing woman

The Hamilton Police Service’s homicide unit says partial human remains were found at a local landfill during the search for 40-year-old Shalini Singh, who has been missing since December.

Homicide detectives have been conducting an extensive search for Singh at the Glanbrook Landfill on Haldibrook Road since Feb. 24. The search was initially meant to conclude on April 18, but was extended by two weeks.

In an update from investigators on Thursday, police said they recovered partial human remains at the landfill site on May 21. Authorities are awaiting DNA results to confirm they are Singh’s, which could take several weeks.

The partial remains were found within the 5,000 cubic metre “target zone” that police were searching.

“Shalini Singh’s family has been made aware of this development and is being supported by our Victim Services Unit,” Hamilton police said through a news release.

Singh’s family members contacted the authorities to report her missing on Dec. 10, 2024. The information provided at the time of her disappearance stated that the woman, a mental health care worker, last spoke with her family on Dec. 4, 2024. She was last seen entering her apartment on Dec. 2, 2024.

There were concerns over the circumstances of the woman’s disappearance, as she was reported missing by her parents along with her common-law boyfriend. The boyfriend was located when he visited his family’s home on the afternoon of Dec. 11, 2024, in Halton Region.

Singh’s boyfriend still refuses to cooperate with investigation

Once he was tracked down, authorities said the boyfriend did not cooperate any further with the investigation and has provided no information to date that could assist in finding the 40-year-old woman.

Police said homicide detectives are working on the theory that Singh was killed in her apartment and her body was disposed of through the building’s dumping system. This is based on surveillance footage showing Singh entering her building but never leaving.

“The search continues at the landfill site, and a revised completion date will be determined based on ongoing findings,” Hamilton police said.

The boyfriend, who has not yet been identified, was known to police before Singh’s disappearance, but, to date, has not been called a suspect or person of interest.

Anyone with information as it pertains to the homicide investigation is asked to contact Detective Adam Baglieri at 905-546-3859.