Alicia Ross (born February 8, 1980 in Markham, Ontario) was a vibrant and talented 25‑year‑old sales representative at Hewlett Packard whose disappearance on August 17, 2005 sparked one of the largest missing‑person searches in Ontario’s history. The circumstances were chilling: Alicia’s car remained parked, her purse, keys, phone, and even her house key found in her apartment, suggesting she left in the middle of the night without warning. A month later, her next‑door neighbor, Daniel Sylvester, confessed to killing her after an argument in which she apparently called him a “loser,” causing him to lose control and beat her to death with devastating force. In May 2007, Sylvester was convicted of second‑degree murder and sentenced to life with no chance of parole for 16 years.

Alicia was remembered not only for her cheerful nature, love of canoeing, and close bond with her adoptive family but also for her role as a mentor and volunteer. Following the tragedy, her family established a memorial fund that sends at‑risk youth on canoeing trips—an enduring tribute to her spirit and passion for nature