What Holly Ellsworth-Clark’s final autopsy revealed

It may never be known exactly how Holly Ellsworth-Clark ended up in Hamilton Harbour, but more than a year after the 27-year-old's mysterious disappearance her family and friends believe her death was an accident.

The final autopsy results, shared by the family online, don't answer many questions. But what is known is that her body showed no sign of trauma. Her loved ones believe she likely ended up in the frigid waters while out trying to clear her mind.

Holly's sudden disappearance and the organized search efforts of her friends and family captivated Hamilton and beyond. Then her body was found last September, eight months after she disappeared, floating near Pier 11.

Holly is gone. That is what matters most and is hardest for her family and her friends," her dad, Dave Clark, said in a message posted on social media. To find her and bring her back to us we put in all the effort we could and a lot of you reading this did too. For that, thank you."

It was a collective effort that saw dedicated volunteers searching, putting up posters and running tip lines. But also strangers who mined social media and spread the word.

They decided to share the autopsy information as a sign of respect for the community that tried so hard to help them, said close family friend Elle McFearsin.

When Holly's family came to Hamilton from Alberta in January 2020, they thought they'd find their girl quickly and bring her home. No one could imagine what the next months would hold.

Around 4 p.m. that Jan. 11, Holly left her home on Sanford Avenue North, near Barton Street East. She was upset, carried a baseball bat and left her phone. She wasn't wearing a jacket, but put on a garbage bag to protect herself from the rain.

Things had been difficult for Holly. The talented musician, who loved to run and bike, moved to Hamilton in October 2019, looking for a fresh start. She found a place to rent in a house for musicians and was writing new music. But she was also lonely.

Before she disappeared she left her mom a concerning voice message about being chased in the woods and wanting to move back home to Calgary. It made them wonder whether it was mental health or whether she really was in danger.

Hamilton police did ground searches and investigated leads, but despite many tips there were no confirmed sightings after she left. Police said there was never any evidence of anything suspicious.

But after her body was discovered and the first autopsy was complete, there was a miscommunication about the state of her body that caused concern for the family. McFearsin contacted Ontario's chief forensic pathologist, Michael Pollanen, who agreed to do a second autopsy.

Second autopsies are rare in Ontario, but McFearsin said they are very grateful Pollanen agreed. In the end, they got two separate final reports, both with very similar findings.

Because of how long her body had been in the water there was no way to tell when she died. The cause of death is unknown, but there is also no sign of injury. She had no drugs in her system.

Her family believes Holly was not suicidal, but she was distressed when she went missing. It was like her to try to clear her head by going for a long bike ride or run.

We believe, now, that her death was most likely an accident brought on by part of an effort to heal herself," Dave said.

Holly was brave and had taken plunges in cold water before, he said. At the time she went missing she had also started practising a meditative breathing technique developed by extreme athlete Wim Hof that is intended to keep your body warm in the cold. The prevailing theory for her family and close friends is that she was practising this breathing and then jumped in the water, holding her breath, and could have passed out.

We're not OK with it but we understand it," McFearsin said, of the inconclusive results.

While the ending was not what anyone wanted, there was also a beautiful show of humanity, of people who just wanted to help other people. McFearsin said a part of her thinks it was Holly bringing everyone together.

At school, she was your best friend, the type of person you'd want to look after your kids, someone you just want to know," she said.

When McFearsin thinks of Holly it's her laugh she remembers most.

She had this grin and this chuckle when she was just happy," she said.

McFearsin recalls one of the last times she saw her in Calgary. As Holly grabbed her bike to cycle home, she turned and said: I am going to have a rad bike ride home and I will see you tomorrow."

And as Holly rode off, zooming down the street, her long, red hair blew in the wind and she had a big smile on her face.

Nicole O'Reilly is a Hamilton-based reporter covering crime and justice for The Spectator. Reach her via email: noreilly@thespec.com