‘Somebody knows where she is’: Halton police issue $25K reward to find missing Irma Galastica

Halton police announced a $25,000 reward Friday for details leading to the location and arrests in the 2024 disappearance of Toronto mother Irma Galastica.

Officers say on Aug. 30, 2024, 34-year-old Galastica left her home in Toronto and travelled with a friend to downtown Hamilton.

They say the following morning she went to the after-hours night club Sankofa Lounge at 92 Jackson St. East, which has since been closed.

Officers say at around 4:45 a.m., Galastica and a group of people left the club and used a rideshare app to get to 629 Old York Rd. in Burlington.

That residence is the last known location of where Galastica was seen, in the afternoon of Aug. 31, 2024.

Officers say two weeks later on Sept. 13, Galastica’s landlord reported her missing.

Toronto police, working with Halton Regional Police officers, attended the residence on Old York Road in Burlington on Sept. 20., where they say they uncovered a clandestine drug lab.

Investigators performed an extensive search at and around the property, but did not find Galastica. Halton police assumed carriage of the investigation on Sept. 24, 2024.

Police say a separate parallel investigation into the drug lab at the home was completed, with charges laid in that case currently before the courts. They say it is not necessarily part of the search for Galastica.

“With the information we currently have, Irma has not been seen or heard from since and we believe that foul play is a possibility,” said Det. Const. Mark Brewster with Halton police. “Please, do the right thing and come forward, and let’s bring Irma home.”

“We are not giving up on this case,” said Halton Police Deputy Chief Jeff Hill. “We will not stop until we find her.”

“Let me be very clear, somebody knows what led to Irma’s disappearance, and somebody knows where she is.”

Police say they believe they identified and spoke with everyone that was in the home on 629 Old York Rd., except for Eric Carpenter Clayson, the owner of the home at the time.

Investigators confirmed that the property has been sold and Clayson is no longer the owner of the home.

Detectives say they have made extensive efforts to contact Clayson, but to no avail. Police consider him a person of interest in Galastica’s disappearance. Investigators hope to speak with him, but it is believed he has fled the country.

There is also a warrant out for Clayson’s arrest related to the alleged drug lab found at the Burlington home.

Investigators describe Galastica as a five-foot-five tall woman with a medium build, olive skin tone, long black hair, small tattoos on her chest and a nose piercing.

She was last seen wearing a light-coloured halter top, white shorts, black shoes and a carrying a small black bag.

Detectives say it is possible that her appearance has changed since she went missing.

A $25,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those involved in Galastica’s disappearance, or for credible details confirming her location.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 905-825-4776.

Tips can also be provided anonymously by reaching out to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online here.

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