Missing Person Case Details: Ani Ashekian

Missing Person Case Details: Ani Ashekian

Field	Details
Name	Ani Ashekian
Missing Since and From	November 10th, 2008 to November 11, 2008 (seen early on Nov. 11 on CCTV at an ATM at about 00:05am). Sent a text message on November 10th, 2008.  Appeared on CCTV footage at about 00:05am on November 11th, 2008, at the ATM near Causeway Bay MTR Station. Tsim Sha Shui is mentioned as her last location in a Hong Kong Police Force publication.
Year of Birth	1978
Birthdate Range	Somewhere between January 1st, 1978 to November 10th, 1978.
Age at Disappearance	30
Gender	Female
Biological Group	White according to Canada's Missing, but appears swarthy in some photos.
Eye Color	Brown
Hair	Brown, Curly, Wavy
Height	162 cm / 5ft 4in
Weight BMI	54 kg / 119 lb BMI is about 20.7.
Distinguishing Features Clothing	Tattoos: Yin-yang and dolphin on hips (see Gallery 4 for images) She was last seen wearing a white shirt and carrying a rucksack.
Canada’s Missing Database Reference	2014005202

Case Form A: 

(1) Subject Travels Abroad
(2) Subject Does Not Check-in For Return Transportation. 

This case is a strong fit for Case Form A. However, it's not perfect. In this case form, the missed transportation, in Ani's case a missed flight, is what causes her to be regarded as a missing person. It seems the family thought something was amiss before she missed her flight. That said, the media coverage that I found only started after she missed her flight, making Case Form A a strong fit.

By: Shane Lambert
Original Publication Date: October 6th, 2025

This individual, Ani Ashekian, has been missing since going abroad to China in 2008. Despite appearing at Canada's Missing, she did not go missing while in Canada. Her last contact on November 10th, 2008, is from Hong Kong, when she contacted her sister to wish that sister's daughter a happy 2nd birthday. This was via text message.

Her itinerary included a flight to Beijing, China on October 24th, 2008 or October 25th, 2008. She did not board her return flight on December 15th, 2008.

She was thought to be alone when she disappeared, but she had two friends with her earlier in her trip. These friends, reportedly, did not accompany her between Beijing and Hong Kong. She arrived in Hong Kong on November 9th and had plans to go on to Cambodia, Vietnam, and India. Records show she did not leave Hong Kong.

However, family felt that something was amiss long before the first newspaper reports on December 20th, 2008 (by my research). These reports were perhaps reacting to the missed flight more than pre-existing family instincts.

On November 10th, 2008, she made two cash advances on her credit card. This credit card, which I think was a Visa, was her primary source of cash while she travelled.

Windsor Star. Dec. 20th, 2008.

Ani Ashekian: From Windstor but Lived in Toronto

Askekian made news in Windsor, Ontario, where she was from. But in one newspaper article I found, she was described as being from Toronto, where she had an apartment with a lease that expired at the end of December 2008.

Her case included a reference to ChungKing Mansions in Hong Kong. This was described as low-cost accommodation of some sort and where she was though to have stayed during her trip to Hong Kong. I think this accommodation choice is likely central to her disappearance.

Globe and Mail. December 31st, 2008.

Family Members Tried Hard To Find Ani Ashekian

There was a strong effort made to find her. The family seemed to have means and a determination to find Ani.

Her boyfriend went to Hong Kong to try and find her. Furthermore, they hired a private investigator in Hong Kong.The family even resorted to psychics, which may signify desperation more than genuine hope as I don't believe psychics do anything to locate missing people.

December 9, 2010. Windsor Star.

Hong Kong Police Force Appeals for Information - Online

"Appeal for information on missing woman

***************************************

Police today (December 24) appealed for information on a woman missing in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Ani Ashekian, 30, a Canadian who arrived in Hong Kong in November, was last seen in Chungking Mansions in Tsim Sha Tsui, on November 10. The Canadian authorities made a report to the Hong Kong Police on December 9.

She is about 1.6 metres tall, of normal build and weighs about 54kg. She has a pointed face, white complexion and long curly brown hair. She was last seen wearing white shirt and carrying a rucksack.

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing woman or who may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit, Hong Kong Island, on 2860 1045 or any police station.

Police Report No. 2

Ends" (Source: link good as of October 6th, 2025)

The photo above appeared at the Hong Kong police's webpage. I wondered if the blurred-out faces were of the friends she had traveled with, but this is speculative.

Speculative Commentary

In my opinion, one significant aspect of the case is that she went missing on a day when she twice used her credit card for cash advances. The total she withdrew was about $470 CAD.

The question in my mind is if she made her final withdrawal under any duress but that didn't seem to be so. Yet, I decided to look at whether tourists being forced to make bank withdrawals by abductors was a thing in Hong Kong back at about the time of Ashekian's disappearance. These are called Express Kidnappings, but I will refer to them as Express Abductions as kidnappings mean child abduction and children don't have credit cards.

So-called Express Abductions

Express abductions are brief, opportunistic abductions where criminals hold victims, often tourists, for hours to extract quick cash, typically via ATM withdrawals or digital transfers. Perpetrators, often posing as taxi drivers or using ride-hailing scams, target victims in urban areas, forcing them to withdraw daily card limits (e.g., $500–$10,000) or transfer funds via apps. The kidnappings are short to minimize exposure, with victims driven to multiple ATMs or held until limits reset.

That Ani was last seen at a bank machine is a flag for this kind of abduction, perhaps one that turned more serious than just a temporary abduction. That she made two withdrawals in the same day might fit this kind of abduction, yet, it doesn't fit her long-term disappearance, nor does it fit her lack of duress while captured on CCTV making her second withdrawal. Furthermore, this kind of criminal activity, although it happens to tourists a lot in the world, is not common in Hong Kong, which is considered a safe area.

Chungking Mansions, Late-Night, and Attractive Solo Woman: Dangerous Combination

But the withdrawals could be just a result of her spending a lot of money on that day. People let loose or bump into unexpected expenses all of the time while traveling. 

In the final analysis, I think the Chungking Mansions as her accommodation is the biggest flag in her case. It doesn't help that she likely returned to these dangerous accommodations late at night (supported by the post-midnight bank withdrawal) as a solo woman, who appears attractive in her photos at the time of her disappearance.

There are still online reviews of the area and accommodations from the years surrounding her disappearance. There is a theme of dangerous people in many of the reviews below, suggesting that a single woman, who is attractive, might have ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. If you have a look at the reviews of the Chungking Mansions (Source: TripAdvisor), then I think it will show that she was in danger at night.

In conclusion, I will say one thing related to my personal experience.

My profession, besides freelance writing, is hotel work. Primarily, I work the night shifts at resort town hotels (Down and Out in the Canadian Rockies, my masterpiece).

One thing I have always had trouble getting dayshift coworkers to understand is that people who seem friendly and safe at 2PM are often very different at 2AM. If the Chungking Mansions had a safe vibe during the day, I'm very sure they were different at night when she presumably tried to return. I wonder if a safe daytime vibe failed to prepare her for what she probably encountered late at night. On that note, check out the reviews.

Christine Linda Longino: Missing From Sandy Springs, GA Since 2005 After Flight to London

Christine Linda Longino: Missing From Sandy Springs, GA Since 2005 After Flight to London 

Case Form

This goes by Case Form A:

(1) Missing Person Travels Abroad 

(2) Missing Person Does Not Check-in For Return Transportation

The latter event triggers or is an important part of the missing person designation.

Case Details: Enhanced from NamUs

Category	Details
Demographics	Legal Name: Christine Linda Longino Chosen Name/Nickname/Alias: None Missing Age: 31 Years (DOB: ~1974, may be October 14th, 1974) Current Age: 50 Years Biological Sex: Female Race/Ethnicity: White/Caucasian Height: 5'1" - 5'3" (61-63 inches) Weight: 125-150 lbs BMI: 21.4-23.8 (avg. 22.9, normal range)
Circumstances	Date of Last Contact: November 1st, 2005 to November 11th, 2005? October 14, 2005 (Friday) is listed at NamUs but she appears to have been dropped off somewhere between November 1st and November 11th, 2005 at a MARTA station. She had a return flight from England to the USA booked for November 12th so she must have taken her flight there before that date (but Nov. 9-11th would be a very tight window for a trans-Atlantic trip). Last-known Location: Gatwick Airport in London, England? Sandy Springs, Georgia 30328 (Fulton County) is her listed last-known location as per NamUs but it seems like her last location was actually the Gatwick Airport in London, England. Her NamUs description says she boarded the plane from Hartsfield-Jackson Airport to Gatwick Airport in London. If she did board that plane and it was a safe flight, then her last-known location should be treated as the Gatwick Airport. I think her address was on Longwood Chase at the time of her disappearance in Canton, Georgia. Circumstances of Disappearance: According to NamUs, Christine was dropped off at a MARTA Station near GA-400 (first or second week of November 2005) (the MARTA Station would probably be the North Springs or Sandy Springs station). She then took a MARTA train to Hartsfield-Jackson Airport and flew to Gatwick Airport, in London, England. Her scheduled return flight on November 12th, 2005, went unconfirmed.
Description	Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: Brown

Commentary on the Case

At first glance, there is a lot that does not make sense about this case. Firstly, she is associated with Georgia, USA, but I noted above that this missing person seems likely to be missing with a last-known location of Gatwick Airport in London.

That would be the case simply if she is known to have boarded her flight at the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport bound for that airport. Presumably, the flight would have been a safe one, otherwise this wouldn't be much of a mystery (ie. she didn't just board the plane but arrived at Gatwick).

The last-seen date of October 14th, 2005, presumably, represents when someone who knew her last saw her. I think this may have been Christine's 31st birthday, suggesting that she was last seen by some at a related event. I did look this person up on ancestry and did some corroboration work between hits.

One thing that doesn't make sense with this case is if she was known to get on a flight in the first or second week of November 2005, then that would be reliable information about her whereabouts after October 14th, 2005. By this time in aviation history, you are not boarding a flight without proving who you are, so there's no way she's on that plane without presenting convincing ID. That being the case, why is October 14th considered her last-seen date as opposed to when she boarded the plane?

Confusing Double 'Last Seen' Event in Description

Her NamUs description says she was dropped off at a MARTA Station (Atlanta transit). Who dropped her off? And wouldn't that mean she was last seen well after October 14th, 2005 by this person?

It's also a little weird that the description of her disappearance time frame doesn't list an exact flight date. The vague reference to the first or second week of November suggests that this is not a case that has drawn much professional attention. If there was, I would think her flight date would be known. There are a lot of questions about this case and part of the job in getting answers may be to promote the case in London, England.

Efforts on Ancestry Website for this Missing Person: Christine Longino

While looking at Ancestry, first I found what appeared to be her high school yearbook, where she used the name Christine Longino. If the Christine Longino is the yearbook is the same one as our missing person (faces look alike), then that almost proves that Longino was her birth name, unless she married into the name very young (ie. before the print of her high school yearbook).

I tried to authenticate different search results as her but couldn't do that conclusively. Yet, I did achieve high confidence. For some reason, this missing person, if the profile below is hers, was associated with another name.

I wondered if that was a name she married into, if it was a user or system error, or if it meant something else (ie. name change not related to marriage). If you work on this case and that last name pops up, it's something to look at.

Similar Cases: Missed Return Flight

Missing a scheduled return flight while abroad is a significant clue that something may have happened to an individual, as it often signals an unexpected disruption in their plans. In the case of Christine Linda Longino, who flew from Atlanta to London’s Gatwick Airport in November 2005, but did not board her return flight on November 12, the absence of confirmation suggests she may have faced foul play, an accident, or chosen to stay abroad without notice.

With regard to this latter point, if she married into a new name somehow, then that would complicate finding her. You couldn't simply search for her name in social media or online forums because her name would now be different. You could look for a Christine Wilkins in London, but that could be an empty rabbit hole as well.

But on this matter, if Christine wanted to stay in England or planned to, then why book the return flight? That too is complicated to speculate on.

Her return flight suggests that she was planning to return to the USA. But sometimes when you enter a country, the customs agents will want to see your plan to leave. Someone experienced in travel might book a return flight with plans to no-show it for this reason, despite the cost. It's a way of misleading the customs agents.

There have be en cases where someone's missed flight has been part of the investigation into their disappearance. Natalee Holloway’s failure to board her May 30, 2005, return flight from Aruba sparked a massive search. 

Help Identify UK Jane Does from November 2005

You can help bring closure to Christine Longino’s case by checking UK databases for unidentified females (Jane Does) who died or are believed to have died around November 2005, particularly near London or Gatwick Airport. You need to cross reference Christina's case details to the Jane Doe, both in terms of demographics and timeline considerations. 

Visit the UK Missing Persons Unit at missingpersons.police.uk and filter the unidentified persons section for females, aged 25-35, with brown hair/eyes, 5'1"-5'3", and 125-150 lbs.

Alternatively, explore Doe Network’s Europe section (doenetwork.org) or INTERPOL’s Identify Me (interpol.int/en/What-you-can-do/Identify-Me). If you find a potential match and don't want to report it directly, then feel free to include it in the comments at this blog post as I do look at them.