Is Sherra De Juan Alive? Police Reveal 'Emotional Distress' Led to 'Missing' Bride-to-Be's Flight

The wedding dress hung in the wardrobe, the flowers were ordered, and the groom waited at the altar — but the bride-to-be had vanished without a trace. On Dec. 29, 2025, after nearly three weeks of anguish, the Quezon City Police District announced that 30-year-old Sherra De Juan had been located safe in the Ilocos Region, north of Manila.

The discovery brought overwhelming relief to a family that spent Christmas Day in tears, clinging to hope that a miracle might still be possible before the year's end.

De Juan's disappearance on Dec. 10 stunned the Philippines. She had left her North Fairview home in Quezon City to purchase wedding shoes at a nearby mall — a routine errand that should have taken no more than an hour.

What made her vanishing especially haunting was that she left her mobile telephone behind, charging on her bedside table, meaning her family and fiancé had no way to reach her. With her wedding just four days away, the eerie silence became unbearable.

Following the Digital Breadcrumbs: Police Discover Sherra's State of Mind

The Quezon City Police District mounted a meticulous investigation, forming a dedicated task force to trace De Juan's movements. CCTV footage showed her boarding a bus near a petrol station along Commonwealth Avenue, but the absence of internal recordings on the vehicle led to a frustrating stalemate.

It was digital forensics, however, that provided the first genuine window into her emotional state. When police examined her laptop, they uncovered a troubling picture: browsing history and digital trails suggested she was carrying an emotional burden far heavier than her family had initially recognised.

'Based on the digital forensic examination, it appears that Sherra has been experiencing personal dilemmas, facing emotional distress and financial problems due to her father's medical condition and her forthcoming wedding,' the QCPD stated in a critical disclosure.

The discovery suggested that wedding costs and anxiety surrounding her father's health issues had weighed on her psychologically in ways she had not fully communicated to those closest to her. This revelation fundamentally shifted the nature of the investigation, transforming it from a potential criminal case into a search for a woman in genuine emotional crisis.

The case took an uncomfortable turn when Mark Arjay Reyes, her fiancé and the last person known to have contact with her, was named a person of interest. Although such scrutiny is standard police procedure, the naming created a media frenzy and fuelled online speculation about their relationship.

However, both Reyes and De Juan's father publicly refuted suggestions of financial hardship or relationship troubles, insisting that insurance covered medical bills and that wedding expenses had been settled long before her disappearance.

A Public Plea and a Viral Moment: How the Nation Rallied

Throughout the ordeal, Reyes became the public face of the family's desperation. He shared an emotionally raw prenup video on social media, declaring his unwavering love for De Juan and pleading with the public to stop spreading negative speculation and misinformation.

'My only priority is her safety,' he said, his voice trembling as he addressed the thousands who had begun following the case obsessively. The video went viral, turning the missing woman into a national concern and mobilising ordinary Filipinos to share information and pray for her safe return.

As the second week of the search progressed, police released findings suggesting that De Juan had likely left her home of her volition. The emotional weight carried in her digital footprint — the sensitive searches, the late-night browsing — pointed to a woman who felt compelled to disappear, not a victim of foul play.

While her family initially struggled to reconcile this conclusion with the fact that she had left her possessions and telephone behind, investigators maintained that all the evidence suggested she was alive and hiding somewhere in the provinces, possibly seeking solitude or escape from mounting pressure.

The discovery of Sherra in the Ilocos Region finally vindicated months of searching and public appeals. As authorities completed the logistics of bringing her home to Manila late on Dec. 29, attention now shifts to her wellbeing and the circumstances that led her to travel north.

For a nation that had watched this story unfold with bated breath, her safe return offered a profound reminder of the invisible struggles that can overwhelm even those surrounded by love and support.