Unsolved Murders in British Columbia

[Desespere]

These are some cases I know about in British Columbia. I have not included any from Vancouver's downtown east side however some from Vancouver may be included if not appearing to be related to Pickton. There are many from the Highway of Tears and I will likely repost those in that topic as time permits. I have details about each case that I will also post - again, as time permits. [I've added some more names - in maroon, hence the edit]

Wes & Glennis Edwards
Age: 50/48
COD: /Fire
DOB:
Date found: October 28, 2006
Location found: Agassiz, BC
Date last seen: October 28, 2006
Location last seen: Agassiz, BC

Manjit Panghali
Age: 30
COD: /Badly burned
DOB:
Date found: October 23, 2006
Location found: Delta, BC
Date last seen: October 18, 2006
Location last seen: Delta, BC (Husband charged with her murder)

Shelley Lynn Devoe
Age: 44
COD: Not released
DOB:
Date found: September 22, 2006
Location found: Coquitlam, BC
Date last seen: September 21, 2006
Location last seen: Surrey, BC

Margaret Redford
Age: 47
COD: Not released
DOB:
Date found: May 20, 2006
Location found: Langley, BC
Date last seen:
Location last seen: Aldergrove, BC

UNKNOWN
Age: Unknown
COD: /Dismembered
DOB:
Date found: May 3, 2006
Location found: Vancouver, BC
Date last seen:
Location last seen:

Chelsey Kayla Dawn Acorn
Age: 14
COD: Not released
DOB:
Date found: April 8, 2006
Location found: Caroline Mines, BC
Date last seen: June 10, 2005
Location last seen: Abbotsford, BC
Child/Runaway

Aielah Saric-Auger
Age: 14
DOB:
COD:
Date found: February 11, 2006
Location found: Tabor Mountain, BC
Date last seen: February 2, 2006
Location last seen: Prince George, BC
Child
HWY Tears

Victoria Kathleen Fawkes
Age: 42
COD: Not released/badly burned
Date found: November 14, 2005
Location found: Chilliwack, BC
Date last seen:
Location last seen:

Sherry Lee Hiltz
Age: 44
COD:
DOB:
Date found: April 9, 2005
Location found: Kamloops, BC
Date last seen: April 9, 2004
Location last seen: Kamloops, BC
STW

Barbara Joseph
Age: 43
COD: Throat slashed
DOB:
Date last seen: September 4, 2004
Location last seen: Ft. St. James, BC
Date found: September 5, 2004
Location found: Ft. St. James, BC

Hannah Gartry
Age: 50
COD:
DOB:
Date found: May 14, 2004
Location found: Chilliwack, BC
Date last seen: December 7, 1003
Location last seen: Vancouver, BC

Shana Labatte
Age
COD:
DOB:
Date found: March 23, 2004
Location found: Kamloops, BC
Date last seen:
Location last seen: Kamloops, BC
STW

Heather Hamill
Age:
COD:
DOB:
Date found: August 1, 2003
Location found: Kamloops, BC
Date last seen:
Location last seen: Kamloops, BC
STW

Deena Braem
Age: 17
DOB:
COD:
Date found: December 10, 1999
Location found: Quesnel, BC
Date last seen: September 25, 1999
Location last seen: Quesnel, BC
HWY Tears

Loretta Capot-Blanc
Age: 31
COD:
DOB:
Date found: September 11, 1997
Location found: Fort Nelson, BC
Date last seen: August 11, 1997
Location last seen: Fort Nelson, BC
HWY of Tears victim

Dianne Mary Stewart
Age: 42
COD:
DOB:
Date found: May 7, 1997
Location found: Penticton Reserve, BC
Date last seen: December 31, 1996
Location last seen: Penticton Reserve, BC

Lana Derrick
Age: 19
DOB:
Missing
Date last seen: October 7, 1995
Location last seen: Terrace, BC
HWY Tears

Ramona Lisa Wilson
Age: 15
DOB:
COD: Strangled
Date found: April 9, 1995
Location found: Smithers
Date last seen: June 11, 1994
Location last seen: Smithers, BC
HWY Tears

Leah Alishia Germaine
Age: 15
COD:
DOB:
Date found: December 9, 1994
Location found: Prince George, BC
Date last seen: 1994
Location last seen: Prince George, BC
Child
HWY Tears

Roxianne Thiara
Age: 15
DOB:
COD:
Date found:
Location found: Burns Lake, BC
Date last seen: November 1994
Location last seen: Prince George, BC
Child
HWY Tears

Jennifer Shaun Cusworth
Age: 19
COD:
DOB:
Date found: October 17th, 1993
Location found: Kelowna, BC
Date last seen: October 16, 1993
Location last seen: Kelowna, BC

Tina Leadley
Age
COD:
DOB:
Date found: April 24, 1993
Location found: Kelowna, BC
Date last seen:
Location last seen:

Delphine Nikal
Age: 16
DOB:
Date found:
Location found: Smithers, BC
Date last seen: June 14, 1990
Location last seen:
HWY Tears

Alberta Williams
Age:
COD:
DOB:
Date found: September 17, 1989
Location found: Prince Rupert, BC
Date last seen: August 26, 1989
Location last seen: Prince Rupert, BC
HWY Tears

Mary Jane Jimmie
Age:
COD:
DOB:
Date found: June 26, 1987
Location found: Quesnel, BC
Date last seen:
Location last seen:

Donna Rose Kiss
Age: 25
COD: Strangulation
DOB:
Date found: August 2, 1986
Location found: BC
Date last seen: August 1, 1986
Location last seen: BC

Chantal Marie Venne
Age: 21
COD: Strangulation
DOB:
Date found: February 25, 1986
Location found: Esquimalt, BC
Date last seen: February 24, 1986
Location last seen: Esquimalt, BC

Maureen Mosie
Age:
DOB:
COD: Beaten
Date last seen: May 8, 1981
Location last seen: Kamloops, BC
Date found: May 8, 1981
Location found: Kamloops, BC
HWY Tears/Last victim

Oanh Ha
Age: 19
DOB:
COD: Strangled
Date last seen: February 28, 1981
Location last seen: Golden, BC
Date found: February 28, 1981
Location found: Golden, BC
HWY Tears

Mary Jamieson
Age: 17
DOB:
COD: Asphyxiation
Date last seen: August 7, 1980
Location last seen: Davis Bay, BC
Date found: August 16, 1980
Location found: Davis Bay, BC
HWY Tears/Hitchhiking

Ann Ruby Threlfell
Age: 24
COD: Strangulation
DOB:
Date found: January 12, 1980
Location found: Vancouver, BC
Date last seen: January 12, 1980
Location last seen: Vancouver, BC

Susan Duff
Age: 12
DOB:
COD:
Date last seen: September 26, 1979
Location last seen: Penticton, BC
Date found: October 21, 1979
Location found: Penticton, BC
Child/Biking

Mary Jane Hill
Age:
COD:
Date found:
Location found: Prince Rupert, BC
Date last seen: 1978/03/26
Location last seen: Kincolith
HWY Tears

Kathryn-Mary Herbert
Age: 11
COD: Head Trauma
Date found: November 17, 1975
Location found: Matsqui Indian Reserve, BC
Date last seen: September 24, 1975
Location last seen: Abbotsford, BC

Monica Ignas
Age: 15
COD: Strangled
Date found: April 6, 1975
Location found: Terrace, BC
Date last seen: December 13, 1974
Location last seen: Terrace, BC
Child
HWY Tears

Deborah Roe
Age: 22
COD: Strangled
DOB:
Date found: February 22, 1975
Location found: Langley, BC
Date last seen: February 21, 1975
Location last seen: Langley, BC

Colleen McMillan
Age: 16
DOB:
COD:
Date last seen: August 9, 1974
Location last seen: Lac La Hache, BC
Date found: September 4, 1974
Location found: Lac La Hache, BC
HWY Tears/Hitchhiking

Unknown
Age: 20?s
COD: Not determined
DOB:
Date found: July 24, 1974
Location found: Pentiction, BC

Pamela Darlington
Age: 19
DOB:
COD:
Date last seen: November 6, 1973
Location last seen: Kamloops, BC
Date found: November 7, 1973
Location found: Kamloops, BC
HWY Tears

Gale Weys
Age: 19
DOB:
COD:
Date last seen: October 19, 1973
Location last seen: Clearwater, BC
Date found: April 6, 1974
Location found: Clearwater, BC
HWY Tears ? 1st victim

[Sue]

   These were the years Clifford Olsen was still killing??
   Maybe this is the man there looking for??
   So many young women and children we have too
   stop theses evil people and stand up and fight to
   change our justice system.

[Chris]

YEs there were some simular ones west of Calgary in teh 70's too.

It's sickening that Olson is getting parole chances. Even the thought of giving him a chance to speak is sick. No parole for people like him.

[Adrian]

6 left dead, in Surrey apartment:: This sucks, I wonder if related to the killings of our sisters??

SURREY, B.C. ? More than two dozen RCMP officers are investigating a ?grisly? crime scene at a suburban Vancouver condominium building where six men were found dead Friday.

Police told residents of the 15-storey building in Surrey to lock their doors and refuse visitors. But they also tried to calm nearby residents? concerns, saying this wasn?t a random attack.

?It looks like there is some level of, that the people may have been targeted, or they knew who they?re attackers were,? said RCMP Cpl. Dale Carr, of the integrated homicide investigation team. ?I just want to try and . . . assure people that that?s kind of what we?re looking at.?

Carr told reporters Saturday that the person who found the bodies called in a gas leak because he believed the people had been overcome. However, when a hazardous materials crew arrived, they called police who knew immediately it was a crime scene.

?You can only imagine that it?s a bit of a grisly scene,? Carr said. ?Our officers have been in and are going through the crime scene very methodically.?

He refused to say how the people were killed.

Carr said they?re looking at many scenarios, including murder-suicide, a domestic dispute, or that the murders may be gang related.

The deaths are terrifying for Iveta Warden, 31, who lives with her husband and daughter on the fourth floor of the same building.

?It scares us,? she said. ?We never expected something like this.

?We saw drug dealing and people coming and buying drugs and selling them, but we never expected murder.?

The family was allowed back into the building Saturday, but Warden said they?re considering relocating.

The building is near the last stop of the rapid transit SkyTrain line and one resident, who didn?t want to be named, said crime is expected near the line.

Royce Walker, 30, lives on the 14th floor, just one floor below where the bodies were discovered.

?Nothing has ever happened like this, everyone is kind of surprised,? he said, noting a lot of elderly people live in the building. ?Everyone we see going to the 15th floor are usually older.?

Walker and his wife had just moved into the unit a month ago with plans of renovating and flipping it at a profit.

?It?s horrible,? Walker said. ?I?m sure the history of the building is going to have an effect on the resale.

?I want to go back downtown now.?

Walker said his wife isn?t bothered by the event, but he admits he?ll be uncomfortable sleeping in their apartment.

?I?ll be sleeping with a baseball bat by my bed,? he said.

Carr called the crime scene ?very complex? and said police could be investigating for several days.

?I can confirm there?s certainly blood in the scene, how graphic it is I?m just not prepared to go into at this time,? Carr told reporters outside the building.

The on-going investigating means the people in the 10 apartment units who live on the top floor will have to find another place to stay.

Despite the first complaint of a smell of gas, Carr said it didn?t appear that the bodies had been there for some time and police are asking for help from anyone who may have seen something in the area over the last 48 hours or so.

?It doesn?t appear (the bodies) have been there a great length of time. Exactly (how long) that?s something we?re trying to determine.?

Police say they?re still working on identifying the victims.

Carr said the coroner?s office will start its investigation once police have wrapped up their probe.

[Adrian]

What was the reason for the killing of six men, in Surrey, BC? Drugs? Cult? Men who knew too much, about the Pickton Farm. Gangs??? Drug hijacking?



SURREY, B.C. ? The homicide squad investigating a multiple murder in the top floor of a Surrey, B.C., apartment building is being very cautious about the information it releases.

RCMP Cpl. Dale Carr says after two days of investigating the discovery of the bodies of six men they?re finally getting a sense of the identity of the victims.

Carr says a number of people have called police wondering if it?s their relative inside the fifteenth-floor apartment.

He won?t say if this group of men died in a murder-suicide, or if the killings were gang related, saying that may be released when the group is identified.

Carr says the cause of deaths could also be held back for investigative reasons.

The fire department attended the apartment on Friday for the report of a gas leak, but police were called in after the bodies were discovered.

[Adrian]

Gang Related::: the latest evidense, doesn't say what gang, but apparently related to the drug trade!!!!


SURREY, B.C. -- Guns, gangs, drugs and violence led to the deaths of six men in a suburban Surrey apartment, including two innocents caught in the attack, police said Tuesday.

"These murders are an outrageous act of violence perpetrated on individuals, at least two of whom were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time," RCMP assistant commissioner Peter German told a news conference.

The murders Friday drive home the point that gang violence is not restricted to the gangsters themselves, police said.

German named the dead as Edward Schellenberg, 55, of Abbotsford, Chris Mohan, 22, Edward Narong, 22, Corey Lal, 21, his 26-year-old brother Michael and 19-year-old Ryan Bartolomeo, all of Surrey.

"This case, while in its early stages, has all the signs of being an organized-crime or gang-related incident," said RCMP Supt. Wayne Rideout, in charge of the force's integrated homicide investigation team.

"It is not a random act," he said.

Rideout said investigators believe four of the six victims had at least in part engaged in criminal activity "and led a criminal lifestyle."

A criminal records check shows the four convicted of offences ranging from resisting a police officer and driving while prohibited to spending time in jail for breach of an undertaking and possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking.

The apartment's residents were using the top-floor suite for some form of drug activity, Rideout said, adding the person who rented the suite was not among the dead and has not been co-operating with police.

But Schellenberg, who was in the building servicing its gas fireplaces, and Mohan were innocent victims in what appears to be a targeted gang hit, he said.

"These men were going about their daily lives on Friday when they became the victims of gang violence solely as a result of where they were at a single moment in time," said Rideout.

Unlike previous innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire of gang shootouts, the two men were deliberately killed, he said.

[CraftyGal]

Wow two innocent men deliberately murdered because the were in wriong place at the wrong time.  That just sucks!

Craty

[Chris]

I am so amazed at how many missing people and unsolved murders there are in BC. Des just added so many more cases to the site, it is unbelievable. Someone, something, is going on there. It would seem BC has a much higher pecentage of missing poeple and unsolved murders then the rest of Canada. I sure am glad the leadership there is starting to pay attention and direct resources to figuring this out.

[Chris]

From Kindheart

Hello Desespere, here is some thoughts i am having. Seems there was a move from the southern part of BC 97 highway corridor in the early 1980's to Alberta, or they were visiting friends/family? They also could just move around alot for work? Thoughts on this? I did not include many other cases from same time frame from across the country.
~kindheart


1990/12/21   Edmonton AB   46  F   Wray Lorraine
1990/06/14  Smithers BC    15  F  Nikal   Delphine (HOT case)
1990/10/25 Edmonton   AB   F  Mason Mavis
1989/10/27 Prince Rupert BC    24  F  Williams Alberta (HOT case)
1989/10/25  Edmonton  AB   22  F  Ahenakew Bernadette
1988/09/13  Edmonton  AB   20  F    Flint  Georgette
1986/09/21 Edmonton   AB   21   F   Riegel   Melodie  Joy
1983 / ? /?  Fort Saskatchewan   AB  F  Cardinal  Gail

**Starting in 1983 moved/ visits to Edmonton or just found new hunting ground?**

1983/05/03    Hinton  AB   16     F   Bascu   Shelley  (HOT case)
1981/05/08   Kamloops  BC   F   Mosie   Maureen  (HOT case)
1981/05/02   Hope     BC    17  F   Bjerky   Verna
1981/02/28   Golden    BC     19  F    Ha  Oanh
1980/08/07   Gibsons   BC   17   F   Jamieson  Mary Allen ?Marney?
1979/03/30   Vancouver   BC   33   F   Allen   Wendy   Louise
1978/09/12   Vancouver   BC   34   F   O'Dare   Lillian   Jean
1978/05/06   Merritt   BC   14   F   Jack   Monica  (HOT case)
 1978/03/26   Prince Rupert   BC      F   Hill   Mary   Jane
1977/02/26   Calgary   AB      F   Maclean   Barbara   Jean
1976/09/15   Calgary AB    20   F      Rehorek   Melissa
 1976/08/02   Devon    AB    17    F   Goudreau   Marie
1976/07/16   North Vancouver   BC   16   F   Duncan   Rhona   Margaret
1976/07/01    Calgary AB     F      White   Tara
1976/01/09    Calgary AB     F      Brazeau   Pauline
 1974/12/13    Thornhill   BC  15   F   Ignas   Monica (HOT case)
1974/08/09   70 Mile House   BC   MacMillen  Colleen (HOT case)
1974/06/17   Kenora    ON   20   F   Assin  Susan
1974/06/22   Churchhill   MB   13  F   Yassie   Annie
1974/03/16    Petrolia   ON   14    F   Caughlin  Karen
1973/10/19    Clearwater   BC  19  F   Weys  Gale  (HOT case)
1973/09/06    Kamloops   BC   19  F    Darlington  Pamela  (HOT case)
1972/05/??   Williams Lake   BC   18   F   Duncan   Velma   Marie
1970/10/13   Prince George   BC   17   F   Frost   Helen   Claire
1970/??/??   Hudson Hope   BC      F   Pare   Micheline  (HOT case)
1969/? / ?   Williams Lake   BC  F  Moodie Gloria (HOT case)

[Chris]

From Kindheart

Very significant statement here.
~kindheart
RCMP have not made any arrests or laid any charges, but Lemaitre said they have not ruled out the possibility there could be one individual responsible for all of the cases.
He remained mum on the question of suspects, saying any information of that nature could be detrimental to the investigation. "There are things we know that we don't want the the persons or person responsible to know. I can tell you we know a lot more than we did a year ago."
He said that since a family meeting was held Thursday in Smithers involving families of the victims, the number of tips have "spiked" to literally "dozens" coming into police detachments including Prince George.
He asks the public to think hard about the "families out there who need closure" to the deaths of the women.
"We know there are people out there who feel they have information. Those responsible are not loners. They have friends. Somebody may have have overheard something in a restaurant. What seems insignificant to you could be a vital piece of information. For God's sake, don't keep the information to yourself," Lemaitre said.
http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=99530&Itemid=159

[Chris]

From kindheart

Here are some not listed as HOT cases but from same general time and zone. Notice how Verna Bjerky was found just west of Hope. Chelsey Acorn was found just east of Hope.


1981/05/02  Yale  BC   17   F   Bjerky  Verna
1981/02/28  Golden  BC   19  F  Ha   Oanh
1979/09/26   Penticton   BC  12   F  Duff  Susan
1979/08/07  Davis Bay  BC 17  F   Jamieson Mary Ellen

[Desespere]

To Kindheart (and all)
Oahn and Susan were linked at crimezzz website I think as the "TransCanada HWY killer" from the 1970's-1983. Then it appears to have stopped there in that area, Kamloops, Penticton and even to Devon as you've indicated. Kelly Cook from Standard was among that list too, approximately 13-15 I think, names on that list.

I tend to think it's all part of the same group or person, working, possibly since early 1960's moving West from London and area, possibly to Edmonton in late 60's, possibly 1970. Then lots of travel to BC interior, possibly north (I include Karen Ewanciw - age 11, 1975 - from Edmonton).

The transient nature could possibly be something related to mining, I think gold-panning until around 1977-1980. There is a lot of mention of women and girls being found by mushroom pickers (including Georgette Flint in Edmonton I think) so I tend to think perhaps the killer was like-involved.

These are just suppositions, but yes, I see the pattern here, some kind of movement. If BC police consider Alberta as part of the investigation, they might find some other similarities, prior to 1983. I think - that many from Vancouver after 1983 might also be considered. There was a big shift in 1983 - the types of victims etc, becomes more STW's where before it was young women looking for rides or just at a coffee shop or out for the evening as in the mid 1970's in Calgary.

I think the early 1970's victims in Calgary are related to those found in the BC interior in the 1970's and 1980's. It's hard to get it all out right now, but I think keep looking at that - at this type of connection. I totally agree with the structure you've shown here.

Regards,
Des

[Chris]

From Kindheart

think - that many from Vancouver after 1983 might also be considered. There was a big shift in 1983 - the types of victims etc, becomes more STW's where before it was young women looking for rides or just at a coffee shop or out for the evening as in the mid 1970's in Calgary.


That is coincidental because i did indeed look at the lower main land and greater fraser valley areas from 1983 forward. Thanks for the comments Desespere and as always it is great to talk to you.
~kindheart

Now, you mentioned something about a corvette or a camaro as being of interest to you because it was seen in relation to some crimes?

[Chris]

From kindheart

Women in fear after 12 murders 'but no one cares, we're hookers' [HO2 Edition]     Toronto Star - Toronto, Ont. Author: Kathleen Kenna TORONTO STAR Date: Oct 8, 1990 Start Page: A.2 Section: NEWS Text Word Count: 1069      Abstract (Document Summary) 

The murders since 1982 of almost another dozen women - two were exotic dancers but not all were prostitutes - continue to baffle police in the Vancouver and Victoria areas.
police suspect one man is responsible for a recent string of three or more kidnappings in which Vancouver prostitutes were taken to the suburbs, sexually assaulted, bound, and stabbed or threatened with a knife.
Prostitutes are being discriminated against because of the "bad girl, good girl" attitude that blames the victim, said Johannah Pilot, staff worker at Women Against Violence Against Women, which operates a 24-hour rape crisis clinic in Vancouver.

and this one:
Who's killing B.C. hookers? 8 grisly murders have Vancouver police baffled [FIN Edition]     Toronto Star - Toronto, Ont. Author: Kathleen Kenna Toronto Star Date: Jul 13, 1989 Start Page: A.2 Section: NEWS Text Word Count: 1085      Abstract (Document Summary)   


As for the high rate of murders, police say there's no evidence a serial killer is stalking Vancouver streets, or that Seattle's notorious Green River Killer - whose 49 grisly murders over seven years remain a mystery - has ventured north of the border.
Vancouver's murder rate among hookers astonishes police in other major cities who report either one or no prostitutes murdered per year in the past decade.
Neither RCMP nor city police appear any closer to solving these murders than they were in catching the killers of another 10 hookers believed murdered between 1985 and 198

[Chris]

from kindheart

Now, you mentioned something about a corvette or a camaro as being of interest to you because it was seen in relation to some crimes?

Do you desespere have that name, year or reference for the case in which a corvette or camaro were sited by witnesses?
 ~kindheart