They were loved, they are missed and their families need closure.
She was a single mom; he was a Squamish Nation youth; she was a retired school teacher; he was a business man. What these people all have in common is they were murdered years ago and found dead in the Sea to Sky Corridor. Their killers have yet to be put behind bars for these crimes.
Through a freedom of information request, The Chief has gained access to the details of these 12 unsolved homicides that took place between 1971 and 2005.
The Squamish RCMP has an investigative major crimes unit that tackles serious crimes such as homicides, attempted murders, serious assaults and serial or regional property crimes. After 2005, local homicides were turned over to the then newly-formed regional Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT), which investigates homicides, suspicious deaths and high-risk missing persons cases where foul play is suspected.
The hope is that, even after all this time, the cases featured here can be solved.
“There are people out there who know what has happened to these 12 individuals,” said Cpl. Sascha Banks, Squamish RCMP media relations officer.
“Somebody was there, whether it just be the accused, or whether it be witnesses or somebody they have told. There’s always somebody out there who knows exactly what has happened and it is a matter of them coming forward to talk to the police about it.”
RCMP officers have notified family members of the deceased that their loved ones will be featured in this article.
Pictures of the deceased were not readily available in all instances.
These cases have been ordered from most recent to least.
Simin Falahati
Falahati, 43, was a single mom of two, according to police.
She lived in Coquitlam at the time of her death, but her body was found in the Cheakamus River, 20 kilometres north of Squamish on July 27, 2005.
Rishi Kant Singh
Singh, 20, was known to work in the drug trade, according to the RCMP, and was from Vancouver. His body was found on the side of Highway 99 in the Squamish area on Feb. 17, 2000.
Michael Raymond Bath
Bath, 30, was allegedly involved in the drug trade and was believed to be working for an organized crime group in the Victory Park area of Vancouver at the time of his death, police said. His body was found in Browning Lake in Murrin Provincial Park, according to a The Chief story at the time, on Jan. 18, 1999.
Roy Andrew Nahanee
Nahanee, 20, died on June 21, 1997 in hospital from a stab wound. Between June 20 and 21, Nahanee attended a friend’s birthday party at a Squamish lake, according to Squamish RCMP. Several Squamish Nation youth, many from North Vancouver, attended the party, which was meant to morph into a camping trip over the weekend. An individual was charged with the crime at the time, but later acquitted.
Kathleen Kermode
Kermode, 73, was a retired schoolteacher who lived on her own in Lions Bay. Her family, friends and former co-workers described her as a soft-spoken woman who helped others, Squamish RCMP said. On March 18, 1990, Kermode was found dead in her home.
Rachel Turley
Turley, 20, was believed to be suffering from addiction at the time of her death and her family reported that she had been living a “high-risk lifestyle,” according to Squamish RCMP. She didn’t have a permanent address, but was often spotted in the Granville Street area of Vancouver. Hikers found her body on Oct. 29, 1985 near the Stawamus Chief.
Ming Kuo Wong
Wong, 49, was the owner and operator of a dump truck. He was also a commodities trader in silver and gold, according to Squamish RCMP. It is believed Wong was carrying a significant amount of cash when he went missing, police said. He was reportedly a popular man who participated in many sports, according to RCMP. He was reported missing from Vancouver and his body was found on April 30, 1983 in the Lions Bay area.
Keith David Agnew
Agnew, 30, was known to police, and allegedly associated with drug dealers who had ties to eastern Canada and the Lower Mainland, Squamish RCMP told The Chief. He was found dead on July 28, 1978 in the Squamish area.
Ruth Gwendolyne Mallenby
Mallenby, 26, was a married mother of an 18-month-old daughter. Her last known address was in Chilliwack. She had a psychology degree from Manitoba and at the time of her disappearance, the family was moving to Deep Cove in North Vancouver, police said. Her body was found on March 7, 1976 in the Lions Bay area.
Margie Melinda Blackwell
Blackwell, 21, was a U.S. citizen who had moved to Vancouver. She was also known as “Linda Jensen,” according to police who also believe she lived a “high-risk” lifestyle. Her body was discovered on Jan. 25, 1975 in the Furry Creek area.
Karl Dieter Ostermeier
Ostermeier, 25, was a husband and father to a four-year-old son. He was originally from Munich, Germany and immigrated to Canada with his parents. He lived in Montreal for a period of time before moving to the U.S. He moved to Vancouver when he was 18 years old. It is believed Ostermeier was involved in the drug trade and that he had financial problems, police said. He was reported missing from Vancouver on Aug. 19, 1974 and found dead in the Furry Creek area on Sept. 10, 1974.
Jean Jacques Schmidt
Schmidt, 40, was born in Ontario and raised in Quebec. He was also known as “Marcel Belanger,” according to the RCMP. In the late 1960s and early 1970s he had ties to a group of French Canadians who were allegedly active in the criminal world in the Vancouver area, according to police. His body was found on July 27, 1971 in the Lions Bay area.
No matter how old, unsolved homicides remain open and are actively investigated, Cpl. Banks told The Chief
“Even though the majority of the people involved, as in witnesses or the accused, are more than likely dead, for us, when we look at a homicide investigation, these people have children, they have grandchildren they have family members who are still alive carrying on their memory…” she said. “As long as we can look at trying to find them answers, we are going to do that.”
Each file is assigned to its own investigator who reviews the case and pursues new leads.
Anyone who would like to speak to a police officer or provide information about these homicides can call the dedicated Squamish Homicide Information Line set up for this purpose: 604-892-6122. Please note that information provided cannot be kept anonymous. To provide information anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or text the BCTIP line at 274637, or visit www.bccrimestoppers.com.
More recent cases that occurred after 2005, including the unsolved case of a man who was found murdered inside his burned SUV on the Cheekye Forest Service Road just north of Squamish in June, are investigated by IHIT, which can be reached at 1-877-551-4448.
