The Beast of British Columbia

 

Clifford Robert Olsen Jr. 

 

Clifford Robert Olsen started his life of crime at a young age. In his early days at school, he would get into fights, often getting beaten up. He later decided to take up boxing so he could "get even", and he did, by seeking out the other boys to even the score. Constantly with a chip on his shoulder, Clifford was a petty thief. He would even steal produce from backyards and sell them.

Clifford later dropped out of school after grade 8 and was arrested by the age of 17 for a break and enter. By the time he was 42, he had over 90 convictions and had escaped from police custody 7 times. His crimes included obstructing justice, possession of stolen property, possession of firearms, forgery, false pretenses, fraud, parole violation, impaired driving, theft, break and enter and theft, armed robbery, escape from lawful custody, rape, buggery, gross indecency, and first-degree murder.

When he had married his wife, Joan Hale, Clifford had already killed 3 children. Christine Weller, and Colleen Marian Daignault, both 13 and from Surrey, and Daryn Todd Johnsrude, 16, from Coquitlam. Just days after his wedding he abducted and killed Sandra Wolfsteiner, 16, of Langley. Within a month of killing Sandra, he killed 13-year-old Ada Anita Court of Burnaby.

In July 1981, he killed had killed six children. Simon Partington aged 9, and Terri Lyn Carson aged 15, both from Surrey. Judy Kozma aged 14 and Raymond King aged 15, from New Westminster. Sigrun Arnd aged 18, a German tourist and Marie Louise Chartrand aged 17, from Maple Ridge.

Clifford was arrested Aug. 12, 1981, after trying to abduct two female hitchhikers. He was taken in for questioning and after a few days was arrested for the murder of Judy Kozma, aged 14.

Canada's Missing Child: Michael Dunahee

Michael Dunahee

Michael Dunahee was almost 5 years old when he disappeared from a playground in Victoria, BC March 24, 1991. His mother Crystal was participating in football practice and Michael and his father Bruce were watching with the other spectators.

The Dunahee family arrived at Blanchard Park Elementary School around 12:30 in the afternoon, and soon after arriving young Michael asked his mother if he could play in the school's playground. Crystal said that Michael could play in the playground while she was at practice because he would be easily visible to her and Bruce.

Crystal told him "OK, you can go to the park, wait there and don’t leave with anybody, just wait there and daddy will come and get you.". When they looked at the playground moments later, Michael was gone. Crystal later stated that "something wasn't quite right " and continues to carry the guilt for not trusting her instincts that day.

Blanchard Park Elementary School. The playground is in the lower left.

Where's Maddy?

Madison Scott

Hogsback Lake, around 20 kilometers away from Vanderhoof BC, is a cozy camping area with a dock on the lake. It was a popular area for young people to have parties due to the camping areas and isolation. It is far enough away that the noise of a party wouldn't bother anyone living nearby who might call the RCMP and get the party shut down.

The weather on May 27, 2011, was crisp, near 10 degrees Celcius, when young Madison Scott went to a campsite party at Hogback Lake. Madison went with her friend Jordie with the intention of attending the party then camping overnight to avoid driving under the influence as there was alcohol at this get-together.

The party at Hogsback Lake was around 50 people, and according to reports, near the end of the night some people showed up that were not known to most people and the mood of the night soured. Around this time most people decided to leave rather than stay the night at the campground.

Hogsback Lake

What Happened to Maddy?

Canadian True Crime

Mysteries and true crime have been an interest of mine for years now. Watching TV shows and seeing how the "bad guys" get caught on whatever TV crime drama clone happens to be on held my interest for a time. Until I started reading about the real stuff. Real life mysteries and criminal cases sucked me in like nothing else.

I started researching criminal cases. Unsolved crimes, missing people and just plain strange cases. What I found seemed to be a never-ending rabbit hole. The more I read and the more shows I watched, there was always more.

The sad thing with real-life mysteries is that there doesn't seem to ever be an end to them. Often there isnt a happy ending. There is always a new case. Always another missing person, abduction or murder. Even in my sleepy little town, there are mysteries in the shadows if you look hard enough. Sometimes they aren't hidden in the shadows at all.

As I researched I noticed something. And that was a lack of sites or blogs that report on cases within Canada. Most of the cases I found online focused south of the border. The Canadian true crime cases don't seem to get nearly the publicity as they should, In my eyes, for Canadian audiences.

Some cases I will write about are so strange or interesting I will have to share them with you even if they did not happen in Canada, but you will notice a Canadian theme to this blog. Some of these cases will be unsolved, and I truly believe that somewhere, someone has the tip that solves the case.