The SPVM is looking over 800 unsolved murders that have piled up in its territory over 50 years.
I would want to ask: in how many of these cases did the cops know who did it, but couldn’t amass enough evidence to bring them to trial?
A little more on Tuesday from Radio‑Canada about the tripling of investigators. Two thirds of the 800 unsolved crimes date from before 2000. Selection of cases will depend which ones look solvable – whether witnesses are still alive and there’s any DNA evidence.
There’s nothing about examining biases, such as bob’s reminder that dead white girls tend to get the most attention from police and media.
I had a look at previous blog entries about cold case stories. The story of the death of Jewell Langford was resolved with the arrest of Rodney Nichols. Langford was a white woman originally from the United States who had relocated to Montreal not long before her disappearance in 1975. Another 1975 killing was Sharron Prior, a blonde girl from Point St Charles. DNA led to her probable killer, Franklin Romine, but he had died before the cold case was solved.
As far as I know, the killings of Catherine Daviau (26) and Jessica Neilson (25) in 2008 have never been solved.
Since the blog is dependent on what the media cover, I don’t think it was my bias that selected these stories of murdered young white women, but the media themselves.
The only cold case I noted that was different was the mysterious death of a young man in the West Island in 1975.
Ian 08:22 on 2025-02-11 Permalink
Counter question: did you mean “did the cops think they knew who did it”, or you really trust cops that much?
bob 09:07 on 2025-02-11 Permalink
And if they know who did it, and couldn’t bring enough evidence for a trial, what are the chances they can now? Are they going to be revisiting disappeared drug dealers, or just murdered white girls? Are they doing such a great job with current crimes that these resources can be spent on people killed in a previous century?
Kate 09:37 on 2025-02-11 Permalink
Ian, I don’t think all cops are idiots. But most murders aren’t like the ones invented by clever thriller writers who devise labyrinthine plots to entertain their readers. They’re a blunt object to the head by an angry relative or a bullet from a foot soldier of a hostile gang. Often it’s obvious who did it. Sometimes it may be tricky to discern which specific gang member to round up.
I imagine the kind of people good at solving cold cases are not likely to be the same ones out on the street working on recent mayhem. Cold cases have been solved with DNA evidence and genealogical research. You need scientists and researchers, but it sometimes does get done.
Meezly 10:15 on 2025-02-11 Permalink
Would be useful to know who many murders were solved in the same time span to make a proper comparison.
Kate 12:03 on 2025-02-11 Permalink
Been trying to find that out, but all the pieces I’m getting are about how pleased the SPVM are with their solution rate last year.
Joey 14:20 on 2025-02-11 Permalink
Of the domestic cases, what proportion do you think were committed by cops?
Kate 16:05 on 2025-02-11 Permalink
Joey, that’s a good question. I know there are studies showing how many police get away with domestic violence. But it’s in the nature of things that don’t get officially reported, not to say hushed up (but that probably happens too) that they don’t leave a statistical record. So I have no answer.
Ian 09:46 on 2025-02-12 Permalink
That’s more what I’m getting at – I don’t necessarily think cops are stupid but I sure don’t trust them, especially if they have skin in the game.