Episode 295: On the afternoon of December 20, 1974, a storekeeper in Calgary, Alberta, alerted the police about a customer, Philippe Laurier Gagnon, 26, who became aggressive after being denied the sale of airplane glue. The individual fled, and police pursued him to his residence two blocks away. When officers approached the suspect’s residence, they were met with gunfire. Additional police, more than 130 officers, arrived to find the suspect armed with two rifles rifle in a garage. Gagnon refused to come out. A shootout ensued, resulting in the death of Detective Boyd Davidson, 43, after being shot in the neck. Six other officers were wounded by gunfire, and several others were injured.
After a military armoured car arrived, police gained the upper hand, smashed into the house and dislodged the gunman from his hideout. Gagnon, who had two rape convictions, a history of assault as well as a record of mental illness and drug abuse, also died at the scene in a hail of bullets as he charged at the officers.
Detective Davidson, a 23-year veteran of the police force and key figure in establishing the combined police and fire arson squad, left behind a wife and five children. His death and what was learned from the events led to the creation of the Calgary Police Service’s tactical team and changes to policing nationwide.
Sources:
Calgary Herald 21 Dec 1974, page 1
Edmonton Journal 24 Dec 1974, page 3
The Ottawa Journal 24 Dec 1974, page Page 2
The Vancouver Sun 28 Dec 1974, page 60
The Daily Herald-Tribune 30 Dec 1974, page 2
Black Friday: The day that changed policing in Canada
Calgray Herald – 40 years ago Black Friday transformed Calgary policing
Thugs, Thieves & Outlaws: A dark day for Calgary police
Calgary Police Service | Facebook
Tribute to fallen officers | Calgary Police
About our Tactical Unit | Calgary Police
Calgary’s armoured rescue vehicle set to retire
Calgary police unveil new armoured vehicle | CBC News
Black Friday | YouthLinkYYC | YouTube
PTSD among Police Officers: Impact on Critical Decision Making
PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL AND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS INJURIES
Public Safety Personnel’s interpretations of potentially traumatic events
Calgary Police Service officer joins somber list of members killed in line of duty – Calgary
Driver in death of CPS officer sentenced to 12 years
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Episode 294: On the evening of December 21, 1883, near Bloomfield, Ontario, visitor Peter Lazier was murdered by two intruders at the farmhouse of Quakers Gilbert and Margaret Jones. The community, deeply affected, quickly organized a search. They traced footprints in the snow, leading to Joseph Thomset and the Lowder family’s homes near West Lake. By the next day, Joseph Thomset and brothers David and George Lowder were arrested and charged with murder.
The legal process moved rapidly. The coroner’s inquest began the next day, followed by formal proceedings within a week. The trial, held at the Prince Edward County Courthouse in Picton just five months later, suggested the motive was robbery, aimed at stealing the $555 Gilbert Jones earned from selling hops. George Lowder and Joseph Thomset were found guilty of murder and hanged in June of 1884. Many felt justice was served, but others believed the law got it wrong, acting hastily without sufficient evidence.
Sources:
The Canadian Encyclopedia | Quakers
The Lazier Murder: Prince Edward County, 1884 — Robert J. Sharpe
The Kingston Whig-Standard 24 Dec 1883, page 2
Ottawa Daily Citizen 24 Dec 1883, page 1
Manitoba Weekly Free Press 15 May 1884, page 2
The Lazier murder trial of 1884 – did they get the right men?
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Episode 293: During the evening of Friday, October 13 and the early hours of October 14, 1978, a group of teens and young adults attended a gathering in a rural area of Maple Ridge, B.C. That night, 16-year-old Catherine Emma Pozzobon went missing from the event. Her partially clothed remains were discovered on the afternoon of October 15, not far from the location of the party. Investigations revealed the presence of seminal fluid in her mouth, throat, and on her clothing, as well as a tuft of human hair grasped in her hand. The case was treated as a homicide by law enforcement, but without adequate evidence to pinpoint a suspect, the inquiry was eventually suspended.
Two decades later, in 1998, the case was reopened with the advancement of DNA profiling as a key tool for forensic investigation. Police tested the DNA profiles of the male party attendees against the evidence found on Cathy’s body, and there was a match. Twenty years after she was murdered, Cathy’s family finally saw justice.
Sources:
2001 BCSC 597 (CanLII) | R. v. Larsen | CanLII
OBITUARY: The Province 18 Oct 1978, page 38
Police Seek Clues: The Vancouver Sun 20 Oct 1978, page 6
No New Leads: Surrey Leader 01 Nov 1978, page 16
10 Suspects: Times Colonist 07 Nov 1978, page 14
Unsolved: The Vancouver Sun 18 Apr 1981, page 10
The Vancouver Sun 01 May 2001, page 11
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/101800177/catherine-emma-pozzobon
Maple Ridge — Official Website
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The old days of air travel were quite risky…compared to today, the chances of your flight going down were far greater …every airport had kiosks and coin-operating vending machines where you could buy life insurance before you headed to the gate—you know, just in case you thought you weren’t going to make it to your final destination…
1977 was one of the worst years for accidents in aviation history…in addition to several violent hijackings every month—sometimes with fatal results—There were also passenger plane crashes with great loss of life…including the worst aviation disaster of all time when two 747s planes collided on a runway in the Canary Islands, killing 583 people.
Frank Sinatra’s mother, the Prime Minister of Yugoslavia, and all but one member of the University of Evansville basketball team died in crashes…
But then there were the events of October 20, 1977, when a rickety chartered plane went down in a swamp in Mississippi…on board were members of Lynyrd Skynyrd…six of the 24 passengers died, including singer Ronnie Van Zandt, guitarist Steve Gaines, backup singer Cassie Gaines, and assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick…both pilots also died…
What happened?
Have I got a story for you…
Like what you hear? You can find and follow Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry on your favourite podcast app or by clicking here: https://link.chtbl.com/uncharted-rssdrop
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Episode 292: In the annals of military history, few figures stand as singularly remarkable as Léo Major, a French-Canadian soldier whose audacious feats in World War II and the Korean War etched his name in the pantheon of military legends. During World War II, he served with the Régiment de la Chaudière, participating in the D-Day landings and embarking on a series of extraordinary exploits that culminated in the single-handed liberation of the Dutch town of Zwolle from Nazi occupation. Unfazed by injuries and fueled by a relentless drive, he refused to be sidelined, resolutely continuing his service. Major’s saga did not conclude with the end of World War II; he reenlisted to serve in the Korean War, where he would once again defy the odds and solidify his legacy. His story is a captivating tale of bravery, resilience, and a steadfast commitment to justice, offering an inspiring testament to the power of individual courage in the face of overwhelming adversity. Some have called him Quebec’s Rambo. He is the only Canadian to have received the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) twice for his actions in two different wars.
Sources:
Have you heard of Léo Major, the liberator of Zwolle?
A One-Eyed Québécois ‘Rambo’ Captures Imaginations in Canada (Published 2018)
D-Day-the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division: 6 June 1944
Léo Major – A Quebec Military Hero
Pte. Leo Major, 87: Decorated hero
Leo Major Obituary (2008) – Legacy Remembers
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It’s 1986 and Michael Morrison is offered the opportunity of a lifetime. A chance to leave his life of poverty in Newark and start afresh. It’s a job offer he can’t afford to refuse. Michael has no idea what this new job has in store. But he soon realizes: he’s just joined ‘the biggest gang in America’. Join Seren Jones to hear Michael’s story and find out what it means to be both Black and Blue.
Want to hear more? You can follow along on your favourite podcast app here: https://link.chtbl.com/blackandblue-rssdrop
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Episode 291: Jack Fiddler was a chief and shaman among the Anishinaabe in northwestern Ontario. Born around 1839, he became renowned for his abilities in white magic, particularly his claimed power to defeat the Wendigo, a cannibalistic spirit. Fiddler asserted that he had vanquished fourteen Wendigos during his lifetime. Some of these were believed to be sent by enemy shamans, while others were individuals from his community who developed an uncontrollable craving for human flesh. Families often asked him to euthanize a gravely ill loved one to prevent them from becoming Wendigo.
In 1907, the North-West Mounted Police arrested Jack and his brother Joseph Fiddler for the alleged murder of a woman believed to have turned Wendigo. The arrest was part of a broader effort to impose Canadian law on Indigenous communities. The story garnered significant media attention, with many newspapers sensationalizing the events. Jack Fiddler died by suicide while in custody, and although Joseph went to trial and was convicted, he passed away in 1909, shortly before an order for his release arrived.
Sources:
Killing the Shamen : Fiddler, Thomas | Internet Archive
Windigo | The Canadian Encyclopedia
Wendigo Lore by Chad Lewis and Kevin Lee Nelson
Canadian Mysteries of the Unexplained by John Marlowe – Ebook
Dangerous Spirits: The Windigo in Myth and History – Ebook
Biography – ZHAUWUNO-GEEZHIGO-GAUBOW – Volume XIII (1901-1910) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography
Biography – PEEMEECHEEKAG – Volume XII (1891-1900) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography
The Windigo in the Material World on JSTOR
Windigo of First Nations oral tradition — fearsome and loathsome creature
Free Press Prairie Farmer 23 Oct 1907, page 8
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On July 3, 1884, the Daily Colonist newspaper in Canada reported the capture of “Jacko,” described as a human-like creature resembling a gorilla near Yale, British Columbia. Some Bigfoot enthusiasts later cited this story as evidence for Sasquatch’s existence. The tale gained prominence and drew much speculation from only a single story reprinted in numerous newspapers. Jacko’s story has been featured in various books, documentaries and television shows. Other articles from 1884 dismiss the story as a probable hoax, yet some continue to believe he did exist.
Sources:
The Daily British Colonist, July 3, 1884
The Mainland Guardian, July 9, 1884
The British Columbian, July 12, 1884
Yale & the Strange Story of Jacko the Ape-boy by Christopher L. Murphy and Barry G. Blount
Abominable Snowmen, Legend Come To Life : Ivan T. Sanderson | Internet Archive
Strange Creatures from Time and Space by John A. Keel | Goodreads
Sasquatch in BC: A Chronology of Incidents… by Christopher L. Murphy | Goodreads
Remembering John Green’s indelible footprint
The Parker Road Phantom | Saltwire
rr_2009_july_protecting_elusive_sasquatch
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First, we look at a little more about the history of UFO sightings in Canada and elsewhere. These are not a new phenomena.
In the show’s second half, we learn about a series of UFO sightings that occurred in the 1970s in Manitoba, particularly around Carman. The sightings garnered significant attention because of their frequency and because many credible individuals, including police officers and other professionals, witnessed them.
The name “Charlie Red Star” was given to the object due to its bright red hue and was often described as a glowing, pulsating, and sometimes changing shape. Sightings of the object frequently mentioned its ability to move at incredible speeds and make sudden maneuvers that seemed beyond the capability of conventional aircraft of that era.
The phenomenon of Charlie Red Star drew many UFO enthusiasts, reporters, and investigators to the area in the hope of witnessing or gaining some understanding of the mysterious object.
While there were numerous speculations and theories regarding the nature of Charlie Red Star, including secret military projects, extraterrestrial craft, or atmospheric phenomena, the true identity and nature of the objects remain unexplained. The events surrounding Charlie Red Star have since become a notable chapter in the annals of UFO lore.
Sources:
The Big Book of UFOs — Chris A. Rutkowski
Search Results: Carman, MB – Canada’s UFOs: The Search for the Unknown – Library and Archives Canada
Charlie Red Star: True Reports of One of North America’s Biggest UFO Sightings by Grant Cameron
The Canadian UFO Report: The Best Cases Revealed by Chris A. Rutkowski
Canada’s UFOs: Declassified by Chris A. Rutkowski
The Calgary Albertan 17 May 1975, page 12
Star-Phoenix 18 Jun 1975, page 17
The Brandon Sun 18 Nov 1975, page Page 1
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Episode 288: In this, the second episode of our five-part Spooktober series, we dive into three ghostly tales from coast to coast or, to coin a phrase, ghost to ghost. First, we’re off to northern New Brunswick to learn about the ghostly Fire Ship of Chaleur Bay, said to sail the waters of the bay intermittently terrifying mariners. Next, we head to Wallaceburg, Ontario, where, in the 1830s, violent poltergeist activity known as the Baldoon Mystery occurred. Last, we come back west to B.C., where in a small museum in Quesnel resides Mandy the haunted doll.
Sources:
City of Bathurst | Bathurst.ca | Heritage & Culture | The Legend of the Phantom Ship
Le Vaisseau de Feu de la Baie des Chaleurs
Lost at Sea: Ghost Ships and Other Mysteries | Goss, Michael | Internet Archive
The Burning Ship of Northumberland Strait: Some Notes on That Apparition on JSTOR
Baldoon Mystery | Psi Encyclopedia
The Baldoon Mystery | Skeptoid
Baldoon mystery | Wierd and Startling | McDonald, Neil T | Internet Archive
“A History of Wallaceburg and Vicinity 1804 to the Present.” pp. 20–22
Biography – TROYER, JOHN – Volume VII (1836-1850) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography
Mandy | Quesnel & District Museum and Archives
Calgary Herald 04 Apr 1999, page 31
Quesnel Cariboo Observer 28 Apr 1999, page 12
The Paranormal Road Trippers (@theparanormalroadtrippers) | Instagram
Canada’s Most Haunted Doll!! | The Paranormal Road Trippers | YouTube
Meet Mandy the Doll, Canada’s Most Evil Antique
Forget Annabelle. Meet Mandy the Haunted Doll
Mandy the Haunted Doll | The Paranormal Guide
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