Hi,

I was wondering if anyone has information on a case that UM profiled where a male college student was driving from Alaska to one of the Continential US states and I believe he was found murdered. I think the story mentioned that someone in his car with his wallet had spent the night at a persons home in Canada. Can someone help? It wasn't the story that the TV movie "Into Thin Air" is based on. Am I crazy or was this an actual segement?

Any info would help, thanx.

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone has information on a case that UM profiled where a male college student was driving from Alaska to one of the Continential US states and I believe he was found murdered. I think the story mentioned that someone in his car with his wallet had spent the night at a persons home in Canada. Can someone help? It wasn't the story that the TV movie "Into Thin Air" is based on. Am I crazy or was this an actual segement?

Any info would help, thanx.

Lifetime just aired this segment/episode last week actually. There was not update on that and they only had a composite sketch of the guy. If you ask me he looked oddly like Horatio Sanz from SNL. :lol:

there was no update, so i am assuming the fat dumpy guy is still on the loose.

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=90863

The murdered college student's name was Philip Frazier. I couldn't find anything about him on the net so its hard to tell if anyone has ever been arrested.

Thanx Zero , Thanx Crystaldawn.

I'm still laughing at the Horatio Sanz comment...

IMO, that was one of the saddest cases of all. If the UM depiction was accurate, Philip Frazier actually drove away briefly before having a change of heart and stopping to pick up the creep. Lousy handicapping. It costs me cash but it cost him his life.

Yeah, that WAS pretty bad. Hopefully, that was UM exercising a little bit of creative license and presenting the audience with some irony.

Yeah that was a creepy and sad case, What a scumbag that guy was. I felt so sorry for the mother when they interviewed her at the end. Another case that probably will remain unsolved.

Yeah that was a creepy and sad case, What a scumbag that guy was. I felt so sorry for the mother when they interviewed her at the end. Another case that probably will remain unsolved.

i laugh every time i see that sig.

The murdered college student's name was Philip Frazier. I couldn't find anything about him on the net so its hard to tell if anyone has ever been arrested.

I thought I saw a different spelling of the last name, probably "Fraser." Maybe that could help you find new info. I'm still wondering how some of these killers slip through the cracks!

From what I could tell, it almost looked like the murderer forced his way into the car, but I might have just been seeing things. Definitely a tragic case.

The scene that freaked me out was when the murderer went to that little diner, and the mother and daughter that ran the diner felt uneasy around him. The daughter had commented that Philip Fraser would regret picking the guy up. Does anyone remember that?

Yeah. The whole case was creepy and sad.

I believe the woman at the diner remarked; "Oh boy we've got a winner here!"

Yea, she said that. I haven't watched that segment in awhile, so I can't remember all the details. That lady's sixth sense was right.

I just watched this case again and it sickened me. Very tough to watch. It appears this hitch hiker killed Philip within a couple of hours of leaving the cafe. I was confused as to whether the body was found north of the home of that couple that the hitchiker stayed with that one night or if it was found south. If it was found south it could be very possible that the body of Philip was in the trunk and that the hitchhiker dumped it after he left the couple's home. If it was north then that would mean that the hitchhiker killed Philip probably within two or three hours of leaving the gas station and restaurant. It appears the hitchhiker was pissed at Philip first for not initally letting him in second it appears Philip was killed with robbery as the motive. Both because of the cash Philip was carrying as well as the car. I imagine the hitchhiker burned the car because he was afraid of going through customs with the car and getting caught. It appears identity theft was also an added bonus for this crime as the hitchhiker also stole Frazier's birth certificate, passport and checkbook. The hitchhiker knew a lot about Frazier's personal life so I am sure Philip must have been talking to him about who he was and stuff. You know who that hitchiker reminded me of? Jerry Strickland. Strickland was living in Washington state on the run in 1988 and if I remember right wasnt captured until 1989 or late 1988. Is Strickland a possiblity? I am sure that this hitchhiker is also a serial killer. I cant believe that was the first or last time he was killed. What was real horrible is it appears Philip had a change of heart and was going to pick the guy up and then changed his mind and tried to get away from him, only to stop again and pick the guy up.

kadrmas15, you had a good theory when you stated that the killer probably talked with Phillip for 2 or 3 hours before killing him in order to acquire information. I should also add that the segment stated that Phillip had everything he owned with him on the trip, so the killer unfortunately had complete access to all of Phillip's belongings. This might be one of the first few cases of identity theft. I know there was at least one or two others that UM profiled in the late 80's/early 90's. It seems like not until recently that this has been a rapidly growing crime.

I watched the segment again recently, and I paid close attention to the scene where the killer does get into Phillilp's car. The segment had shown earlier that Phillip declined the offer originally, however it's tough to say what really happens when the killer does enter the car. From my vantage point, it looks as if the killer forces his way into the car. However, others have said it looks as if Phillip had a change of mind. Certainly possible, however he may have just been braking because he thought he would injure the guy as the killer did try to put his hand through the front passenger's side window. This one's open to interpretation, but it just looks like to me that the guy forced his way in.

The UM re-enactment may not have depicted to the finest detail how the hitchhiker got into the car. If he pulled out a gun, then it seems feasible that Philip would have let him in then.

I'm watching it now, and it doesn't say how Philip was killed. I'm just amazed at how local this was to where I grew up, and how I've not heard anything about it until now. I was only 7 when it occured, but surely I should have heard about it over the years. It was big news when AMW came to town to do a segment on a murder suspect in the late 1990s.

The UM segment does not mention where the rest stop was or where Philip's body was discovered, in terms of towns nearby. That would help.

I am also curious as to how they figure that the killer is familiar with the Toronto area. Perhaps it was something he mentioned to the couple from Kitwanga.

It really was an insult to injury that all Philip's belongings, including his identification, were stolen as well and nothing was found of them.

The UM re-enactment may not have depicted to the finest detail how the hitchhiker got into the car. If he pulled out a gun, then it seems feasible that Philip would have let him in then.

I'm watching it now, and it doesn't say how Philip was killed. I'm just amazed at how local this was to where I grew up, and how I've not heard anything about it until now. I was only 7 when it occured, but surely I should have heard about it over the years. It was big news when AMW came to town to do a segment on a murder suspect in the late 1990s.

The UM segment does not mention where the rest stop was or where Philip's body was discovered, in terms of towns nearby. That would help.

I am also curious as to how they figure that the killer is familiar with the Toronto area. Perhaps it was something he mentioned to the couple from Kitwanga.

It really was an insult to injury that all Philip's belongings, including his identification, were stolen as well and nothing was found of them.
I just saw this for the first time last night and I wish they would have given more info that could have been helpful to the public and could have helped catch the killer. I also wish UM would have showed a map of where Philip picked up the hitchhiker, where his body was found, where the couple lived, where the car was found, etc (just like in the Sons of Sam, ATV murders, and Orange sock murder segments). I was highly surprised that they didn't tell how Philip was killed either. That might be how Canada is about giving out any pertinent info though. I wonder if this killer slipped up trying to do this again to someone and ended up in prison where he belongs. He seemed to catch some lucky breaks this time after showing his face to the people who let him stay overnight in their home. :eek: I bet they freaked out when they found out who slept under their roof and how they easily could have been killed while in their own bed that night.

I just saw this for the first time last night and I wish they would have given more info that could have been helpful to the public and could have helped catch the killer. I also wish UM would have showed a map of where Philip picked up the hitchhiker, where his body was found, where the couple lived, where the car was found, etc (just like in the Sons of Sam, ATV murders, and Orange sock murder segments). I was highly surprised that they didn't tell how Philip was killed either. That might be how Canada is about giving out any pertinent info though. I wonder if this killer slipped up trying to do this again to someone and ended up in prison where he belongs. He seemed to catch some lucky breaks this time after showing his face to the people who let him stay overnight in their home. :eek: I bet they freaked out when they found out who slept under their roof and how they easily could have been killed while in their own bed that night.

I recently watched the NBC version of this segment and noticed it has a lot of footage in it that Lifetime edited out. They talk about how the hitchhiker stayed in the couples basement that had many guns yet no harm came to them. Also mentions how Philip was found carrying two guns by border agents and they were confiscated. I'll probably put it on volume 15 if people would like to see the unedited version.

Yes, I'd love to see that Heather. This is one of the few segments that I haven't seen yet and it shocked me how he stayed overnight like that and was seen by many witnesses, but never caught.

I just watched this case again and it sickened me. Very tough to watch. It appears this hitch hiker killed Philip within a couple of hours of leaving the cafe. I was confused as to whether the body was found north of the home of that couple that the hitchiker stayed with that one night or if it was found south. If it was found south it could be very possible that the body of Philip was in the trunk and that the hitchhiker dumped it after he left the couple's home. If it was north then that would mean that the hitchhiker killed Philip probably within two or three hours of leaving the gas station and restaurant. It appears the hitchhiker was pissed at Philip first for not initally letting him in second it appears Philip was killed with robbery as the motive. Both because of the cash Philip was carrying as well as the car. I imagine the hitchhiker burned the car because he was afraid of going through customs with the car and getting caught. It appears identity theft was also an added bonus for this crime as the hitchhiker also stole Frazier's birth certificate, passport and checkbook. The hitchhiker knew a lot about Frazier's personal life so I am sure Philip must have been talking to him about who he was and stuff. You know who that hitchiker reminded me of? Jerry Strickland. Strickland was living in Washington state on the run in 1988 and if I remember right wasnt captured until 1989 or late 1988. Is Strickland a possiblity? I am sure that this hitchhiker is also a serial killer. I cant believe that was the first or last time he was killed. What was real horrible is it appears Philip had a change of heart and was going to pick the guy up and then changed his mind and tried to get away from him, only to stop again and pick the guy up.

When they showed this segment, they should have shown a map depicting Phillip's trip from Alaska through Canada to the main states along with the following locations: where he crossed the border, to the cafe, to where the hitchhiker was picked up, to where the house he stayed at was, to where Phillip's body was found and where his car was found.

Now that I think about it, the police should have dusted the house where the hitchhiker stayed for prints (such as where he slept) to try and get possible prints and match up to anyone in the AFIS database. Might have helped.

Yeah, just watched this again, and it really is sad. I'm honestly surprised that it hasn't been solved though: There were several eye witnesses, including the cafe owners, as well as the couple that let the guy spend the night.

I'm actually not sure if this guy was a serial killer. Remember, he had been hitchhiking before arriving at the cafe, and obviously didn't harm/rob anyone (that we know of). And he didn't harm the couple who let him stay at their house. I do wonder if he was running from the law though.

Between the prints they hopefully got at the couple's house, combined with good eye-witness testimony, I would have hoped that this case would have been solved.

One thing I always noticed about this: Did anyone catch how eerily similar the actor who played Philip was to the real photograph? It was amazing. Tragic case.

I recently watched the NBC version of this segment and noticed it has a lot of footage in it that Lifetime edited out. They talk about how the hitchhiker stayed in the couples basement that had many guns yet no harm came to them. Also mentions how Philip was found carrying two guns by border agents and they were confiscated. I'll probably put it on volume 15 if people would like to see the unedited version.

On that: why was any mention of firearms specifically omitted from the Lifetime version?


I realize no one asked for my two cents, but I really think it's rather ironic that:

1. ...had Philip been allowed to maintain his (legally owned) handguns in his possession, he may have had a defense against the hitchhiker who eventually killed him*, and

2. the hitchhiker, despite his propensity to violence and murder, did not once use a firearm against the Olsons even though there were plenty of them at his disposal.



Sounds like a "Debbie" scenario to me--if it doesn't fit into the neat political guidelines that Lifetime seems to set, cut it or don't air it at all. Guns are bad, mmkay? Don't let anyone tell you otherwise! :rolleyes:



*(I understand that Canadian customs has the right to bar firearms from entering the borders; I'm not a Canadian citizen and don't feel my opinion on what "Canada needs to do with Canada" is really warranted. What I criticize is the network.)

Sounds like a "Debbie" scenario to me--if it doesn't fit into the neat political guidelines that Lifetime seems to set, cut it or don't air it at all. Guns are bad, mmkay? Don't let anyone tell you otherwise! :rolleyes:



*(I understand that Canadian customs has the right to bar firearms from entering the borders; I'm not a Canadian citizen and don't feel my opinion on what "Canada needs to do with Canada" is really warranted. What I criticize is the network.)

I never got the impression that Lifetime was pushing some sort of anti-Second Amendment agenda. Am I missing something, here? :confused:

I think the more likely scenario is that they just needed to cut a few minutes out of the segment, as they did many segments on Lifetime, and they happened to cut that part out. Ultimately, it's not relevant to the case. That is, that specific bit of info - while interesting - won't help anyone find the killer.

I never got the impression that Lifetime was pushing some sort of anti-Second Amendment agenda. Am I missing something, here? :confused:

I think the more likely scenario is that they just needed to cut a few minutes out of the segment, as they did many segments on Lifetime, and they happened to cut that part out. Ultimately, it's not relevant to the case. That is, that specific bit of info - while interesting - won't help anyone find the killer.

No, ultimately it isn't relevant to the case as a whole. I do find it interesting that it resurfaced on Spike, though.

I researched something today about this case that had never occured to me nor piqued my interest until now.

Philip's burned-out vehicle was found in a Prince George, BC carwash. Being from the U.S. and never having been to British Columbia, I wasn't able to gauge the distance from the Olsons' home in Kitwanga (where the hitchhiker stayed overnight) and Prince George, where he (or somebody else) had to have driven Philip's car to that carwash. So I went on Google Maps and entered in directions from the Kitwanga post office to Prince George.

They're well over 1100 miles away from each other.

It would've taken whoever drove that car days to get to Prince George, at the very least three. I'm assuming Philip hadn't been reported missing yet, or it was very early in the investigation. I'm sure the RCMP was made aware of what Philip's car looked like.

The hitchhiker also told Eddie Olson he would sell the car for a plane ticket to Seattle. Perhaps Prince George is where he was able to pick one up, since it's a rather large city compared to the relatively sparsely populated area around it. He may have used some of Philip's money or sold some of his belongings to pay for it, even, since he was willing to sell Mr. Olson the car.

But the hitchhiker said he couldn't wait to go through customs to sell the car at Mr. Olson's request, since he "couldn't" wait until Monday. An interesting bit:

- June 14, 1988, the day Philip Fraser set out for Washington, was a Tuesday. As RS stated, he "lost two days to car trouble", meaning (I greatly suppose) he wasn't on the road Wednesday and Friday, the 15th and 16th. On what I assume, again, was the 17th--Thursday--Philip was back on the journey and Thursday the 17th is the day he stopped at Gaye Frocklage's cafe in British Columbia, where he picked up and met his killer.

- The Olsons pick up the hitchhiker, who is stranded with Philip's troublesome car 200 miles away from the cafe, that very Thursday evening. The conversation about the potential sale of the car would've then had to have taken place on the morning of Friday the 18th. The hitchhiker claims he cannot wait until Monday to go through customs, as it would've been, in Eddie Olson's words, "too late for him."


So, he can't wait to go through customs, but he can take a three-day drive to Prince George (which is--while on the driving route--thousands and thousands of miles away from his apparent intended destination of Seattle)? In any event, it would've put him in Prince George on Monday the 20th--and that's assuming the car didn't give him any more trouble the entire way.

I suppose the intent was to stay away from anything "government" such as customs, lest someone discover--by means of him not being able to produce certain documents, or maybe even a RCMP all-points bulletin--that he wasn't in fact Philip Fraser.

bump

Hmmm...

1) It's odd,given all of the publicity this case drew, that the driver that originally dropped this guy off at the cafe didn't come forward. That would have provided a number of necessary clues.

2) I'm surprised that the women in the cafe didn't call the police if they felt that uncomfortable. And I guess it's obvious that the cafe didn't have security cameras.

3) Where did they get the fan belt to replace the one broken in the car? The car shown was a VW Jetta and would have required a specific belt (unless they used that universal replacement belt POS) What was the earlier car trouble that Phillips experienced, I wonder?

4) Why would Mr. Olson not find it extremely suspicious that a man he just met was trying to sell him and his wife a vehicle? Wouldn't that have called into question the story given by the man about his "parents being doctors?"

5) After burning the car, the man in question would have had to find a ride out of the area. I wonder if the police were able to find that person (or people)? This guy seems to do a LOT of hitchhiking. You have to wonder if anybody has reported picking up a weirdo that resembles this guy anywhere near where he disappeared?

6) Canada has a relatively small prison population. It's surprising that this guy didn't show up in a search of prison records or that no one involved in the penal system recognized this guy's drawing.

Even if he was never in prison,I'm surprised that in the law enforcement community that his face didn't ring any bells as being able kill someone w/ hours of meeting them is a sign that this guy has serious issues conforming to societal norms.

One of the saddest things about this case is if the Phillip had a vehicle in better mechanical condition, he never would have met this scumbag. This is should definitely be a lesson for people planning a long trip.

because of how random this incident was, I don't think it will ever be solved.

because of how random this incident was, I don't think it will ever be solved.

With all the forensic evidence left by the killer (fingerprints, etc.), it is a little surprising so little progress was made in this case.

I share some of Cocytus's questions - admittedly, this part of Canada is sparsely populated, but I would think this would make the guy stand out more - the relatively few roads in the area would also, presumably, make it easier to trace his route prior to getting picked up.

You have to wonder, too, what was it that made him kill Philip a few hours after meeting him, yet doing nothing to the prior driver or the Olsons, or any of the other witnesses; seems odd behavior for a spree or serial killer.

Hmmm...

1) It's odd,given all of the publicity this case drew, that the driver that originally dropped this guy off at the cafe didn't come forward. That would have provided a number of necessary clues.

2) I'm surprised that the women in the cafe didn't call the police if they felt that uncomfortable. And I guess it's obvious that the cafe didn't have security cameras.

3) Where did they get the fan belt to replace the one broken in the car? The car shown was a VW Jetta and would have required a specific belt (unless they used that universal replacement belt POS) What was the earlier car trouble that Phillips experienced, I wonder?

4) Why would Mr. Olson not find it extremely suspicious that a man he just met was trying to sell him and his wife a vehicle? Wouldn't that have called into question the story given by the man about his "parents being doctors?"

5) After burning the car, the man in question would have had to find a ride out of the area. I wonder if the police were able to find that person (or people)? This guy seems to do a LOT of hitchhiking. You have to wonder if anybody has reported picking up a weirdo that resembles this guy anywhere near where he disappeared?

6) Canada has a relatively small prison population. It's surprising that this guy didn't show up in a search of prison records or that no one involved in the penal system recognized this guy's drawing.

Even if he was never in prison,I'm surprised that in the law enforcement community that his face didn't ring any bells as being able kill someone w/ hours of meeting them is a sign that this guy has serious issues conforming to societal norms.

One of the saddest things about this case is if the Phillip had a vehicle in better mechanical condition, he never would have met this scumbag. This is should definitely be a lesson for people planning a long trip.

1) I've always wondered why this driver didn't come forward too. Maybe out of fear, maybe he did come forward but wanted his identity protected...who knows?

2) The women can't call the police just because they feel uneasy. The guy was just another customer to them and what exactly would they be able to say to the police..."Uh there's a dingy looking creep in our diner eating a sandwich...hurry!"? And if the police did arrive and this guy was completely innocent, I'm sure they would have been very embarassed.

3) I've always thought the car trouble was kind of a sad omen of things to come...if he didn't have car trouble he never would have even encountered the loser.

4) The only reason I can see why they wouldn't find it suspicious that the guy was trying to sell his car was they probably had the "small town mentality" about helping others like you would want them to do in their situation. Olson didn't buy the car, which to me shows that he was at least a little suspicious. He really had no reason to doubt the guys story, the guy was polite and seemed well-rounded enough.

Whenever I watch the segment, I don't think Fraser had a change of mind to let the guy in his car, it always seems like he kind of forces his way into the vehicle. He should have just kept on driving, but maybe the man held him at gunpoint? And sadly, I don't think this case will ever be solved either, due to how random it was.

With all the forensic evidence left by the killer (fingerprints, etc.), it is a little surprising so little progress was made in this case.

I share some of Cocytus's questions - admittedly, this part of Canada is sparsely populated, but I would think this would make the guy stand out more - the relatively few roads in the area would also, presumably, make it easier to trace his route prior to getting picked up.

You have to wonder, too, what was it that made him kill Philip a few hours after meeting him, yet doing nothing to the prior driver or the Olsons, or any of the other witnesses; seems odd behavior for a spree or serial killer.

I know what you mean. Here are a few more things:

1) He made both of the women at the cafe very nervous (not wanting to lump all women together,but when I hear a woman say that, it usually means that he stared at them in a suggestive or lewd manner) but oddly he apparently didn't do the same thing to Mrs. Olson. Wonder why that was?

2) I'm not familiar w/ that part of Canada, but wouldn't a hitchhiker have attracted the attention of authorities in the area? Especially given the remoteness of the area, you would almost have to have a reason to be out there.

3) The hitchhiker was (according to the depictions shown) clean shaven. That's very odd for a hitchhiker in a remote area (that's not a military member) to be as such. Also, nobody seemed to complain about any bad breath or BO.
You'd have to wonder where he did his grooming at.

4) Although according to the segment the man appeared to familiar w/ the Toronto area, he also seemed to be somewhat familiar w/ the area that he was in. I say that because (and yes I know that there are signs and maps) he didn't seem to be lost.

I travel for work and I'm familiar w/ a number of parts of the US and southern Canada as a result.I have gotten turned around a number of times and I have a good memory,maps AND a GPS unit. You'd have to believe that somebody unfamiliar w/ the area and probably a little nervous after having just killed somebody would have had to stop at least once and ask for directions.

That leads me to:

5) Why wasn't he nervous or visibly uncomfortable around the Olsons? He had just killed someone, very sloppily disposed of the body (it wasn't buried or moved farther from the road) and could have been stopped by the the authorities at any time.Yet he was apparently calm and collected enough to have spent the night w/ two people he'd never met and not have aroused much suspicion in either one of them.

This is reason that I believe that this individual was either a serial killer or had killed at least once in the past. It's doubtful that a "regular" person could have maintained a facade of "normalcy" after committing such a brutal act and w/ the distinct possibility that the police would be alerted to this and potentially looking for him.

This is a very odd case,IMHO.

This is reason that I believe that this individual was either a serial killer or had killed at least once in the past. It's doubtful that a "regular" person could have maintained a facade of "normalcy" after committing such a brutal act and w/ the distinct possibility that the police would be alerted to this and potentially looking for him.

This is a very odd case,IMHO.

No doubt this guy killed before. Like you said he appeared cool, calm, and collected with the Olsons and was brazen enough to steal Fraser's identity and burn his car. A first time killer would have most likely made some bumbling mistakes. I don't think he killed the Olsons simply because they did not get in his way, maybe Fraser threatened to kick him out of the car or tried to ditch him later on their trip and that's what set this guy off to kill him.

1) I've always wondered why this driver didn't come forward too. Maybe out of fear, maybe he did come forward but wanted his identity protected...who knows?

2) The women can't call the police just because they feel uneasy. The guy was just another customer to them and what exactly would they be able to say to the police..."Uh there's a dingy looking creep in our diner eating a sandwich...hurry!"? And if the police did arrive and this guy was completely innocent, I'm sure they would have been very embarassed.

3) I've always thought the car trouble was kind of a sad omen of things to come...if he didn't have car trouble he never would have even encountered the loser.

4) The only reason I can see why they wouldn't find it suspicious that the guy was trying to sell his car was they probably had the "small town mentality" about helping others like you would want them to do in their situation. Olson didn't buy the car, which to me shows that he was at least a little suspicious. He really had no reason to doubt the guys story, the guy was polite and seemed well-rounded enough.

Whenever I watch the segment, I don't think Fraser had a change of mind to let the guy in his car, it always seems like he kind of forces his way into the vehicle. He should have just kept on driving, but maybe the man held him at gunpoint? And sadly, I don't think this case will ever be solved either, due to how random it was.

1) That may be true about the first driver. A lot of people don't want to get involved.

2) I have serious doubts that the police would have had a problem coming to see about two women alone in a roadside cafe. Also, this is a very rural area;odds are one or both women know the police around there well enough to have felt no issues of "embarrassment" when or if they needed to call.

3) The car was always the wild card. Even though cars can be expensive, I'm surprised that his parents didn't offer to have his repaired or even buy him a new one before his trip.

4) Well, you may also be correct w/ that. However, it would have seemed very odd that somebody would sell you their car in exchange for a plane ticket. Especially someone that you've never met. When the guy refused to wait until Monday to get the customs paperwork, I would have been very suspicious and might have called the authorities after he left.

I think that if this guy is still alive, that this case will be solved. Too many people have seen him and he didn't do a very good job of covering his tracks. I think that his finger prints (and potential DNA) will be the solution to this case,

I know what you mean. Here are a few more things:

1) He made both of the women at the cafe very nervous (not wanting to lump all women together,but when I hear a woman say that, it usually means that he stared at them in a suggestive or lewd manner) but oddly he apparently didn't do the same thing to Mrs. Olson. Wonder why that was?

2) I'm not familiar w/ that part of Canada, but wouldn't a hitchhiker have attracted the attention of authorities in the area? Especially given the remoteness of the area, you would almost have to have a reason to be out there.

3) The hitchhiker was (according to the depictions shown) clean shaven. That's very odd for a hitchhiker in a remote area (that's not a military member) to be as such. Also, nobody seemed to complain about any bad breath or BO.
You'd have to wonder where he did his grooming at.

4) Although according to the segment the man appeared to familiar w/ the Toronto area, he also seemed to be somewhat familiar w/ the area that he was in. I say that because (and yes I know that there are signs and maps) he didn't seem to be lost.

I travel for work and I'm familiar w/ a number of parts of the US and southern Canada as a result.I have gotten turned around a number of times and I have a good memory,maps AND a GPS unit. You'd have to believe that somebody unfamiliar w/ the area and probably a little nervous after having just killed somebody would have had to stop at least once and ask for directions.

That leads me to:

5) Why wasn't he nervous or visibly uncomfortable around the Olsons? He had just killed someone, very sloppily disposed of the body (it wasn't buried or moved farther from the road) and could have been stopped by the the authorities at any time.Yet he was apparently calm and collected enough to have spent the night w/ two people he'd never met and not have aroused much suspicion in either one of them.

This is reason that I believe that this individual was either a serial killer or had killed at least once in the past. It's doubtful that a "regular" person could have maintained a facade of "normalcy" after committing such a brutal act and w/ the distinct possibility that the police would be alerted to this and potentially looking for him.

This is a very odd case,IMHO.

1. Mrs. Olson was likely comforted by the fact that her husband was with her.

2. Maybe - from a brief search, there are lots of campgrounds along the Highway, so it's prob. not that unusual (at least it wasn't in the 80s) for people to hitchhike along the road stopping at campgrounds, etc.

3. See above. There appear to be plenty of campgrounds, RV parks, cabins, lodges, etc. The Dease Lake/Cassiar Highway seems to essentially be the only (mostly) paved highway in this part of BC so all the infrastructure is on it as well.

4. There are so few roads that it almost seems impossible to get lost - just stay on the only paved road.

5. Almost certainly. The killer is a sociopath in the classic sense, I suspect. It's difficult to impossible to believe a regular person could have accidentally killed Philip and been so cool afterwards.

I did a little research online and the timeline and maps of the area really make me wonder about the killer's comings and goings. Philip left Anchorage on Highway One, crossed the border, and stayed on Highway One through the Yukon until the turn-off for the Cassiar Highway. He obviously had to stop a couple times, at least, for gas, and for some rest.

He arrived at the 40 Mile Flats Cafe, just north of Iskut, BC (MP 188.5) on June 18th. The killer had been dropped off at the same location shortly beforehand. There's essentially only one way into/out of 40 Mile Flats; given that the killer wanted to go south, he almost certainly came from the north; I suspect he had been staying at one of the campgrounds along the highway and hitched a ride to the cafe - I wonder if RCMP canvassed along the Highway? I do find it surprising that no-one else came forward who had given the killer a ride beforehand; he would have had to hitch along the Cassiar and/or Highway One a couple of days, at least; if we presume the Canadian money in his pocket means he was Canadian, you'd suspect he started his journey somewhere in Yukon - not exactly the kind of place a person can disappear (insofar as there just aren't many people there).

Philip and the killer leave 40 mile flats together; the killer is next seen about 8 hours later, 200 miles south on the Cassiar Highway in the vicinity of Derrick Lake; we don't know how long the killer was waiting there, but since it only takes about four hours or so to drive between these two locations, that leaves a significant amount of time unaccounted for. We are told Philip's body was found about 70 miles from the Olson's house - presuming the body was north of the house, the killer dumped it in roughly the same area as Olson found him - the car trouble he had may had to do with him going onto rough roads to dump the body, perhaps.

The killer left the Olsons house in Kitwanga, BC on the morning of the 19th; the car was found burned out in Prince George, BC 12 hours later. Again, we can track the route fairly easily - the killer took the Cassiar Highway to the end of the line, then went east on the Yellowhead Highway to Prince George. Total driving time would be about six hours, so once again, the killer had plenty of time unaccounted for before the discovery.

The trail ends in Prince George. Given that all of Philip's property was taken, it seems inconceivable the killer didn't have further onward transportation - we don't know how much stuff Philip had, of course, but it would seem more then what could be carried - which suggests to me that the killer could have rented a car/had a car waiting for him/stole a car in Prince George.

Prince George is the largest city in Northern BC and a busy transportation hub, well-connected to the rest of Canada and the US.

I don't know the full scope of the RCMP investigation, of course, but it seems that the certain route, the limited population, and the forensic clues (at the Olson's house, if no-where else) should have led to a better idea of where the killer had been and who he might be.

1. Mrs. Olson was likely comforted by the fact that her husband was with her.

2. Maybe - from a brief search, there are lots of campgrounds along the Highway, so it's prob. not that unusual (at least it wasn't in the 80s) for people to hitchhike along the road stopping at campgrounds, etc.

3. See above. There appear to be plenty of campgrounds, RV parks, cabins, lodges, etc. The Dease Lake/Cassiar Highway seems to essentially be the only (mostly) paved highway in this part of BC so all the infrastructure is on it as well.

4. There are so few roads that it almost seems impossible to get lost - just stay on the only paved road.

5. Almost certainly. The killer is a sociopath in the classic sense, I suspect. It's difficult to impossible to believe a regular person could have accidentally killed Philip and been so cool afterwards.

I did a little research online and the timeline and maps of the area really make me wonder about the killer's comings and goings. Philip left Anchorage on Highway One, crossed the border, and stayed on Highway One through the Yukon until the turn-off for the Cassiar Highway. He obviously had to stop a couple times, at least, for gas, and for some rest.

He arrived at the 40 Mile Flats Cafe, just north of Iskut, BC (MP 188.5) on June 18th. The killer had been dropped off at the same location shortly beforehand. There's essentially only one way into/out of 40 Mile Flats; given that the killer wanted to go south, he almost certainly came from the north; I suspect he had been staying at one of the campgrounds along the highway and hitched a ride to the cafe - I wonder if RCMP canvassed along the Highway? I do find it surprising that no-one else came forward who had given the killer a ride beforehand; he would have had to hitch along the Cassiar and/or Highway One a couple of days, at least; if we presume the Canadian money in his pocket means he was Canadian, you'd suspect he started his journey somewhere in Yukon - not exactly the kind of place a person can disappear (insofar as there just aren't many people there).

Philip and the killer leave 40 mile flats together; the killer is next seen about 8 hours later, 200 miles south on the Cassiar Highway in the vicinity of Derrick Lake; we don't know how long the killer was waiting there, but since it only takes about four hours or so to drive between these two locations, that leaves a significant amount of time unaccounted for. We are told Philip's body was found about 70 miles from the Olson's house - presuming the body was north of the house, the killer dumped it in roughly the same area as Olson found him - the car trouble he had may had to do with him going onto rough roads to dump the body, perhaps.

The killer left the Olsons house in Kitwanga, BC on the morning of the 19th; the car was found burned out in Prince George, BC 12 hours later. Again, we can track the route fairly easily - the killer took the Cassiar Highway to the end of the line, then went east on the Yellowhead Highway to Prince George. Total driving time would be about six hours, so once again, the killer had plenty of time unaccounted for before the discovery.

The trail ends in Prince George. Given that all of Philip's property was taken, it seems inconceivable the killer didn't have further onward transportation - we don't know how much stuff Philip had, of course, but it would seem more then what could be carried - which suggests to me that the killer could have rented a car/had a car waiting for him/stole a car in Prince George.

Prince George is the largest city in Northern BC and a busy transportation hub, well-connected to the rest of Canada and the US.

I don't know the full scope of the RCMP investigation, of course, but it seems that the certain route, the limited population, and the forensic clues (at the Olson's house, if no-where else) should have led to a better idea of where the killer had been and who he might be.

Nice detective work. Just what exactly was this guys motive? That's what makes this case one of the most bizarre. Was he just a serial killer who preyed on people who picked up hitchikers? Seems unlikely due to the fact that the Olsons were left unharmed. I think he found out Fraser was from a well-to-do family and probably killed him thinking he could steal his identity and gain access to his finances. At least that's kind of the only motive that would make any sense.

I don't think he killed the Olsons simply because they did not get in his way, maybe Fraser threatened to kick him out of the car or tried to ditch him later on their trip and that's what set this guy off to kill him.

It's a possibility that Fraser (after spending enough time with this guy to discuss his own background) started getting bad vibes about traveling with the hitchhiker any further, and mentioned dropping the guy off at a another place down the road. Or the perpetrator was already looking for the perfect victim -- someone by themselves, with no connection to the region, who could be robbed and killed.

It makes you wonder about the perpetrator's interactions with the driver who dropped him off at the cafe. Unless it's either the driver's or hitchhiker's destination, most hitchhikers don't get dropped off in the boondocks if they can help it. It's preferable to be dropped off on the outskirts of bigger cities, or at truck stops.

By the time he was staying with the Olsons, his main object was to get out of the area without any undue attention. He didn't come across as someone who has any issues with committing violent acts but that doesn't mean he's popped up much on LE radar -- he could have only petty offenses on his actual record, juvenile convictions, etc. Not exactly a criminal mastermind though, when he's pulling out two wallets in front of his hosts.

The trail ends in Prince George. Given that all of Philip's property was taken, it seems inconceivable the killer didn't have further onward transportation - we don't know how much stuff Philip had, of course, but it would seem more then what could be carried - which suggests to me that the killer could have rented a car/had a car waiting for him/stole a car in Prince George.

Good point. Besides the hassle of burning the vehicle (possibly to destroy fingerprints), how would he have lugged that much junk around? He also could have sold anything of value for extra money.

Nice detective work. Just what exactly was this guys motive? That's what makes this case one of the most bizarre. Was he just a serial killer who preyed on people who picked up hitchikers? Seems unlikely due to the fact that the Olsons were left unharmed. I think he found out Fraser was from a well-to-do family and probably killed him thinking he could steal his identity and gain access to his finances. At least that's kind of the only motive that would make any sense.

Frankly, we have too many variables to even guess at a reasonable motive. We don't even know how Philip was killed (however with the certain decomposition of the body, this might not have been evident). We don't know if it was a crime of the moment or premeditated; the robbery could have been a primary motive, or it could have been secondary; simple bloodlust could have been a motive; even a sex crime could have been a motive; we simply don't know.

Frankly, we have too many variables to even guess at a reasonable motive. We don't even know how Philip was killed (however with the certain decomposition of the body, this might not have been evident). We don't know if it was a crime of the moment or premeditated; the robbery could have been a primary motive, or it could have been secondary; simple bloodlust could have been a motive; even a sex crime could have been a motive; we simply don't know.

Murdering Fraser for the sake of murdering someone could be ruled out because he didn't harm the first driver that dropped him off, nor did he harm the Olsons (they had weapons readily available in the basement he stayed in). But you're right, we'll never know until this guy his caught (which unfortunately seems unlikely at this point). If it were premeditated however, I think the robbery/identity theft motive makes the most sense. Why else wouldn't he have murdered/attempted to murder the first driver that dropped him off at the cafe? Or why didn't he do any harm to the Olsons?

1. Mrs. Olson was likely comforted by the fact that her husband was with her.

2. Maybe - from a brief search, there are lots of campgrounds along the Highway, so it's prob. not that unusual (at least it wasn't in the 80s) for people to hitchhike along the road stopping at campgrounds, etc.

3. See above. There appear to be plenty of campgrounds, RV parks, cabins, lodges, etc. The Dease Lake/Cassiar Highway seems to essentially be the only (mostly) paved highway in this part of BC so all the infrastructure is on it as well.

4. There are so few roads that it almost seems impossible to get lost - just stay on the only paved road.

5. Almost certainly. The killer is a sociopath in the classic sense, I suspect. It's difficult to impossible to believe a regular person could have accidentally killed Philip and been so cool afterwards.

I did a little research online and the timeline and maps of the area really make me wonder about the killer's comings and goings. Philip left Anchorage on Highway One, crossed the border, and stayed on Highway One through the Yukon until the turn-off for the Cassiar Highway. He obviously had to stop a couple times, at least, for gas, and for some rest.

He arrived at the 40 Mile Flats Cafe, just north of Iskut, BC (MP 188.5) on June 18th. The killer had been dropped off at the same location shortly beforehand. There's essentially only one way into/out of 40 Mile Flats; given that the killer wanted to go south, he almost certainly came from the north; I suspect he had been staying at one of the campgrounds along the highway and hitched a ride to the cafe - I wonder if RCMP canvassed along the Highway? I do find it surprising that no-one else came forward who had given the killer a ride beforehand; he would have had to hitch along the Cassiar and/or Highway One a couple of days, at least; if we presume the Canadian money in his pocket means he was Canadian, you'd suspect he started his journey somewhere in Yukon - not exactly the kind of place a person can disappear (insofar as there just aren't many people there).

Philip and the killer leave 40 mile flats together; the killer is next seen about 8 hours later, 200 miles south on the Cassiar Highway in the vicinity of Derrick Lake; we don't know how long the killer was waiting there, but since it only takes about four hours or so to drive between these two locations, that leaves a significant amount of time unaccounted for. We are told Philip's body was found about 70 miles from the Olson's house - presuming the body was north of the house, the killer dumped it in roughly the same area as Olson found him - the car trouble he had may had to do with him going onto rough roads to dump the body, perhaps.

The killer left the Olsons house in Kitwanga, BC on the morning of the 19th; the car was found burned out in Prince George, BC 12 hours later. Again, we can track the route fairly easily - the killer took the Cassiar Highway to the end of the line, then went east on the Yellowhead Highway to Prince George. Total driving time would be about six hours, so once again, the killer had plenty of time unaccounted for before the discovery.

The trail ends in Prince George. Given that all of Philip's property was taken, it seems inconceivable the killer didn't have further onward transportation - we don't know how much stuff Philip had, of course, but it would seem more then what could be carried - which suggests to me that the killer could have rented a car/had a car waiting for him/stole a car in Prince George.

Prince George is the largest city in Northern BC and a busy transportation hub, well-connected to the rest of Canada and the US.

I don't know the full scope of the RCMP investigation, of course, but it seems that the certain route, the limited population, and the forensic clues (at the Olson's house, if no-where else) should have led to a better idea of where the killer had been and who he might be.

1) Perhaps she was. Maybe she wasn't as good a judge of character as the women at the cafe. I just wonder why she didn't get the same "feelings" about the stranger that the women in the cafe did.

2) I just looked on Google and I see what you mean. I was just under the impression from the segment (and from the women at the cafe's attitudes) that hitchhikers were uncommon up that way.

3) It would have to have been a campground, because any more organized business would have had him fill out a registration card and possibly provide ID. The grooming part is important in my mind as it would indicate that he not only carried toiletries w/ him ,but took the time to care for himself personally. That's not something that the majority of people hitching have the time, ability or the desire to do.

4) I think that we both agree that it's NEVER impossible to get lost. People get lost on the US Interstate Highway system and that's about the easy set of roads in the world to follow.

5) That's true. He had probably killed at least once before as Phillips was young man who you would think at least put up a good fight. Which is a another thing: The Olsons didn't report that the man was scratched,cut,bleeding,etc. Even in a "blitz attack" it's rare that the assailant is not injured in any manner.

Since they didn't say how Phillip was killed, maybe the hitchhiker had a handgun or a short-barreled long gun hidden. A knife would have been messy.

That was some good research. Phillip did stop twice (according to the segment) due to car trouble. This is what timed his arrival at the cafe to coincide w/ the hitchhiker's arrival.

And as far as where started his journey;that's part of the reason that I suspect he knows (or knew) the area. That appears to be pretty rugged country up there and an unfamiliar or inexperienced person could easily find themselves in a lot of trouble. There also the question of why he was up that way. As you stated, there aren't very many people in the Yukon, so strangers would definitely "stand out."

The car trouble was a broken fan belt so I don't think that came from any driving off-road. Frankly, I think that it came from the very poor mechanical condition of Phillip's car as the vehicle had broken down twice earlier.

The lengthy time periods while driving make me wonder where the killer stopped. Assuming that he didn't get lost and wasn't sightseeing, then where did he pull off of the road and did anybody see him at those spots? He actually might have ditched Phillip's belongings at one of those stops as having them in his possession would be same as saying he murdered Phillip.

Stealing another car or hitching another ride seem plausible. Renting a car seems less likely, as this man clearly had little in the way of funds (even with what he stole from Phillip) and would have had to show ID to rent the vehicle. Having a car waiting might also make sense....but why have your car hundreds of miles away from you if you don't have to? If he had a car,IMHO, then he wouldn't have had to hitchhike. He simply would have driven up and back and saved himself some time.He also probably didn't take a bus or a train, as someone would probably have remembered him.

One last thing: why burn the car? Had he not done that, it could have been as long as weeks before it was towed and maybe that long or more before it was connected to Phillip.
That's why I'm not sure that this was the work of an experienced serial killer. Had he wiped the car down carefully for prints and simply parked it in an out of the way place or somewhere it would have been towed, then he could walked away and not attracted any additional attention to himself.

Even if there was evidence of a struggle (which doesn't appear to have happened since the Olsons would have noticed this inside the car), it wouldn't be clear that the struggle didn't involve the true owner of the car and wasn't "accidental." So, although the lack of a solution for this case might argue against, the killer screwed up by burning the vehicle,IMHO.

1) Perhaps she was. Maybe she wasn't as good a judge of character as the women at the cafe. I just wonder why she didn't get the same "feelings" about the stranger that the women in the cafe did.

The Olsons' were certainly a trusting couple. The Frockledges appear to still be running their cafe/rest stop up in 40 mile flats, so they've likely seen thousands upon thousands of people and develop pretty good sense of whats-what.

2) I just looked on Google and I see what you mean. I was just under the impression from the segment (and from the women at the cafe's attitudes) that hitchhikers were uncommon up that way.

3) It would have to have been a campground, because any more organized business would have had him fill out a registration card and possibly provide ID. The grooming part is important in my mind as it would indicate that he not only carried toiletries w/ him ,but took the time to care for himself personally. That's not something that the majority of people hitching have the time, ability or the desire to do.

We presume he didn't have a fake ID and/or use his real one. I agree it would be unlikely, but I wouldn't rule it out w/o knowledge of what investigation was done. I agree that his grooming almost certainly means he wasn't camping rough and was stopping semi-regularly, at least.

4) I think that we both agree that it's NEVER impossible to get lost. People get lost on the US Interstate Highway system and that's about the easy set of roads in the world to follow.

Yes, true; i don't think his being able to navigate the area up there necessarily means he was familiar with the same; a guidebook and/or map would have likely given him all he needed. Personally, I also think it's far easier to get lost in urban/suburban areas where street patterns can be confusing vs. rural areas with few streets in the first place.

5) That's true. He had probably killed at least once before as Phillips was young man who you would think at least put up a good fight. Which is a another thing: The Olsons didn't report that the man was scratched,cut,bleeding,etc. Even in a "blitz attack" it's rare that the assailant is not injured in any manner.

Since they didn't say how Phillip was killed, maybe the hitchhiker had a handgun or a short-barreled long gun hidden. A knife would have been messy.

I don't know how Philip died, but I suspect he didn't see it coming (shot in the back, poisoned and/or drugged, smothered, etc.) for exactly this reason.

That was some good research. Phillip did stop twice (according to the segment) due to car trouble. This is what timed his arrival at the cafe to coincide w/ the hitchhiker's arrival.

And as far as where started his journey;that's part of the reason that I suspect he knows (or knew) the area. That appears to be pretty rugged country up there and an unfamiliar or inexperienced person could easily find themselves in a lot of trouble. There also the question of why he was up that way. As you stated, there aren't very many people in the Yukon, so strangers would definitely "stand out."

The car trouble was a broken fan belt so I don't think that came from any driving off-road. Frankly, I think that it came from the very poor mechanical condition of Phillip's car as the vehicle had broken down twice earlier.

The car had also been driven hard; so I suppose it's not surprising it would have trouble. It is rugged territory up there, but it's also the kind of place where it's likely easy to navigate - certainly, you wouldn't want to go off-road, or anything, but navigating up/down a major highway isn't rocket science. As to why he'd be up that way - that's the major question.

The lengthy time periods while driving make me wonder where the killer stopped. Assuming that he didn't get lost and wasn't sightseeing, then where did he pull off of the road and did anybody see him at those spots? He actually might have ditched Phillip's belongings at one of those stops as having them in his possession would be same as saying he murdered Phillip.

That's a good point. Presuming, of course, that he wasn't just waiting by the side of the road all four hours before Olson found him, the killer had plenty of time to dump the body and Philip's belongings; if there are buried in the woods or off some logging trail, that would fully explain why they haven't been found. We aren't told if the car was still full when Olson found the killer, however.

Stealing another car or hitching another ride seem plausible. Renting a car seems less likely, as this man clearly had little in the way of funds (even with what he stole from Phillip) and would have had to show ID to rent the vehicle. Having a car waiting might also make sense....but why have your car hundreds of miles away from you if you don't have to? If he had a car,IMHO, then he wouldn't have had to hitchhike. He simply would have driven up and back and saved himself some time.He also probably didn't take a bus or a train, as someone would probably have remembered him.

With his head start, the killer would have had time to be half-way to Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, or Seattle if he left Prince George via road. His means of transport, to me, depends on continued possession of Philip's goods. If he still had them, he'd likely need private transport; if he just had his rucksack, there's less for him to carry and he could have had an easier time hitching. Plane, rail, and bus are less likely - but we don't know that someone didn't see him, just that they never reported seeing him.

As to the car waiting theory; this would presume the killer drove to Prince George, then decided to hitch up north to sight-see, etc. This could have been an innocent trip that turned homicidal or could have been a deliberate killing trip - admittedly, I don't think this scenario is very likely, as it requires numerous suppositions and just doesn't make much sense, but our lack of knowledge makes it possible, if nothing else.

I suppose if you were inclined to go murdering, hitching through an isolated rural area with little media coverage and a transient tourist population could present easy targets and plenty of opportunity to cover up your crimes. Prince George would be the logical starting point as the last major city before Anchorage and the best place to disappear back into society.

One last thing: why burn the car? Had he not done that, it could have been as long as weeks before it was towed and maybe that long or more before it was connected to Phillip.
That's why I'm not sure that this was the work of an experienced serial killer. Had he wiped the car down carefully for prints and simply parked it in an out of the way place or somewhere it would have been towed, then he could walked away and not attracted any additional attention to himself.

Even if there was evidence of a struggle (which doesn't appear to have happened since the Olsons would have noticed this inside the car), it wouldn't be clear that the struggle didn't involve the true owner of the car and wasn't "accidental." So, although the lack of a solution for this case might argue against, the killer screwed up by burning the vehicle,IMHO.

Good question. He got maybe a four, five hour head start, but if he had simply left the car in a parking lot or what-not, it easily could have been days before it were discovered and days more before the killer would be linked to it.

Perhaps there was significant trace evidence inside the car - the Olsons or the Kitwanga mechanic wouldn't have been inside the car, and dried blood, etc. may not have been readily visible on dark fabric.

This guy screams sociopath to me. He is also an unorganized offender with possibly some organized tendencies, with the two wallets, the burning of the car, leaving a witness trail that could easily identify him, etc being unorganized, there are some elements I will address in a moment that could lead to being somewhat organized if I am right. These deal with the taking of the ID and other info.

I wonder if he simply may have dumped Philip's belongs in a dumpster, or goodwill donation drop, homeless shelter or something along those lines. donation drops while leaving witnesses, also could easily go unnoticed in connection with a crime since organizations such as Goodwill get countless donations per day and keep little record of the person donating them.

The taking of the birth certificate and personal ID seems to almost be some kind of false trail he might be leaving for authorities. it seems that if the info was used to cross the border into the US, that would have been detected even if it was long after he crossed the border.

Also, the fact that he offered this info to the Olsens, then left them alive almost makes me think he never intended to go to Seattle. Why offer that info when he had to at least figure the police might find and question the Olsens? If it had been me, i would had given them that bit of info about heading South, then I would have gone very far to the East.

Burning the car was stupid. The only reason to do this would be to get rid of evidence he left in the vehicle that could ID him. There apparently wasnt anything obvious enough for the Olsens to see during their time near the vehicle. If there was any evidence left in the vehicle it would have been prints or maybe smaller, less detectable blood stains. The blood doesnt seem likely. However he killed Phillip, it couldnt have been too messy. The Olsens didnt report seeing any blood on him while they were with him. He could have easily wiped the car down for prints. While he might well have left hair strands and that sort of thing, it seems that would be better left to chance and give yourself more time to get away then setting the car on fire.

As far as being noticed by anyone, he could have simply put on a pair of glasses and a hat. That and a change of clothes would not make him stand out to anyone that had no reason to suspect him. And even if he didnt, it is completely possible that he somehow didnt attrack enough attention in a higher populated area than he did at the diner. He didn't seem to give the Olsens any warning bells. That shows he can at least function to some extent within society norms.

However, if he is a sociopath, which seems to be the case, he probably has killed before Philip and has likely killed since then.

Here are a few more things about the killer:

1) He obviously wasn't homeless - Besides the good grooming, all descriptions have him being very well-fed and visibly healthy. Next time you are out and if there are homeless people in your area,look closely at them. Besides the dirty clothes and the lack of hygiene, most are thin and have health issues that are obvious to even a casual observer.

2) If he was in prison, he either wasn't there for long or he was segregated from the general population. Why? He had no visible tattoos and he was in poor physical condition,as exhibited by the overhanging belly.

3) If he was Canadian, he probably wasn't French-Canadian as no spoke of him having an accent.

4) He probably wasn't an American, as no one commented on his accent being "different" than what they were normally used to experiencing.

5) He possibly has a driver's license. I say this because he didn't feel too afraid to be driving on the roads. Nor did he abandon the Phillip's care when it broke down near the Olson's home. A person w/o a driver's license wouldn't be hanging around a stopped vehicle on the off chance a police officer/trooper came by and asked questions.

6) He probably drove at or slightly above the speed limit as nothing he did seemed to attract attention until he got to Prince George.

7) He had some source of income as he had enough money to buy a meal at the cafe. I say this because he took the Canadian money he paid for his meal w/ out of his wallet and not his pocket. Most panhandlers don't keep their money in their pocket (if they even have any) and most hitchhikers wouldn't keep their money in their wallets (in case they were robbed or they lost it.) Someone used to having money keeps it in a wallet. Unless, of course, it's a wad of cash.

8) He either doesn't drink or doesn't drink very often. Nobody reported smelling alcohol on his breath either at the cafe or when he was w/ the Olson's. This isn't something that you'd expect from somebody that was "drifting" around the country. Considering that he just killed somebody in cold blood, you would think that he would need to "self-medicate" to alleviate any stress that he might have felt about doing that.

9) He apparently doesn't smoke as the women at the cafe didn't report it (nor did he buy any at the cafe), the Olson's said nothing about it and also no butts were found in the remains of Phillips car.

10 ) He may not use illegal drugs. Why? No one reported him as acting stoned or high. The women in the cafe just thought he was a weirdo and the Olson's seemingly noticed nothing odd about him or his behavior.

He also apparently didn't show any signs of withdrawal, either at the cafe or at the Olson's. Nor did he ask how to "score" or if anybody was "holding" when he was with those people. Also he didn't have any obvious tracks marks (he was wearing a short sleeve shirt) nor did he smell of having used drugs.

That's all for now!!

There are some things that I find a little hard to understand:

1) Gaye and Tina Frockledge (the cafe tenders) said there was something really strange with the hitchhiker when they encountered him, as if he was on the run from a mental institution. As I have understood it from discussion on other threads, he likely came from the north (possibly the Yukon or northern BC), which is an extremely vast area with a sparse population. If he was on the run from either a mental hospital or the authorities, would it really be that easy for him to avoid being caught under those conditions? Are there very many prisons and/or mental institutions in that part of Canada?

2) If he was on the run before the murder, he probably wouldn't have made it across the border to Seattle on the highways or through customs at an airport. Why would he risk getting caught that way?

3) The segment stated the authorities believed the suspect is familiar with the Seattle and Toronto area. I understand the Seattle part, but why would they think he is familiar with Toronto, about 2,000 miles away on the other side of Canada and apparently a very different area than where he seemed to have come from?

I researched something today about this case that had never occured to me nor piqued my interest until now.

Philip's burned-out vehicle was found in a Prince George, BC carwash. Being from the U.S. and never having been to British Columbia, I wasn't able to gauge the distance from the Olsons' home in Kitwanga (where the hitchhiker stayed overnight) and Prince George, where he (or somebody else) had to have driven Philip's car to that carwash. So I went on Google Maps and entered in directions from the Kitwanga post office to Prince George.

They're well over 1100 miles away from each other.

It would've taken whoever drove that car days to get to Prince George, at the very least three. I'm assuming Philip hadn't been reported missing yet, or it was very early in the investigation. I'm sure the RCMP was made aware of what Philip's car looked like.

The hitchhiker also told Eddie Olson he would sell the car for a plane ticket to Seattle. Perhaps Prince George is where he was able to pick one up, since it's a rather large city compared to the relatively sparsely populated area around it. He may have used some of Philip's money or sold some of his belongings to pay for it, even, since he was willing to sell Mr. Olson the car.

But the hitchhiker said he couldn't wait to go through customs to sell the car at Mr. Olson's request, since he "couldn't" wait until Monday. An interesting bit:

- June 14, 1988, the day Philip Fraser set out for Washington, was a Tuesday. As RS stated, he "lost two days to car trouble", meaning (I greatly suppose) he wasn't on the road Wednesday and Friday, the 15th and 16th. On what I assume, again, was the 17th--Thursday--Philip was back on the journey and Thursday the 17th is the day he stopped at Gaye Frocklage's cafe in British Columbia, where he picked up and met his killer.

- The Olsons pick up the hitchhiker, who is stranded with Philip's troublesome car 200 miles away from the cafe, that very Thursday evening. The conversation about the potential sale of the car would've then had to have taken place on the morning of Friday the 18th. The hitchhiker claims he cannot wait until Monday to go through customs, as it would've been, in Eddie Olson's words, "too late for him."


So, he can't wait to go through customs, but he can take a three-day drive to Prince George (which is--while on the driving route--thousands and thousands of miles away from his apparent intended destination of Seattle)? In any event, it would've put him in Prince George on Monday the 20th--and that's assuming the car didn't give him any more trouble the entire way.

I suppose the intent was to stay away from anything "government" such as customs, lest someone discover--by means of him not being able to produce certain documents, or maybe even a RCMP all-points bulletin--that he wasn't in fact Philip Fraser.

I just googled the distance between Prince George and Kitwanga and it showed a distance of only 300 miles between the two cities. Plus, Phillip's car was found just 12 hours after the hitchhiker left the Olson's home. He could have made that trip in about 4.5 to 5 hours. According to the segment, I believe they showed a car that was already burned out and the flames had already gone out. So that left the hitchhiker with around 7 hours once arriving in Prince George to set the fire then get away. He probably burned the car to destroy any evidence he left behind, and to possibly buy him more time to escape the city.

With that amount of time, he could easily get away. Prince George has a small airport, but he probably wouldn't want to travel by air in case he could easily be spotted. So he probably took a train or bus and could have easily been halfway to Vancouver or Edmonton by the time the car was found.

The killer only burned the car after he failed to sell it to the couple he stayed with that night, I believe. So I find it odd that he would risk selling the car in the first place when it could be crawling with evidence.

Maybe he eventually realized his original mistake and that's when he decided to set the car on fire.

I wish there was ANY information of this case online.

The killer only burned the car after he failed to sell it to the couple he stayed with that night, I believe. So I find it odd that he would risk selling the car in the first place when it could be crawling with evidence.

Maybe he eventually realized his original mistake and that's when he decided to set the car on fire.

I wish there was ANY information of this case online.

Let's figure he wanted to ditch the car and be as close as possible to a means of easy transportation to wherever his ultimate destination was (most likely Seattle, Vancouver, or Edmonton, the nearest large cities to Kitwanga).

Perhaps he thought that if he sold the car to the Olsons, it would be a lot longer before they realized they were in possession of a car that belonged to a recent murder victim and he would be able to financially benefit from this method of getting rid of it. Had he been able to sell them the car within the timespan he wanted, it could have been months before they realized whose car they were in possession of, buying him time to get away. However, he couldn't wait a few days to complete the transaction since he didn't know how long it would be before Philip's body was found (it could have been within hours or even minutes after he dumped the body for all he knew). Had Philip's body been found much sooner than it actually was, it would have been much easier to catch up to the hitchhiker.

So, he needs an alternative way to get rid of the car, then to get as far away as possible from it. Prince George is a decent sized town and provides numerous methods of transportation within Canada and partway into the United States, so that offered him the best solution. Maybe setting the car on fire could have also distracted the authorities from his trail, buying him more time to get away (remember the Dexter Stefonek case).

Ultimately, what lead to him being able to get away a lot easier was the fact that Philip's body wasn't discovered for weeks despite his car being discovered just hours after the killer left the Olsons home. Philip was already reported as a missing person and potentially a homicide victim by the time his car was found, according to RCMP Corporal Craig Gates (the officer shown on the UM segment). So you have to figure, within 36 hours after Philip was seen at the 40 Mile Flats Cafe, he was reported missing. Had Philip's body been discovered either before his car was, or within a much shorter timeframe after his car was, the authorities would have been able to close in on the killer much easier.

I wonder if the RCMP put up flyers, notices, or APBs around Prince George (especially the local airport, and all the bus stations and train stations) in case anyone remembered seeing someone fitting the hitchhiker's description. Prince George is not a small town, but not a large town either, so there was a fair chance someone could have distinctly remember seeing him, especially with his body type (overweight), and since both the Frocklages and Olsons noticed something very unusual about his behavior, you have to figure there were other people he came into contact with that would notice the same strange characteristics about him.

Canada is pathetic when it comes to firearm possession. Although the American media seems just as clueless when it comes to not grasping the second amendment. Private gun ownership is a check on the totalitarian power of the state. Private gun ownership is the very reason why the United States is the most politically secure nation on the planet and had Phillip Fraser been allowed to keep his firearms he would most likely still be alive today.

I'm not sure if Americans are allowed to carry firearms through Canada if they are continuing on in their travels to the contiguous United States but one thing I do know is that Canada will toe America's line no matter what and if the USA made this a law, Canada would do as the USA commands.

I don't mean to bash my fellow Canadians but when so many of them sit on Facebook and use other American corporations while bashing the USA, I find it to be more than a little annoying. And in this case, firearm possession would have saved a life. :mad:

It would have been nice if UM mentioned any of this:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=p8QmAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Z6cEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3339,1214431

3) The segment stated the authorities believed the suspect is familiar with the Seattle and Toronto area. I understand the Seattle part, but why would they think he is familiar with Toronto, about 2,000 miles away on the other side of Canada and apparently a very different area than where he seemed to have come from?



A lot of times when you hear this, it means there is info that is confidential to the case but LE wanted to throw this out there to see if it rings any bells. My guess is there is specific info the family that took him in received about how he knows the Toronto area.

I'm not sure if Americans are allowed to carry firearms through Canada if they are continuing on in their travels to the contiguous United States

You're required to fill out a Canadian Non-Resident Firearms Declaration, sign it at your entry point, and if you're not bringing anything on the prohibited list (snub-nosed handguns, assault rifles), that's good for 60 days. You can renew it as needed.

You're required to fill out a Canadian Non-Resident Firearms Declaration, sign it at your entry point, and if you're not bringing anything on the prohibited list (snub-nosed handguns, assault rifles), that's good for 60 days. You can renew it as needed.

That's good to hear. Gun rights is one American strength that I would definitely like to see Canada adopt. Although Canada's political security is dependent on America's political security and gun rights are largely taken for granted here. Sadly, almost the entire American media establishment seems to be against gun rights but the public appetite for gun control is [thankfully] close to non-existent. I do think Phillip Fraser would still be alive today had he been able to retain his firearms. He was only 23 when he was murdered.

That's good to hear. Gun rights is one American strength that I would definitely like to see Canada adopt. Although Canada's political security is dependent on America's political security and gun rights are largely taken for granted here. Sadly, almost the entire American media establishment seems to be against gun rights but the public appetite for gun control is [thankfully] close to non-existent. I do think Phillip Fraser would still be alive today had he been able to retain his firearms. He was only 23 when he was murdered.

I agree. Next to Switzerland, Canada is probably the next most gun-friendly country in the world after America; I've actually read that they've been expanding gun rights the last couple years which includes ceasing of mandatory registration of long-arms.

Even though Phillip probably could have gotten a permit to transport his handguns though Canada without having to clear any red-tape he was still determined to get to Seattle. Remember, the segment said he had lost two days of travel to car trouble before he even got to the border checkpoint; maybe the customs officials gave him the option of turning around and sending them home or waiting to get a permit to bring them through but he was already behind schedule and didn't want to lose more time. It's another one of life's lessons; patience.

I think unless we know exactly when and how Phillip was overtaken, we have no way of knowing if his gun would have done him any good. Most people don't pack (on their body) while they are driving long distances, it's not exactly comfortable. I think it's unfair to blame his death on his lack of a handgun. If the hitchhiker wasn't a sociopath, he wouldn't need a gun OR be dead. It starts to get near blaming the victim "If he had kept his gun" is sort of like saying of a rape victim "Well, if she hadn't worn that dress and been all flirty" and that's never a good road to go down.

(By the way, I am a fan of the 2nd amendment, to an extent.)

I think unless we know exactly when and how Phillip was overtaken, we have no way of knowing if his gun would have done him any good. Most people don't pack (on their body) while they are driving long distances, it's not exactly comfortable. I think it's unfair to blame his death on his lack of a handgun. If the hitchhiker wasn't a sociopath, he wouldn't need a gun OR be dead. It starts to get near blaming the victim "If he had kept his gun" is sort of like saying of a rape victim "Well, if she hadn't worn that dress and been all flirty" and that's never a good road to go down.

(By the way, I am a fan of the 2nd amendment, to an extent.)

I agree. Let's not blame Phillip's death on the fact that he didn't carry a gun. Let's blame it on the sicko who killed him.

Could law enforcement have learned about the hitchhiker's familiarity with Toronto and Seattle from the driver dropping the hitchhiker off at the café? The hitchhiker maybe mentioned his familiarity with Toronto and Seattle in conversation with this driver.

The killer was never caught and Phillip dad passed away.

On that: why was any mention of firearms specifically omitted from the Lifetime version?


I realize no one asked for my two cents, but I really think it's rather ironic that:

1. ...had Philip been allowed to maintain his (legally owned) handguns in his possession, he may have had a defense against the hitchhiker who eventually killed him*, and

2. the hitchhiker, despite his propensity to violence and murder, did not once use a firearm against the Olsons even though there were plenty of them at his disposal.



Sounds like a "Debbie" scenario to me--if it doesn't fit into the neat political guidelines that Lifetime seems to set, cut it or don't air it at all. Guns are bad, mmkay? Don't let anyone tell you otherwise! :rolleyes:

I don't trust anyone who owns a gun. It is a brutal assessment of probability, and remarkably ignorant. So many things can go wrong 24-7-365, like summoned in an emotional dispute or stumbled upon by a curious teenager. Heck, countless tragic cases on this program never would have happened minus that gun. And now the solution is more guns? That's the Trumpeteer mindset.

Of course, gun owners have to invent all the instances in which they were miraculously saved by the ownership. One guy on a sports forum listed 8 times. He couldn't understand why I wouldn't stop laughing. If you're always scared on that front porch and pull a gun upon any noise, heck let's ring it up. That's 9 saves, honey. They ran away.

You like playing the odds, Awsi. Do you know what the odds are that a person with clean criminal record is when it comes to one of their firearms being used in any type of crime? You'd have better odds on the Browns winning the SB. Guns used in crimes are overwhelmingly used by people legally prohibited from owning guns. But fine, make me give up my constitutional right because of the criminals in our society. That makes perfect sense

While the hitchhiker was in the café, Tina Frocklage went to pump gas for another customer. Did this customer almost fall victim to the hitchhiker?

I don't trust anyone who owns a gun. It is a brutal assessment of probability, and remarkably ignorant. So many things can go wrong 24-7-365, like summoned in an emotional dispute or stumbled upon by a curious teenager. Heck, countless tragic cases on this program never would have happened minus that gun. And now the solution is more guns? That's the Trumpeteer mindset.

Of course, gun owners have to invent all the instances in which they were miraculously saved by the ownership. One guy on a sports forum listed 8 times. He couldn't understand why I wouldn't stop laughing. If you're always scared on that front porch and pull a gun upon any noise, heck let's ring it up. That's 9 saves, honey. They ran away.

I posted this over seven years ago.

Ask me about my political affiliation and how I feel about the modern NRA.

Better yet, bet on it. :lol: :lol: :lol:

As Philip left the parking lot, his car moved quickly enough to escape the hitchhiker. I wonder if seeing the hitchhiker walking on the shoulder of the other side of the highway caused his change of heart to stop for the hitchhiker. I also wonder if he stopped for the hitchhiker to ease the monotony of his long drive by having someone to talk to for a while.

I researched something today about this case that had never occured to me nor piqued my interest until now.

Philip's burned-out vehicle was found in a Prince George, BC carwash. Being from the U.S. and never having been to British Columbia, I wasn't able to gauge the distance from the Olsons' home in Kitwanga (where the hitchhiker stayed overnight) and Prince George, where he (or somebody else) had to have driven Philip's car to that carwash. So I went on Google Maps and entered in directions from the Kitwanga post office to Prince George.

They're well over 1100 miles away from each other.

It would've taken whoever drove that car days to get to Prince George, at the very least three. I'm assuming Philip hadn't been reported missing yet, or it was very early in the investigation. I'm sure the RCMP was made aware of what Philip's car looked like.

The hitchhiker also told Eddie Olson he would sell the car for a plane ticket to Seattle. Perhaps Prince George is where he was able to pick one up, since it's a rather large city compared to the relatively sparsely populated area around it. He may have used some of Philip's money or sold some of his belongings to pay for it, even, since he was willing to sell Mr. Olson the car.

But the hitchhiker said he couldn't wait to go through customs to sell the car at Mr. Olson's request, since he "couldn't" wait until Monday. An interesting bit:

- June 14, 1988, the day Philip Fraser set out for Washington, was a Tuesday. As RS stated, he "lost two days to car trouble", meaning (I greatly suppose) he wasn't on the road Wednesday and Friday, the 15th and 16th. On what I assume, again, was the 17th--Thursday--Philip was back on the journey and Thursday the 17th is the day he stopped at Gaye Frocklage's cafe in British Columbia, where he picked up and met his killer.

- The Olsons pick up the hitchhiker, who is stranded with Philip's troublesome car 200 miles away from the cafe, that very Thursday evening. The conversation about the potential sale of the car would've then had to have taken place on the morning of Friday the 18th. The hitchhiker claims he cannot wait until Monday to go through customs, as it would've been, in Eddie Olson's words, "too late for him."


So, he can't wait to go through customs, but he can take a three-day drive to Prince George (which is--while on the driving route--thousands and thousands of miles away from his apparent intended destination of Seattle)? In any event, it would've put him in Prince George on Monday the 20th--and that's assuming the car didn't give him any more trouble the entire way.

I suppose the intent was to stay away from anything "government" such as customs, lest someone discover--by means of him not being able to produce certain documents, or maybe even a RCMP all-points bulletin--that he wasn't in fact Philip Fraser.

I am not sure what you used to do your research but you are way off. Prince George is a less than 6 hour drive from Kitwanga. It is 302 miles. I know we are a big country but how big do you think our provinces are? :lol:

Also, we have no reasom to assume the killer was really going to Seattle. Of course, he wanted people to think Philip did so they would look for him there and the killer would be happy to get rid of the car and have the amount of money a plane ticket would have cost.