Perhaps posted elsewhere: Canadian Rest Stop Murders (guy with long blonde hair)

[johnnyangel]

I am sure this topic is posted elsewhere, in fact, I MYSELF may have posted about here various years ago.

Last I heard, I believe the guy responsible for the shootings was either known and caught, or "known but we don't have enough proof to make an arrest yet" kinda deal. I believe the killer was believed to be an ex-cop or something along those lines.

Anybody have any recent updates about this case?

[Thiussat]

Originally Posted by johnnyangel

I am sure this topic is posted elsewhere, in fact, I MYSELF may have posted about here various years ago.

Last I heard, I believe the guy responsible for the shootings was either known and caught, or "known but we don't have enough proof to make an arrest yet" kinda deal. I believe the killer was believed to be an ex-cop or something along those lines.

Anybody have any recent updates about this case?

Yes, the suspected killer is Ronald West, who was a former police officer. He confessed to a double murder that happened in 1970 and is now serving life in prison for that crime. He has never been charged with the rest-stop murders but I am almost 100% sure he is the guy for a few reasons:

1) He looks like the composite

2) He was known at one time to have driven a blue van.

3) He lived in the Blind River area AT THE TIME of the rest-stop murders.

4) Some of his previous robberies were very similar to the rest-stop incident (involving long guns).

5) Although he didn't always kill his robbery victims, he has confessed to a double murder that happened in 1970, so he has the history.

The only thing that doesn't fit is his age. McAllister described him as being about 30 years of age. West would have been at least 10 years older than that at the time. However, I think he looks younger than his age.

[RobinW]

The prime suspect is a former Toronto police officer named Ronald Glenn West, who is currently incarcerated for separate home invasion murders of two women in 1970. West was already serving time in prison for a series of robberies when DNA evidence tied him to the murders in 1999. On the surface, West seems like the perfect suspect because he lived in Blind River in 1991, owned a van resembling the one seen speeding away from the crime scene, and his wife apparently once said that the composite sketch of the suspect resembled her husband in a wig.

The only unanswered question is whether Gord McAllister was ever asked to identify West. Awhile back, there was some false info floating around this forum that Gord died in 1998, one year before West became a suspect, so I always assumed he just never got the chance to identify him. But then an obituary for Gord McAllister surfaced which showed he actually died in 2012. So Gord definitely would have gotten the opportunity to identify West if the police asked him about it, but I'm not sure if they ever did, so he's never been conclusively tied to the murders. I kinda hope West was the killer because at least it would mean he's no longer out there.

[Hasho]

I am going to rob you and then I am going to kill you

[LooksLikeCRicci]

Originally Posted by Hasho

I am going to rob you and then I am going to kill you

Oh, good lord. Now I'm going to have nightmares.

[dynoguy88]

Originally Posted by LooksLikeCRicci

Oh, good lord. Now I'm going to have nightmares.

That actor and his creepy eyes was a slam dunk cast for the reenactment, which probably wasn't even half as scary as what really happened.

[LooksLikeCRicci]

Originally Posted by dynoguy88

That actor and his creepy eyes was a slam dunk cast for the reenactment, which probably wasn't even half as scary as what really happened.

Seriously. My "terror level" is going up just THINKING about that segment. Which happens everytime Hasho posts, btw, because of that avatar pic.

[Thiussat]

Originally Posted by LooksLikeCRicci

Oh, good lord. Now I'm going to have nightmares.

The villain in the segment is reminiscent of Rutger Hauer in "The Hitcher." (Great movie, btw).

[RobinW]

Originally Posted by Thiussat

The villain in the segment is reminiscent of Rutger Hauer in "The Hitcher." (Great movie, btw).

The actor in the re-enactment also reminds me of Alexander Godunov, who played Karl the terrorist in "Die Hard".

[Thiussat]

Originally Posted by RobinW

The actor in the re-enactment also reminds me of Alexander Godunov, who played Karl the terrorist in "Die Hard".

Yes. Very much so.

[baloony]

I swear, I would pay money to see the Blind River killer meet up with this guy.

[johnnyangel]

Thanks for the info again. Anybody know why he is "suspected" (other than the list of a few things mentioned above).

Did he talk about the crimes at one point and then recant in jail or something?

[RobinW]

Originally Posted by johnnyangel

Thanks for the info again. Anybody know why he is "suspected" (other than the list of a few things mentioned above).

Did he talk about the crimes at one point and then recant in jail or something?

As far as I know, West has never admitted to being involved in the Blind River rest stop murders. There is no hard evidence tying him to the crime, just a lot of interesting coincidences (him living nearby in Blue River, him driving a van, his resemblance to the composite sketch) which make him a very good suspect.

If West is the guy, then he certainly had a strange M.O.:

1. Commits two separate home invasion murders/sexual assaults within the same month in 1970.

2. Murders two people during a robbery at the Blind River rest stop in 1991.

3. Commits a series of robberies in Sault Ste. Marie in 1995, but lets the victims live.

Unless West had other victims we don't know about, it's pretty weird that he would go over 20 years between murders and then commit another series of robberies four years after that without killing anyone. The guy who robbed the McAllisters clearly had his mind set on killing someone, no matter what.

[Kane]

Originally Posted by Thiussat

Yes, the suspected killer is Ronald West, who was a former police officer. He confessed to a double murder that happened in 1970 and is now serving life in prison for that crime. He has never been charged with the rest-stop murders but I am almost 100% sure he is the guy for a few reasons:

1) He looks like the composite

2) He was known at one time to have driven a blue van.

3) He lived in the Blind River area AT THE TIME of the rest-stop murders.

4) Some of his previous robberies were very similar to the rest-stop incident (involving long guns).

5) Although he didn't always kill his robbery victims, he has confessed to a double murder that happened in 1970, so he has the history.

The only thing that doesn't fit is his age. McAllister described him as being about 30 years of age. West would have been at least 10 years older than that at the time. However, I think he looks younger than his age.

If Ronald Glenn West is the rest stop killer (and of course, in the absence of any proof to the contrary, that's just an if), then Gord McAllister may have guessed the age based on the killer's physical appearance. That wouldn't be unusual, since many people look older or younger than they really are.

[LooksLikeCRicci]

Originally Posted by Kane

If Ronald Glenn West is the rest stop killer (and of course, in the absence of any proof to the contrary, that's just an if), then Gord McAllister may have guessed the age based on the killer's physical appearance. That wouldn't be unusual, since many people look older or younger than they really are.

He was also in an impossible situation-- the unthinkable is happening. He's in fear for his life. I'm shocked he was able to put together a composite under those circumstances. The fact that he's off on the age is fine by me.

Also, it should be noted that drug use (if West was a known drug user) can age the hell out of folks. I've got people I prosecute who are 15 years younger than me, but I look younger than them. Meth, man. Not even once.