Yves Trudeau– “Most Feared Men in Montreal’s Criminal World.”

“In your lifetime, you have killed more people than the Canadian military did in the Gulf War.”

— Quebec Court Judge Michel Duceppe

Have you ever wondered how life would have been in Le Plateau-Mont-Royal, Montreal, Quebec, in the late 1970s? Thinking of the beautiful atmosphere, you might wonder what life would have been like if you had visited there then. Well, think again.

Yves Trudeau with his motercycle

Known as a “psychopathic killer,” Yves Trudeau had no conscience for killing 43 people in his time as a member of the Hell's Angels Biker gang and was often under the influence of cocaine to help him carry out his murders. His violent and brutal nature made him one of the “most feared men in Montreal’s criminal world.”

“Canadian Industries Limited” is a production explosives company located in Amos, Quebec, and was Yves’s first job in the early 1960’s. This job introduced Yves’s interest, hobby, and talent for working with explosives.    

Popeye Moto Club and Hells Angles

popeye moto club 1965 logo

Trudeau joined the Popeye Motorcycle Club in 1968 and became involved in a violent biker conflict in the 1970s. The Popeyes were in alliance with the Hells Angels, and they came into conflict with rival gangs like Satan's Choice and the Outlaws over control of the drug trade in Montreal at the time. This war would be known as “The Satan’s Choice-Popeyes War,” Montreal’s first biker war, and be how Trueadus’s name would be known for his killings and danger.

Trudeau rose to stardom in the Popeyes MC as a skilled and cutthroat hitman. known for his great attention to detail with his work on explosives and was even given the name "Apache" after he scalped one of his victims. His violent actions helped the Popeyes take control of key areas in Montreal by the mid-1970s.

Hells angles motorcycle club logo

In 1977, after Popeyes teamed up with the Hells Angels Club, Trudeau became a high-profile Hells Angels member in Quebec. He played a key role in starting a bloody war with the Outlaws on 17 February 1978, where he killed several members, cementing his reputation as one of the Hells Angels' most dangerous members.

By 1979, the Hells Angels in Montreal were split into two chapters, and Trudeau was assigned to the North chapter in Laval. This chapter was known for its violence, drug use, and reckless behaviour. Under Trudeau’s leadership, the Laval chapter became one of the most feared and chaotic groups in the Hells Angels.

November 1984 “de Maisonneuve Blvd. Bombing”

On November 26, 1984, a bomb exploded in a high-rise apartment in Montreal, killing four men, including Paul April, who was believed to be responsible for the recent killing of drug dealer Frank Peter Ryan. The blast was thought to be an act of revenge. It caused severe damage to the building, including the collapse of walls and elevators falling to the basement. The bomb was later traced to Yves Trudeau, a Hells Angel hitman. He had been hired by Ryan's successor from the West End Gang. After turning into an informant, Trudeau testified that he had sent April a VCR and TV set with 16 kilograms of explosives that were hidden inside.

Trudeau's actions in his lifetime made him one of the most prolific killers in the Hells Angels. He admitted to killing 43 people between 1970 and 1985. He was the first Canadian Hells Angel to receive the “Filthy Few” patch, a badge given to members who have killed for the club.

Sentencing

Trudeau’s time in prison was only eight years and was lowered because of the help of law enforcement. His statement made him a target in the criminal world. Trudeau passed on valuable information to investigators and helped uncover more about organized crime in Montreal. His involvement in the Hells Angels and organized crime made his case high-profile.

His status as an informant allowed him to reduce his sentence in some cases, though he still faced significant time behind bars. Trudeau’s decision to become an informant was risky, making him a target in the criminal world. Still, it was seen as an important step in tearing apart the Hells Angels’ Club. Despite the reduced sentence he received in exchange for his testimony, his decision to cooperate was highly controversial and dangerous.

New Identity

Yves Trueadeu

Trudeau was given a new identity with the witness protection program after he was given parole in 1994. The new identity, Denis Côté, was for his safety, as working with the police and providing testimony against the Hells Angels would make him a target for revenge by members of the gang. Details about his new identity, specifics of where he went, or what name he adopted, are kept confidential for security reasons. Trudeau’s life remained at risk due to the high stakes of his decision to turn informant. He lived with a woman who didn’t know about his past. Worked odd part-time jobs like working as an orderly in a nursing home and as a bus driver for the handicapped.

In 2000, he went back into cocaine addiction and sexually assaulted a 13-year-old boy after plying him with wine and beer, and pleaded guilty in 2004. He was sentenced to a four-year prison term. Trudeau returned to prison as both an informant and a child molester, meaning that he had to be kept in isolation 23 hours a day.

Unfortunately, in 2006. Trueadeu was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer. in 2008, he was granted permission to go to a treatment facility. As part of his release, he wasn’t allowed to be near or contact a minor of one of the victims of his crimes. He died in July of 2008 due to cancer.

Now, I will ask again. Would you want to visit Quebec in the 1960s now since you have read the gruesome history?

---

Megan Parsons, 25, from Osgoode, Ontario, is a published author of two self-published works, Luna’s Way Home and Just Blame Me. She is currently in her third year of the Professional Writing Program at Algonquin College. Specializing in short fiction, Megan has a passion for writing children’s stories, while also exploring themes of psychological horror in her work.

Interested in more of my writing? you can read more here!

Luka Magnotta: The Curiosity Killed the Cat

Warning: This post discusses graphic violence, murder, and animal cruelty. Reader discretion is strongly advised.

When I first watched Netflix’s Don’t F**k with Cats, I was struck by just how much I didn’t know about the murder of Jun Lin. The realisation that all of this had unfolded during my childhood added an eerie familiarity. I vaguely remembered news clips about a Canadian killer who sparked an international manhunt, but it wasn’t until the documentary that I fully understood the depth of his crimes—and the foolish reasons behind them.

Luka Magnotta did not commit murder because he felt pressured to do so or because he lost his temper. He desired this, therefore he killed. He desired for everyone to see him, talk about him, and chase him. And he ultimately got what he desired. Every detail was reported by the global media, every action he took was examined by web investigators, and Netflix cemented his reputation.

However, one thing becomes evident to me when I consider Magnotta's actions: Jun Lin, his victim, is not worthy of being merely a footnote in the tale of a narcissist driven by fame. I aim to dismantle Magnotta's self-proclaimed legacy and shift the focus back to Jun Lin, a young man whose life was taken but whose tale shouldn't be overshadowed by the attention-seeking nature of his killer.

Honouring Jun Lin

image courtesy of jun lin via shuttershock

Jun Lin was full of hope when he came to Canada from Wuhan, China. He was 33 years old and was going to Concordia University in Montreal to get a degree in computer engineering.

He was often described as friendly, ambitious. Not only did he work hard for himself, but also to help his family back home.

But the terrible things the person who killed Jun Lin do often overshadow his story. That does not honour the spirit of the person who did not deserve to be called "the victim" in a sensationalized story.

We should remember the person Jun Lin was, not just how his life ended, when we talk about him.

A Killer's Desire for Fame

Luka Magnotta wasn’t a killer fuelled by passion or necessity. His actions were deliberate, calculated, and theatrical. Before the murder, Magnotta uploaded disturbing videos of animal cruelty, horrific foreshadowing of what was to come. These videos were designed to provoke, to draw attention to himself, and to set the stage for what he clearly wanted to be his infamous debut.

The murder of Jun Lin was a performance. Magnotta filmed the act and distributed the footage online, ensuring it would shock and disgust viewers worldwide. His subsequent actions, such as mailing body parts to political offices and schools, only added to the grotesque spectacle. Then he fled the country, sparking an international manhunt that ensured his name would dominate headlines.

The Internet’s Role

image courtesy of netflix via tvguide.com

The media devoured his story, true crime enthusiasts dissected his every move, and documentaries like Don’t F**k with Cats solidified his infamy.

Yet, the documentary itself is painfully aware of the unintended consequences of this attention. Those involved in tracking Magnotta down feared that their pursuit—the Facebook group, the relentless hunt—may have fed into his sick desires, propelling him to escalate to murder.

The series ends with a jarring message, urging viewers to consider how our collective fascination with true crime can inadvertently elevate individuals like Magnotta.

And here you are, reading this—intrigued by the title, drawn in by the very thing the documentary warned us about.

Reclaiming the Narrative

When we think about the murder of Jun Lin, we must not let Magnotta’s theatrics overshadow the life that was lost. Jun Lin was a man with a dream, a family, and a future snatched away. Lin was more than simply a victim.

Stories about true crimes, whether told in movies or on blogs like this one, can change the course of events. We might choose to remember the victims' lives lost rather than give killers the attention they crave. We can speak Jun Lin's name and honour his memory to ensure his legacy extends beyond his death.

The True Legacy

The story of Jun Lin and Luka Magnotta is a stark reminder of the fine line true crime walks between informing and sensationalising. While Magnotta’s actions are horrific and deserving of scrutiny, they should not eclipse the humanity of his victim.

Jun Lin’s life was worth more than being a mere mention in the story of a narcissist. Let’s ensure that in our conversations, our stories, and our memories, we focus not on the killers but on the lives they took and the legacies those lives leave behind.

---

Kyra Nehme is a 22-year-old, second-generation Lebanese immigrant born and raised in Ontario, Canada. Kyra is a Professional Writing student at Algonquin College who is a passionate and outgoing writer determined to share her works with the world with the goal of cracking a smile or touching a heart. She loves expressing herself through fashion, connecting with people, and talking about the things she loves. Those things just so happen to be everything that is dark, twisted, and wrong with the world! 

Whispers in the Dark: The Bedroom Strangler

Content Warning: This post includes references to sexual assault and murder

Photo: Torstar file photo

It took four years for Russel Maurice Johnson, aka the Bedroom Strangler, to be arrested for the multiple rapes and the murders of seven women. At first glance, it seemed as though the first few victims died of natural causes. After the murder of Diane Beitz, who was strangled and raped on New Year’s Eve of 1974, the police started to suspect murder. Even at that time, they had no idea they had a serial killer on their hands. It wasn’t until the murder of Louella George in 1977 that police realized just how dire the situation was.

Early Life

According to an interview by Mary O’Connell of CBC, Johnson’s childhood was rough. He was born in St. Thomas, Ontario. His parents were deeply religious, and money was tight. His father didn’t let their family celebrate Christmas. As early as 13, Johnson started stealing women’s underwear. He did not graduate high school. He started work as a mechanic at Ford in Talbotville. By 1969, he began breaking into women’s homes to steal underwear, eventually graduating to rape, which then escalated to a string of murders from 1973 to 1977.

Early Victims

As far as we’re aware, Johnson’s first victim was 20-year-old Mary Hicks on October 19th, 1973. Initially, she was thought to have died from an allergic reaction, which is part of what hindered the investigation into Johnson. She had no obvious injuries. There isn’t much information on the following victims. The specific dates and order aren’t known.

Alice Ralston’s death was wrongly attributed to “hardened arteries.”

In March of 1974, Eleanor Heartwick was also thought to have died from an allergic reaction to prescription drugs.

Doris Brown, who was 49 when she died, was thought to have died from pulmonary edema.

According to the interview with CBC, Johnson took great care staging these early murders to avoid suspicion. He must've gotten sloppy as time passed and he still wasn’t caught.

Diane Beitz

It was Diane Beitz’s case in Guelph, Ontario, that finally sparked a murder investigation. On December 31st, 1974, she was found by her fiancée with a pantyhose tied around her neck. The autopsy found that she had been assaulted postmortem. Even though this was the first case where murder was suspected, it took three years for the case to be solved. At this point, police didn’t suspect a serial killer.

Louella George

Donna Veldboom: Canadian crimeopedia

In April of 1977, Johnson broke into a fourth-floor apartment. He strangled and raped Louella George before killing her. According to the National Post, he made her bed afterwards. Police finally realized that there was a serial killer on the loose. The media nicknamed him “The Bedroom Strangler”.

Donna Veldboom

Donna Veldboom was the final victim before Johnson was caught. She was found strangled and stabbed in her own apartment. She lived in the apartment above Johnson. Police found this to be a pattern. Johnson had allegedly lived in the same apartment building as Louella George and one of his ex-girlfriends lived in the same building as Diane Beitz. Johnson was caught shortly after.

Arrest and Trial

Johnson quickly confessed to Veldboom, Beitz and George’s murder, as well as Ralston, Hartwick, Hicks and Brown. The crime scenes of the latter three victims were so meticulously cleaned that police had no idea they were murdered. According to Guelph Today, while imprisoned, he confessed to seven more murders and 17 assaults.

Police Inspector Robert Young stated that Johnson said: “If he had received proper medical treatment, this wouldn’t have happened.” Apparently, during a voluntary stay at a psychiatric hospital, Johnson was diagnosed as a “sexual deviant.”  Nowadays, he would be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder.

Johnson was found not guilty by reason of insanity. He was sentenced to life at the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, where he still resides today.

Aftermath

Victims Families gather for hearing: National Post

Despite his arrest and imprisonment, the family of Johnson’s victims still fear that he might be released. Every year, Johnson is entitled to a hearing regarding his release, movement to another facility, and special privileges to leave Waypoint’s grounds. Every year, the families attend the hearings and voice their protests.

Bill Veldboom fears that victims’ survivors are the last line of defence in cases such as these. Johnson’s lawyer argued that he was “too old” to pose a threat. Thankfully, Johnson’s doctor disagreed, saying he was physically and psychologically capable. Veldboom urges citizens to pay attention to the Ontario Review Board to prevent leniency toward inmates like Johnson and keep extremely violent offenders off the streets.

---

Shannon Brownell is a student in the Professional Writing program at Algonquin College who lives in Ottawa, Ontario. She’s originally from Calgary, Alberta, and has her horticulture technician certification. She loves horror movies and writing about anything spooky. Her favourite horror movies are Scream, Midsommar, and The Others.

Paul Bernardo & Karla Homolka’s Reign of Terror

Content Warning: This post contains mentions of sexual assault and murder. Reader discretion is advised.

IMAGE COURTESY OF UNKNOWN

Paul Bernardo, famously known as the Scarborough Rapist, is arguably one of the most controversial Canadian killers in our history. His crimes, remembered for their brutality and execution, forever changed the view on criminal justice and public safety in the surrounding areas. Alongside his wife, Karla Homolka, Bernardo committed heinous acts of inhumane cruelty that continue to haunt the victims’ family.

Between 1987 and 1990, young women were reportedly being raped in the areas surrounding Scarborough, Ontario. These incidents caused unsettling panic among the community due to the lack of identity of the perpetrator. Later, in court, Paul Bernardo would admit to the sexual assault of at least 14 women, earning him the nickname ‘The Scarborough Rapist.’

The Murders

By December 1990, Bernardo and Homolka were engaged and living at her family’s home in St. Catherine’s, Ontario. One evening, while Homolka’s parents were asleep, the couple drugged and raped Homolka’s sister, Tammy Homolka, leading her to choke on her own vomit and later pass away. Afterward, Bernardo and Karla cleaned up the crime scene and called first responders to the scene, pretending to be unaware of what had caused such a tragic death. Although Tammy's death was ruled an accident, the brutal nature of her drugging, rape, and the couple's negligence marks the first of their heinous acts, sparking the beginning of their criminal partnership and reign of terror.

Following the death of Karla's sister, the couple's sadistic crimes escalated, and they unwaveringly carried on their torture of other young girls. Leslie Mahaffy, a 14-year-old girl from St. Catherine’s, Ontario, was abducted by Bernardo and Homolka on June 15th, 1991, after being lured into the couple’s car. During her captivity at the couple’s home, she was subject to hours of brutal torture and sexual assault, all of which were recorded, then examined, and ultimately destroyed by the Ontario government. Mahaffy’s death was horrific and cold-blooded. After being strangled and drugged with substances Karla had acquired from her veterinary technician job, her dismembered body was found encased in concrete, her braces and dental records confirming her identity.

IMAGE COURTESY OF POST MEDIA FILE

Ten months after the death of Mahaffy, the couple posed as lost tourists and abducted Kirsten French, a 15-year-old schoolgirl, while she was walking home from school. While Kristen was giving Karla directions, Bernardo attacked her from behind and forced her into their vehicle. On the way to their residence, Homolka held Kristen by her hair, forcing her to obey their demands. French was then held captive for 3 days, enduring the same suffering, torture, abuse, and rape Mahaffy did. Her body was later discovered naked and thrown in a ditch with all of her hair shaved off.

The Convictions

In 1993, police identified Bernardo as the ‘Scarborough Rapist’ after DNA evidence linked him to the crimes that had been traumatizing the community. After his arrest, the prosecution in the 1995 trial used the uncovered videotapes as their main source of evidence. The graphic footage revealed harrowing assaults and murders in chilling detail, leaving zero doubt about his guilt. Bernardo was convicted of multiple charges, including first-degree murder, and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. Bernardo remains in a medium-security prison 190 kilometres from Montreal. In exchange for her testimony against Bernardo, Homolka received only 12 years for manslaughter. This plea deal is often considered highly controversial as the videotapes revealed that Homolka had a direct hand in all of the murders. Homolka has since been released and lives in Quebec under a new identity. Although the quiet life she’s trying to live is often disrupted when her true identity is revealed to her community, forcing her to uproot her life elsewhere.  

IMAGE COURTESY OF ALEXANDRA NEWBOULD/THE CANADIAN PRESS

On November 26th, 2024, Bernardo, for the third time, stood in front of a parole board and pleaded to be released. This request, like every other attempt, was denied after emotional and heartfelt testimonies were given from the remaining family of both Mahaffy and French. For years, Bernardo has continued to torment both families for the sake of his own benefit, exhausting all legal avenues and parole opportunities only to get denied each time. For the family, this isn’t just a legal proceeding. It’s a continuous and cruel reopening of traumatizing wounds that drags them back into nightmares they have tried to heal from. Bernardo will likely never be released, and these families are determined to ensure it stays that way.

---

Rachael LeBlanc is a student at Algonquin College currently studying in the Professional Writing program. She has moved across Canada throughout her life and currently lives in Ottawa, Ontario. She has a passion for poetry, fashion, ancient history and competitive horseback riding. With a strong interest in writing about true crime and all of the thought-provoking, gripping stories that come with it, Rachael is determined to captivate audiences with the ghoulish details of true crime and horror.

Canada’s youngest serial killer

Image courtesy of Daily news

WARNING: This blog post involves the topic of child sexual assault and abuse. Reader discretion is advised. 

Some Background 

Canada has no shortage of the demented and twisted, serial killers especially. While the killers of the great white north may not be the most notable names (like Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, or Jack the Ripper), what they lack in notoriety, they make up in sheer terror. One such horror went about terrorizing the people of Toronto from 1956 through 1957, killing and molesting children.

His Upbringing 

David Michael Krueger, more commonly known by his birth name Peter Woodcock. Born in Peterborough, Ontario, on March 5th, 1939. Despite the monster that Woodcock grew into, he had a troubled upbringing. He was born to a 17-year-old factory worker, Waita Woodcock, who had put him up for adoption after a month. He went through foster homes like scientists go through coffee filters, with an inability to find connections with any of his foster parents. A two-year-old Woodcock had to be given medical treatment after at least one of his foster parents abused him. After some time, Woodcock had found a stable home, although things were still far from perfect.  

His foster parents were worried about their child’s mental state and regularly brought Woodcock to the Hospital for Sick Children. He was also sent to a private school, where the boy had little success in making friends, and remained isolated. There were signs of the unhinged violence brewing within him that were being shown. One such sign was when a social worker heard him mutter “I wish a bomb would fall on the Exhibition and kill all the children”. As a result, he was sent to a school for emotionally disturbed children. 

 At that school, Woodcock started to act on his sexual urges, and he was schooled with the perfect prey. He stated that at that school he had consensual intercourse with a 12-year-old girl when he was 13. He was discharged from school when he was 15. 

His Killings 

Woodcock started his killings at the age of 17. On Sept. 15, 1956, he found a seven-year-old Wayne Malette. After luring the boy away, he began to strangle him to death. Police discovered Malette’s body the next day. Their clothes were taken off and then put back on, alongside two bite marks on his body and no evidence of rape. Pennies were scattered around the body. 

His next murder was on Oct. 6, 1956, when he picked up a nine-year-old Garry Morris on his prized red and white Schwinn bicycle and drove him to Cherry Beach. He beat and strangled Morris to death. His corpse was discovered ten days later with a bite mark on their throat. Similarly to the murder of Malette, the clothing was taken off the victim and then put back on, and paper clips were spread around the body. The pattern was quite clear.

It would be a longer while until their next murder. On Jan. 19, 1957, Woodcock approached a four-year-old Carol Voyce and drove her under the Bloor Viaduct. He partially continued his pattern by strangling the victim and pulling off her clothes. She was sexually molested, and her death was caused by a tree branch being forcibly inserted into her vagina. Thankfully, this was the crime that would put a stop to his crimes. 

His Arrest, Trial, and Imprisonment 

Woodcock was arrested after witnesses described a teenager cycling away from the crime scene, and a composite sketch was made from those descriptions. It led to Woodcock’s arrest on Jan. 21, 1957.  After a four-day trial, he was found not guilty by reason of insanity and sent to the Penetanguishene Mental Health Centre. 

While imprisoned, he underwent numerous different treatments and psychiatric therapies, but none were efficient in curing his psychopathy. Woodcock was far from a model prisoner; he would often coerce and exploit fellow inmates into performing sexual acts. He was eventually transferred to the Brockville Psychiatric Hospital. 

One Last Kill and His Death 

Image courtesy of toronto star

During this time, Woodcock had coerced Bruce Hamill, an Ottawa killer, who was rehabilitated and now working as a security guard for the Ottawa courthouse to kill again. Their target? Denis Kerr. On July 13, 1991, Hamill signed out the now 52-year-old Woodcock and arranged to meet Kerr in the forest. Once Kerr had arrived, the two attacked him and beat him until death, then proceeded to mutilate the body and sodomize it. Once his fourth murder and final murder was done, he walked to a police station two miles away and turned himself in. 

He spent the rest of his life imprisoned. Then, on Woodcock’s 71st birthday, he died of natural causes.  

---

Roch Graham is a 19-year-old student at Algonquin College, currently studying in its Professional Writing Program. Hailing from the small town of Embrun, Ontario, Roch strives to become the best writer he can be. While he may not look like it, he is a secret fan of horror and the disturbing world of true crime, and he is excited to tell you all about it... or get a little silly about it. Roch enjoys writing, playing video games, and reading in his free time.

The Unsettling Murder of Gabby Petito

Gabby Petito - Instagram

More than a million people remember Gabby Petito's disappearance and the hectic investigation that followed. Her case went viral shortly after her disappearance, and her Instagram gained more than a million followers over the following months. There were 12,000 posts under the hashtag #gabbypetito. But what made this case different from the thousands of people going missing daily? There’s really no reason other than the wealth of videos, images, and the human urge to investigate.

Gabby Petito was a kind, joyful person who loved exploring nature. She had just started her vlogging channel, Nomadic Statik, with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, in the months before she disappeared. She and Laundrie set out on a cross-country road trip on July 4th, 2021. She dreamed of becoming a Van Life vlogger and capturing her life on the road. But the trip quickly turned into a nightmare as Petito and Laundries’ relationship took a turn for the worse.

The first sign of trouble was on August 12th, 2021, in Moab, Utah. A concerned witness reported seeing the man hit the woman before they ran up the street, where he hit her again, and then they drove off together. Police pulled the van over to find Petito sobbing, saying that the two were fighting and hitting each other. No charges were filed, and police separated the pair for the night.

Although the couple seemed to reconcile as they posted a cute video together on August 19th, the next few days would be the last time Petito was seen alive. Petito’s mother, Nicole Schmidt, recalled receiving a few strange texts that gave her pause but thought nothing of it at the time. One text allegedly said, “Can you help Stan, I just keep getting his voicemails and missed calls.” Stan was her grandfather, but her mother said that Petito never referred to him by his first name.

Octavio jones - Getty images

Petito’s family only grew more concerned when Brian Laundrie returned home from Wyoming without Gabby on September 1st. He had the van, but there was no trace of his fiancé. Suspicion grew even more when Laundrie refused to talk about her or her whereabouts. By September 2nd, he had already lawyered up. He even went as far as to say Petito was just “gone.” Not suspicious at all, right?

Petito’s family felt betrayed by the Laundrie family with their refusal to cooperate or talk about Gabby. Heartbroken and scared, Petito’s mother reported Gabby missing on September 11th. By September 13th, the case went viral, with thousands of people posting on Twitter and Instagram demanding answers from the Laundrie family and the Florida Police. Brian Laundrie is promptly named a person of interest.

As if Laundrie couldn’t get any more suspicious, he went missing on September 13th. His parents claimed that he just “went for a walk”, however, he never returned. Police searched the 24,000 acres in the Carleton Reserve near the Laundrie home. He was not discovered until October 20th, 2021.

Sadly, Gabby Petito’s body was discovered discovered on September 19th in Grand Teton National Park, where she was last seen. Her father thanked everyone who helped search for her at at her funeral, saying, “So when you leave here today, be inspired by what she brought to the table.” She was only 22 years old. The FBI raided the Laundrie home on September 20th and then issued an arrest warrant for Brian Laundrie on September 23rd.

The autopsy findings were released a month later. Petito had died from blunt force trauma to the head and neck, and she had been strangled. Her friends and family spoke to news outlets about their outrage, saying that her killer deserved to burn in hell.

Gabby petito foundation

Brian Laundrie was found in the Carleton Reserve on October 20th with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. In a notebook near his body, he expressed his guilt and regret about killing Gabby. There was no funeral. Finally, on January 21st, 2022, the FBI named Laundrie as Gabby’s murderer.

Gabby Petito’s case touched thousands, if not millions, of people. Everyone came to Gabby’s defence by helping with the search, making petitions, and posting about the case to spread awareness. Her family founded the Gabby Petito Foundation, a foundation meant to give a helping hand to families of missing persons, either through funding for searches, guidance, and support. Despite the end of her story, Gabby Petito inspired many to live freely and escape the cycle of domestic violence.

---

Shannon Brownell is a student in the Professional Writing program at Algonquin College who lives in Ottawa, Ontario. She’s originally from Calgary, Alberta, and has her horticulture technician certification. She loves horror movies and writing about anything spooky. Her favourite horror movies are Scream, Midsommar, and The Others.

Raincoats and Rafts: The Alcatraz Escape

Clarence anglin, john anglin, frank morris | photo courtesy OF Getty IMAGES

The 1962 escape from Alcatraz involved three prisoners who went above and beyond to defy the famously inescapable prison located on an island in San Francisco, California. Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin masterminded a plan so intricate it would remain one of the most captivating prison escape mysteries in history.

For years, Alcatraz was considered inescapable. The location and status of the prison supported these assumptions, the cold and choppy waters daunting to any prisoner there. Guards were stationed at all points, and the prison had strict routines that made it nearly impossible for anyone to go undetected.

Did the Alcatraz escapees manage to survive the icy waters of the San Francisco Bay, or did their attempt end tragically?

The Escape

DUMMY HEAD OF FRANK MORRIS | PHOTO courtesy of fbi

Without causing any suspicions, the three prisoners began preparing for the escape, spending around 18 months chiselling around the air vents in their cells with kitchen utensils. Over time, they managed to expand the vents and squeeze into an unguarded utility corridor. Using plumbing pipes, they climbed to the cellblock roof, lifted themselves through a large ventilation shaft and reached the roof of the building. After sliding down a large exterior pipe to the ground, the three men cut through the barbed wire and climbed down to the water’s edge.

To hide their activities, the prisoners crafted impressive painted paper-mâché dummy heads of themselves, complete with real human hair taken from the prison barbershop. This ensured that the guards would not expect an intricate plan to have taken place during their routine nighttime bed checks. Sure enough, the guards suspected nothing until the early morning check when the inmate count revealed three had gone missing.

Prisoners with a history of attempted escapes were sent to Alcatraz, such as the intelligent strategist Frank Morris. It was him who crafted the idea of building an inflatable raft by gluing together rubber raincoats that had been stolen from the prison shop. Until this day, it is unclear whether or not the raft helped the prisoners drift away from the island before it eventually broke apart, or if they had swam the majority of the way there.

The Mystery

SUSPECTED IMAGE OF THE ANGLIN BROTHERS | PHOTO courtesy OF new york post

The official investigation assumed that the men had likely drowned due to the strong currents and temperatures during the time of their escape. Pieces of the homemade raft and personal items belonging to the prisoners, such as a wallet, were found during the investigation, leading officials to further believe they succumbed to their deaths. Yet, no bodies have ever been found, leaving room for debate.

Over the years, evidence has fueled speculation that they did indeed escape. Members of the Anglin family have claimed that the brothers survived. According to Ken Widner, a nephew of John and Clarence Anglin, a photo seemingly depicting the brothers was given to the family in 1992 by a family friend named Fred Brizzi. This photo continues to be under heavy speculation, with investigators analyzing the arm lengths and features of the two men in the image.

Many studies and simulations have been conducted over the past few decades, some arguing that the prisoners would’ve had a small window to survive the currents. A Dutch study has shown that, if their timing was right, they could’ve had a chance. The team of researchers concluded that if the three men had left at midnight and headed north, the current could’ve carried them to the land. Although if they had left before midnight or after 1am, the tides would’ve been incredibly difficult to fight against, causing them to eventually die of hypothermia.

Elite swimmers have attempted the Alcatraz swim, helping historians and investigators gather information on the endurance needed to survive it. The expedition, which is around 2 miles from Alcatraz Island to the shore, is difficult for even the world’s greatest swimmers. These athletes are professionally trained and have many advantages the prisoners did not, which has allowed many of them to successfully complete the journey. Despite ongoing interest, no conclusive evidence has emerged to prove whether the three fugitives truly made it to freedom or met their tragic end in the waters of the San Francisco Bay.

While the case remains open and the mystery is broken apart, do you believe their attempt at freedom was successful?

---

Rachael LeBlanc is a student at Algonquin College currently studying in the Professional Writing program. She has moved across Canada throughout her life and currently lives in Ottawa, Ontario. She has a passion for poetry, fashion, ancient history and competitive horseback riding. With a strong interest in writing about true crime and all of the thought-provoking, gripping stories that come with it, Rachael is determined to captivate audiences with the ghoulish details of true crime and horror.