Practically Perfect (35 page)

Authors: Dale Brawn

BOOK: Practically Perfect

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6: The Two Rolands

Roland Asselin:
Fifty-Five Weeks between Murders

November 9, 1946	Ulric Gauthier murdered.
November 10, 1946	Body of Gauthier found on dirt road thirty-two miles west of Montreal.
November 1946	Coroner’s inquest into death of Gauthier comes to no decision.
Nov/Dec 1946	Second inquest decides Gauthier committed suicide; investigation officially ends.
February 1947	Marie Blanche Alice Gauthier, widow of Ulric, commits suicide.
February 1947	Investigation in death of Ulric Gauthier officially reopened.
Fall 1947	Roland Asselin gives statement about death of Ulric Gauthier
December 30, 1947	Asselin taken into custody.
December 31, 1947	Third inquest finds Asselin responsible for death of Ulric Gauthier.
January 5, 1948	Asselin arraigned on charge of murder.
January 9, 1948	Preliminary hearing into murder of Ulric Gauthier.
June 9, 1948	Murder trial of Asselin gets underway.
June 15, 1948	Asselin guilty of murdering Gauthier; sentenced to hang on October 1, 1948.
September 15, 1948	Asselin’s execution postponed until January 14, 1949.
November 25, 1948	Asselin’s execution postponed a second time, until March 25, 1949.
March 15, 1949	Asselin’s execution postponed third time, until June 10, 1949.
March 31, 1949	Request for another postponement denied by Quebec Court of Appeal.
June 10, 1949	Roland Asselin executed.

Roland Genest:
He Never Murdered a Woman He Didn’t Love

May 29, 1951	Charred body of Rita Genest discovered in burning bed.
May 30, 1951	Inquest finds that woman was murdered before being set on fire.
May 31, 1951	Police announce they have no leads.
February 18, 1953	Roland Genest beats his girlfriend to death.
February 19, 1953	Nude body of badly beaten woman found in farmer’s field.
February 20, 1953	Public view body of woman; picture published in Montreal newspapers.
February 22, 1953	Body tentatively identified.
February 23, 1953	Mother of Marie Paule Langlais identifies body; Genest arrested.
February 25, 1953	Genest confesses to murdering Langlais.
February 27, 1953	Genest appears at coroner’s inquest investigating death of Langlais.
February 27, 1953	Genest formally charged with murdering Langlais.
May 19, 1953	Murder trial gets underway; Genest again admits murder.
May 21, 1953	Genest found guilty of murder and sentenced to hang on August 28.
August 28, 1953	Genest executed.

7: Confessions and Presumptions of Guilt

Poral Stefoff:
Last Minute Confession of a Serial Killer

circa 1904	Poral Steffoff murders Englishman in Indiana.
circa 1906	Steffoff allegedly murders two Macedonians in New York state.
October 1908	Poral Steffoff arrives in Canada.
April 22, 1909	Simoff murdered in Toronto; Steffoff held as material witness.
April 23, 1909	Coroner’s inquest held.
April 26, 1909	Steffoff charged with murder.
May 7, 1909	Steffoff committed to stand trial.
September 23, 1909	Elia Petroff placed in a cell next to the one occupied by Steffoff.
October 18, 1909	Blood stains on Steffoff’s clothes determined to be human.
October 27, 1909	Steffoff found guilty of murder at end of a two-day trial.
October 28, 1909	Sentenced to hang December 23, 1909.
December 23, 1909	Between 10:00 and 11:00 p.m. Steffoff confesses to various murders.
December 23, 1909	Steffoff executed in Don Jail.

John Barty:
The Cold-Set Killer

June 25, 1925	Triple murder, almost certainly committed by John Barty.
June 10, 1926	Barty assaults clerk during robbery; held until police arrive; arrested.
June 12, 1926	Clerk dies after being operated on.
June 18, 1926	Barty committed to stand trial at end of preliminary hearing.
October 7, 1926	Convicted of murder; sentenced to hang on December 13, 1926.
December 22, 1926	Court of Appeal allows stay after court turned down the request.
January 18, 1927	Barty executed at Hamilton jail.

John Kooting:
Confessions on the Prairies, Part I

November 5, 1921	Kooting murders friend, and builds pig pen over place body buried.
January 1922	Police arrest Kooting for the murder of his friend.
spring 1923	Charges against Kooting stayed because body of victim not found.
February 1925	Kooting falls ill, believes he is dying.
April 26, 1925	Believing he is about to die, Kooting confesses to murder of friend.
April 27, 1925	Police locate remains of murder victim.
November 25, 1925	Kooting convicted of murder.
February 19, 1926	Kooting executed; buried in unmarked grave in jail yard.

John Pawluck:
Confessions on the Prairies, Part II

November 4, 1935	John Pawluk murders wife Julia; buries her under a manure pile.
November 8, 1935	Pawluk tells wife’s family that Julia ran away.
November 1935	Pawluk tells several neighbours that he murdered his wife.
March 23, 1936	Pawluk murders neighbour.
March 1936	Neighbour of Pawluk tells police Pawluk confessed to murder of Julia.
March 27, 1936	Police start searching for Julia Pawluk in manure pile.
March 28, 1936	Police find remains of Julia Pawluk; arrest John for firearms offence.
March 30, 1936	John Pawluk charged with murdering his wife.
March 31, 1936	Pawluk tells cellmate he murdered his wife.
June 12, 1936	Pawluk convicted of murder; sentenced to death.
August 21, 1936	Executed; body buried in yard of Manitoba’s Headingley jail.

James Alfred Kelsey:
A Tendency to Talk Too Much

December 9, 1949	Kelsey and his brother murder cab driver Sam Delibasich.
December 10, 1949	Killers attempt to sell cab in Toronto; abandon it.
December 14, 1949	Toronto police tow cab to their compound.
December 17, 1949	Body of Delibasich discovered by a hunter near St. Catharines.
1951	Kelsey confesses his part in murder to his girlfriend.
September 1951	Kelsey confesses his part in murder to a childhood friend.
January 1952	Childhood friend tells police of Kelsey’s confession.
January 31, 1952	Brothers arrested and charged with murder.
March 10, 1952	At his preliminary hearing Kelsey confesses to the murder.
September 18, 1952	Kelsey convicted; to hang January 6, 1953; jury does not recommend mercy.
December 1952	Court of Appeal dismisses appeal; stays execution to March 10.
January 13, 1953	Brother of Kelsey found not guilty at his murder trial.
February 19, 1953	Supreme Court of Canada reserves judgment on Kelsey’s appeal.
March 16, 1953	Supreme Court dismisses Kelsey’s request for a new trial.
April 9, 1953	Federal cabinet commutes Kelsey’s sentence to life imprisonment.

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