Ontario man declared dead in 1986 found alive in U.S., police say

dotr · Aug 25, 2014

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...ead_in_1986_found_alive_in_us_police_say.html

"LONDON, ONT.—A man missing for almost 40 years and declared dead by the courts has been confirmed alive by Ontario Provincial Police.

Police say Ronald Stan, who was reported missing after a 1977 fire in a rural area near London, Ont., has been found alive and residing under an “assumed identity” in the United States.

Officers with the Middlesex County detachment and the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office conducted an investigation after an early-morning barn fire on Sept. 29, 1977, in the former Township of East Williams.

In 1986, almost nine years after his disappearance, the missing man was declared deceased by the courts."

dotr · Aug 25, 2014

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/winds...man-missing-since-1977-found-in-u-s-1.2745981

"But in July 2014, a routine audit of the case reopened the investigation into his disappearance, and found he was alive.

The OPP discovered that Stan, now 69 years old, had been living in the U.S. under the name Jeff Walton.

Police have contacted the families affected by the discovery.

U.S. authorities have also been notified"

newone · Aug 25, 2014

will be interesting to see if US authorities prosecute him

al66pine · Aug 25, 2014

newone said:
will be interesting to see if US authorities prosecute him

Maybe I read links too quickly.
Prosecute him for....what, pls.?

Woodland · Aug 25, 2014

This case puts some perspective on other cases, imo. Some people do just want to disappear and start again. Unfortunately LE cannot become complacent - one never knows what the circumstances are. Jmo.

newone · Aug 25, 2014

al66pine said:
Maybe I read links too quickly.
Prosecute him for....what, pls.?

assuming a new identity in USA -
did he pass himself off as American or vote ((he was Canadian))

Kaliste · Aug 25, 2014

Spam on here? That's a new one! Mods alerted.

Anyway, wonder how Ronald's family is feeling right now!!

Kimster · Aug 25, 2014

Kaliste said:
Spam on here? That's a new one! Mods alerted.

Anyway, wonder how Ronald's family is feeling right now!!

It can happen anywhere, anytime.

:lurk:

dotr · Aug 25, 2014

Kaliste said:
Spam on here? That's a new one! Mods alerted.

Anyway, wonder how Ronald's family is feeling right now!!

Either very happy or very mad, imo.
Confused about ' spam ' comments, did I miss something??

musicaljoke · Aug 25, 2014

Jim Walsh, a member of the Ailsa Craig volunteer fire department, remembers fighting the fire that broke out in a large hog barn about 2 a.m.

"It was totally engulfed when we got there. The barn was full of pigs," said Walsh.

It was believed the missing man was in the barn.

"We dug through dead pigs and you name it, up to our knees all that day, hunting for human remains," Walsh said.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/winds...man-missing-since-1977-found-in-u-s-1.2745981

musicaljoke · Aug 25, 2014

He left behind a wife and two children. And he currently has a different wife and son.

http://www.lfpress.com/2014/08/25/m...37-years-ago-found-alive-in-the-united-states

dotr · Aug 25, 2014

musicaljoke said:
He left behind a wife and two children. And he currently has a different wife and son.

http://www.lfpress.com/2014/08/25/m...37-years-ago-found-alive-in-the-united-states

What a shame for those firefighters working so hard in those conditions trying to find him, not all the swine perished, imo.

from link.
"One former firefighter, Jim Walsh, still vividly recalls poking through the burned-out remains and hog carcasses, with dozens of other volunteers, desperately looking for human remains.

“We dug through those pigs and it was horrible, just horrible,” Walsh said.

“It was a gruesome thing, and especially since we were looking for somebody. It’s one you don’t forget.”

Stan was never found.

Left behind, relatives say, was a wife and two young children"

Indy Anna · Aug 25, 2014

musicaljoke said:
Jim Walsh, a member of the Ailsa Craig volunteer fire department, remembers fighting the fire that broke out in a large hog barn about 2 a.m.

"It was totally engulfed when we got there. The barn was full of pigs," said Walsh.

It was believed the missing man was in the barn.

"We dug through dead pigs and you name it, up to our knees all that day, hunting for human remains," Walsh said.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/winds...man-missing-since-1977-found-in-u-s-1.2745981

If Stan/Walton staged the fire, I would think he'd be prosecuted in Canada for arson. Not to mention, to reimburse the fire dept. for their efforts looking for him (putting their lives at risk), with interest. Are there also laws in Canada against cruelty to animals?

Indy Anna · Aug 25, 2014

dotr said:
Either very happy or very mad, imo.
Confused about ' spam ' comments, did I miss something??

I think his first wife would be furious. :fuse:

Kaliste · Aug 25, 2014

dotr said:
Either very happy or very mad, imo.
Confused about ' spam ' comments, did I miss something??

There was a spammy post with questionable links about handbags from a new user. Mods cleaned it up within minutes! They are great at what they do because it's the first post like that I've seen in my many years here.

Kaliste · Aug 25, 2014

Indy Anna said:
I think his first wife would be furious. :fuse:

It certainly wouldn't go over well in my house!!

Confusion · Aug 25, 2014

al66pine said:
Maybe I read links too quickly.
Prosecute him for....what, pls.?

If someone had crossed the southern border under the same circumstances, I know a lot of people would be insisting that he be prosecuted, or at least deported, as an illegal alien. His 2nd marriage could also be a problem; either he committed bigamy or she married a "dead" man. MOO

Sweetgrits · Aug 25, 2014

I can kind of understand if someone wants to leave their lives and start over somewhere else but...IMO doing this and leaving behind children who had to grow up without their father is just horrific and it's a shame you can't be prosecuted just for being a . Finding out now that your father just up and left instead of dying in a terrible fire and continued his life with another wife and kids is just so wrong. I cannot think of even one good reason for doing this to your children, NOT ONE! Even though they are adults now it has to be so painful to wonder what was wrong with them that dad didn't care enough to be there for them all those years. Situations like this are so wrong for everyone involved. Prayers to both families. All is JMO

musicaljoke · Aug 27, 2014

Stan's American wife has filed for divorce upon hearing about his past, and how he deserted his first wife and kids. He must have told her a whopping pile of lies. I don't blame her at all.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/26/ronald-stan-missing_n_5718535.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

dotr · Sep 14, 2014

Huge article today..

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/201...ronald_stan_lust_lies_and_a_new_identity.html

"It was 1977 when Stan bolted into the forest to begin a new life. Now, 37 years, three more wives and another child later, Stans world would turn to ash again. The Ontario Provincial Police discovered he was living in Oklahoma as Jeff Walton, a 69-year-old plumber with a wife and 35-year-old son. His family there had no knowledge of the barn fire, his disappearance, and the Canadian wife, toddler and newborn child left behind.

For those 37 years he lived a clumsily constructed lie, stumbling and crawling through the boozy corners of New Orleans and leveraging his charm with women to forge and temper his new identity. His first American wife, Rose Ann Walton, says he could charm a snake.

He is a man consumed by remorse but aware of the self-wrought nature of his plight. His most recent wife, Debra Proctor, unceremoniously divorced him, taking everything after she uncovered the lie beneath Jeff Walton."

Ontario man declared dead in 1986 found alive in U.S., police say

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