CANADA Canada - Cheryl 'Lynne' Harper, 12, Clinton, Ont, 9 June 1959

[Stella]

I've been watching YT documentaries on the case. While it's admirable of law enforcement to do an exhumation for DNA, I'm shocked that none was recovered. Just as shocking is the fact that all evidence on the Harper case was thrown away. Which pretty much makes her murder unsolvable.

 

[marydetail]

I've been watching YT documentaries on the case. While it's admirable of law enforcement to do an exhumation for DNA, I'm shocked that none was recovered. Just as shocking is the fact that all evidence on the Harper case was thrown away. Which pretty much makes her murder unsolvable.

Hi. I have read the book Until You Are Dead twice and something tells me Truscott is guilty. His friend Butch came out in 2007 and stated that he saw his racer bike at the bush.

 

[Vern]

Hi. I have read the book Until You Are Dead twice and something tells me Truscott is guilty. His friend Butch came out in 2007 and stated that he saw his racer bike at the bush.

Ahh, Butch George ..., yet all the other witness' saw Stephen and Lynne cross over the bridge and by the bush towards the highway. Butch has had a different story each month since the day Lynne was murdered it seems. He'd be more credible without 10 story versions from him kicking about - I sure am not going to hang someon'e's guilt on anything Butch has to say. Including a girl who actually wrote a statement a day after Lynne disappeared, but was never called to testify.'

After reading the trial, appeals etc, I'm in the not guilty camp.

 

[Stella]

It's been forever since I read all the books about this case. Does anyone remember if the girl who claims she had a date with Steven Truscott that night was ever considered anything more than a witness? After listening to several documentaries on YT about the case, I get the impression that both this girl and Lynne Harper were crushing on him to the point of jealousy. Decades later, this now grown woman confided in 2 fellow nurses that she had lied to LE about that night and at Truscott's trial. I 99% believe in his innocence. Lynne Harper probably got in that car but the driver may have dropped her off and she started home through the woods toward Lawson's Bush. The other girl admitted she was there at Lawson's that same early evening, looking for Steven. Rape was never proven (no semen), only that she had been sexually penetrated. Could it have been with that stick by her body that was "ringed with blood"? A jealous female killer might do that. JMO.

 

[SIGMGZ]

I've been watching YT documentaries on the case. While it's admirable of law enforcement to do an exhumation for DNA, I'm shocked that none was recovered. Just as shocking is the fact that all evidence on the Harper case was thrown away. Which pretty much makes her murder unsolvable.

The evidence was likely throw away because it was no longer in shape to be of any use. It had been allowed to deteriorate by being improperly stored. Given the shape it was in, there was little or no chance any DNA would ever be found on it. Also Lynne Harper's body was in such bad shape that finding any DNA was impossible.

This makes it impossible to prove whether Truscott raped and murdered her , although the Harper family to this day belive he is quilty and there is enough circumstantial evidence to uphold the conviction.

Truscott was given an acquittal because he had already served considerable time, the evidence had deteriorated and was now useless, nearly 60 years had passed, witnessess had died or their memories had faded and there was no chance the Crown could have gotten a conviction.

Although they acquitted Truscott, the Crown made a point of declaring that he had not proven his innocence.

 

[Vern]

The evidence was likely throw away because it was no longer in shape to be of any use. It had been allowed to deteriorate by being improperly stored. Given the shape it was in, there was little or no chance any DNA would ever be found on it. Also Lynne Harper's body was in such bad shape that finding any DNA was impossible.

This makes it impossible to prove whether Truscott raped and murdered her , although the Harper family to this day belive he is quilty and there is enough circumstantial evidence to uphold the conviction.

Truscott was given an acquittal because he had already served considerable time, the evidence had deteriorated and was now useless, nearly 60 years had passed, witnessess had died or their memories had faded and there was no chance the Crown could have gotten a conviction.

Although they acquitted Truscott, the Crown made a point of declaring that he had not proven his innocence.

RBBM:
In context, they also made a point of stating that they could not 'prove' innocence because they had lost and destroyed the evidence. They also fully apologized and refused to try him again. Full context is very important. Many things have changed with evidence handling since 1959 and I wouldn't go so far as to state that they "improperly" stored it given that they probably did adhere to the standards of that timeframe.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/steven-truscott-to-get-6-5m-for-wrongful-conviction-1.742381#:~:text=The%20Ontario%20Court%20of%20Appeal%20finished%20its%20eight%2Dmonth%20review,has%20no%20plans%20to%20appeal.

Robins noted that the Ontario Court of Appeal did not declare Truscott factually innocent, but Robins said it would be impossible to ever do so since DNA evidence has been lost and destroyed, and witnesses have died. Robins said it would be unfair to punish Truscott because of this.

This case is very near and dear to me being in the military myself for the past 35 years (and grew up as a military BRAT) so much so that I recommended it to Othram a long time ago along with some contact info for him precisely because I quite believe that Truscott is factually and actually innocent and deserves to be 'proven' as such (or not). I hope for the day that the misplaced/lost boxes of evidence are found (probably in Tunney's Pasture).

 

[agathaholmes79]

Bumping this old case up again.

I wonder if it might be related to the unsolved murders in and around London, Ontario in the 1960's and 70's?

LINK:

CANADA - Canada - Unsolved murders of young people in London, Ont, 1960s-70s

I recall first hearing about this case in university. Very sad for the Harper's and sad that a young man's life was interrupted.

As we know, there was a serious deviant killer roaming among the military and it took years to catch him...his expensive tires on his truck gave him away in a roadside check after the murder of a woman. That man ( I do not want to name him) could have been starting out early in his sexual crimes and/or murders in all the bases he was stationed across Canada over the years. I wonder if his DNA has been collected and checked against similar crimes or unsolved murders, etc. in all the bases he was stationed at?

Just really thinking out loud... that crossed my mind before but never really put my thoughts to paper.
Thoughts to the families.