Canada - Vancouver, B.C. - Vicki Rosalind Black, 23, Mar. 23, 1993-solved

[Niner]

Just heard about this case being solved and didn't see a thread for Vicki.

Murder charge laid in 1993 cold case of Vancouver woman found in dumpster

Police in B.C. believe they have finally cracked the cold case of a Vancouver woman murdered over a quarter-century ago.

Vicki Black was 23 years old in March 1993 when her body was discovered, wrapped in a bedsheet, in a dumpster in the 2000-block of East Hastings in Vancouver.

Stephen Laroche has been charged with second-degree murder. He appeared in a Vancouver courtroom on Friday and is scheduled to appear in court again on Dec. 2.


B.C. RCMP announce charges in 1993 homicide of 23-year-old Vicki Black - Medicine Hat News

VANCOUVER – The RCMP in British Columbia say a man is in custody and facing a murder charge in the homicide of a 23-year-old woman in Vancouver in 1993.

The Mounties announced in a news release Friday that Stephen Laroche has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Vicki Black.

They say a Vancouver police review led to the file being transferred to the provincial unsolved homicide unit.

Vancouver police had already identified a suspect and the unsolved homicide unit worked to gather enough evidence to support a charge.

As a result, the new release says Laroche was arrested in Oakville, Ont., with the help of Hamilton police, and appeared in a Vancouver courtroom on Friday morning.

His next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 2.

 

[dotr]

Thanks Niner for starting this thread!
Scary to think that this alleged Vancouver killer has been located in Ontario, hoping his photo will be posted. imo.
rbbm.
B.C. RCMP announce charges in 1993 homicide of 23-year-old Vicki Black

British Columbia RCMP say a man is in custody and facing a murder charge in the homicide of a 23-year-old woman in Vancouver in 1993. Vicki Black is seen in an undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-RCMP, **
"VANCOUVER — The RCMP in British Columbia say a man is in custody and facing a murder charge in the homicide of a 23-year-old woman in Vancouver in 1993.

The Mounties announced in a news release Friday that Stephen Laroche has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Vicki Black".

They say a Vancouver police review led to the file being transferred to the provincial unsolved homicide unit.

Vancouver police had already identified a suspect and the unsolved homicide unit worked to gather enough evidence to support a charge.

As a result, the new release says Laroche was arrested in Oakville, Ont., with the help of Hamilton police, and appeared in a Vancouver courtroom on Friday morning"

 

[Niner]

Oh shoot - I was going to post a picture of Vicki - I'm glad you did @dotr! Thanks!

 

[Niner]

@dotr - none of the articles I've seen have Laroche's age - any idea?

TIA!

 

[dotr]

@dotr - none of the articles I've seen have Laroche's age - any idea?

TIA!

rbbm
After 26 years, suspect arrested and charged in cold-case murder of 23-year-old Vancouver woman
"The homicide unit and the Hamilton Police Service arrested Stephen Laroche in Oakville, Ontario. Laroche, born in 1968, is now charged with second-degree murder for the death of Black.

He appeared in court in Vancouver today and his next appearance in court will be on December 2."

 

[Niner]

Monday, December 2nd:
*Hearing (@ am PT) – Canada-B.C. – Vicki Rosalind Black (23) (March 23, 1993, Vancouver) - *Stephen Laroche (51/25 @ time of crime) arrested & charged (11/29/19) with 2nd degree murder.
11/29/19 Update: appeared in court, next hearing on Monday, 12/2.

 

[Niner]

Not getting any updated articles over here - how about you @dotr ?? Any "new" court dates that you can find? TIA!

 

[dotr]

Dec 4 2019
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vicki-black-cold-case-dave-dickson-1.5383348

"Dave Dickson was a constable with the Vancouver police at the time, who knew Black, 23, as a sweet kid who had been hanging around the Downtown Eastside for a couple of years.

He carried the sheet in which she was found around the city, trying to find out where it could have come from.

"I remember it. And how upset I was. It used to hit me real hard," he said.

Twenty-six years later, a man named Steven Laroche was charged with Black's murder. Earlier this week, when Laroche made an appearance by video in Vancouver Provincial Court, Dickson was one of the only people there, sitting by himself, third row from the front.

Dickson worked on the Downtown Eastside from 1980 to 2008. He said he "always thought Vicki's case was solvable," but he won't know what evidence led them to bring charges until the court case. He said he's dying to know."

"While he's come a long way from jotting down names in a notebook beside his bed, and feels "extremely happy" that this cold case has been solved, Dickson doesn't believe the legacy of that dark time is over.

"I'm still convinced that there are other girls out there missing that have never been reported."

Dickson started compiling his list of names in 1997. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC)

 

[dotr]

Not getting any updated articles over here - how about you @dotr ?? Any "new" court dates that you can find? TIA!

The latest article that i could find is that SL had his court date on Monday, Dec 2 2019.
"Laroche’s next court appearance is set for Dec. 2".
Charges laid in 1993 killing of young Vancouver woman - 100 Mile House Free Press

 

[Niner]

Thanks for checking!

 

[Niner]

@dotr - any "new" news on next court date? Not getting any recent articles over here....

 

[dotr]

Dec 3 2019
HUNTER: Ontario arrest brings comfort to slain B.C. woman’s family
"Poor Black was discovered on March 4, 1993. Her body had been wrapped in a bedsheet and tossed in a dumpster like so much trash."
"Cops went door-to-door in search of the missing piece of the puzzle that would link her violent death to a killer."
"At the time, the strongest clue detectives had was the bedsheet that Black’s body was wrapped in.
They appealed to the public … and nothing.
One woman summed up the neighbourhood’s sense of fear in an interview with the Vancouver Sun.
“But I don’t care what she did,” said the woman who went by Diandra.
“This is a hell of a way to live, but nobody deserves to end up like that.”
"Eventually, despite cops’ best efforts, the murder was marked cold and kicked up to B.C.’s Provincial Unsolved Homicide Unit.

It took decades but cold case cops built on the heavy lifting done by Vancouver detectives."
Their long odyssey ended in Oakville last week when they put the bracelets on Laroche, believed to be 51 years old".

How they tied Laroche to the murder isn’t clear and cops aren’t saying at this point in the game.

Little information was available for the man now charged with second-degree murder.

 

[dotr]

@dotr - any "new" news on next court date? Not getting any recent articles over here....

No new news, it seems there is not much info. on the suspect and i am beginning to wonder if there are any similar cases here in Ontario (where he was arrested) that LE might be looking into, hence the lack of info?
speculation, imo.

 

[Niner]

Thank you for checking @dotr much appreciated!

 

[tommyR]

I hope this arrest isn't the result of a Mr. Big sting the RCMP are fond of. That kind of evidence shouldn't even be admissible IMO. I hope they nailed this guy on DNA.

 

[Niner]

@dotr - just asking you if you have found anything current? TIA!

 

[dotr]

@dotr - just asking you if you have found anything current? TIA!

No, went hunting and caught nothing!
Still cannot even find a pic of the alleged perp, assuming there must be a reason..
speculation, imo.

 

[Niner]

No, went hunting and caught nothing!
Still cannot even find a pic of the alleged perp, assuming there must be a reason..
speculation, imo.

Thanks for checking!

 

[Niner]

Another bump for this case @dotr - anything? TIA!

 

[dotr]

Another bump for this case @dotr - anything? TIA!

Oddly, still cannot seem to find an update for this case.