Canada - Christine Jessop, 9, Queensville, Ont, 3 Oct 1984 *killer identified* #3

[Indy_ar]

Probably not because the family and LE were convinced GPM was the killer. It wasn’t until more than 10 years later that he was exonerated by DNA. I think we all agree it was a botched investigation from the very beginning, for many reasons. GPM fit the profile of the most likely suspect, not even the family suspected CH - an example the perpetrator is not always the obvious.

I agree, and since they had a suspect, it is unlikely that the police had told the property owner that CH had connection with the Jessop's family. They probably did not mention it.

 

[deugirtni]

It was known to be the man’s property where the body was found while he was still alive, that wasn’t learned just recently.

One of the questions I wonder about is why CH didn’t go back and bury the body somewhere so she’d never be found. The only answer I can think of, he was confident nobody would ever connect him. Other than through DNA, a technology which hadn’t been invented at that time, nobody did.

I don't remember ever reading that the property-owner where CJ's body was found was the Sunderland friend of CH's? Is there a link?

 

[Forest_Wood]

So the property owner had this dead child appear on his property. His friend Calvin and his wife, were friends with the child’s parents. The property owner didn’t see a coincidence? Didn’t think to mention it to the police? Do I understand this correctly?

I don’t think she was found on the property of CH’s friend. I understood the article to say that CH knew that area because he used to hang around the back fields with a childhood friend who lived around the Sunderland area. I get the impression they must have done a lot of 4-wheeling or trail biking or snowmobiling around the back fields and woods in the area. And because of CH’s knowledge of the area from hanging out with his old friend, he drove there because he knew it was secluded. The field where she was found could have been on anybody’s property imo where there was easy access by car.

 

[MistyWaters]

I don't remember ever reading that the property-owner where CJ's body was found was the Sunderland friend of CH's? Is there a link?

Other than information within the article quoted in post #416, whether it was the rural property where CJs body was found or land that was close by, I’m not sure.

 

[othram]

Probably not because the family and LE were convinced GPM was the killer. It wasn’t until more than 10 years later that he was exonerated by DNA. I think we all agree it was a botched investigation from the very beginning, for many reasons. GPM fit the profile of the most likely suspect, not even the family suspected CH - an example the perpetrator is not always the obvious.

Unfortunately he was hiding in plain sight as so many times, these perpetrators do.

 

[MistyWaters]

Unfortunately he was hiding in plain sight as so many times, these perpetrators do.

Yes, and so often judgements are based on appearance and behaviour. In my opinion the reason CH was never looked at was because it was convenient to pin the crime on “a weird type guy”. Even after he was exonerated it wouldn’t surprise me if many still believed he was involved, much like the 2nd jury who initially found him guilty.

Guy Paul Morin - Innocence Canada

 

[Keswick84]

We can't assume it was his friends property, only that he knew the area.

As we get more info, the more simpler the answers to the questions get. CH wasn't interviewed, just bad police work from top to bottom in this case.

 

[Keswick84]

IMO, precisely because it was so early in the investigation, they would not have been looking for a suspect. A suspect for what? They didn't even know a crime had been committed! IMO, they would have been primarily looking for Christine herself, who, at that stage, could have very likely been a runaway.

If I were in the position of LE, I'd have interviewed HH as an observant, close friend of the family, in order to get an outsider's perspective on the family itself: each of the family members (are they reliable, how did they treat Christine, what kind of person was she, how did she behave around her family and strangers? ), and then also the circumstances of the whole situation (father in jail, etc). They probably interviewed her teachers, and the parents of her friends, and her friends, in case she had talked about somewhere she liked to go hide, etc.

Unfortunately, you can't just believe everything a mother says, you do need corroboration. And then, did HH have any facts or suspicions to share that might help the investigation. If she'd said "I noticed my husband leering at her, and he's acting weird, and I bet he abducted, raped, killed her and left her somewhere where she won't be found", you bet they'd have interviewed him.

York and Durham didn't even have homicide departments back then. It was a missing person's case from the beginning...just a bad series of events.

 

[Deleted member 275109]

It’s been about 8 months since police revealed the name of the monster who killed Christine. They’ve had some time to further match his DNA and investigate what he was up to since the murder. Would they know by now if he was responsible for other crimes? Would they announce it if they found no further links to him? Is it safe to think he didn’t hurt anyone else since there have been no more news releases or is there still a chance that there’s more to come?

 

[jobo]

I don’t think she was found on the property of CH’s friend. I understood the article to say that CH knew that area because he used to hang around the back fields with a childhood friend who lived around the Sunderland area. I get the impression they must have done a lot of 4-wheeling or trail biking or snowmobiling around the back fields and woods in the area. And because of CH’s knowledge of the area from hanging out with his old friend, he drove there because he knew it was secluded. The field where she was found could have been on anybody’s property imo where there was easy access by car.

So many times expressed my belief that whoever murdered Christine HAD TO KNOW the property….it does have a long dirt driveway coming off the quiet county road, and I always said there’s no way a random person would pick that location..had to be somewhat familiar with Sunderland area.
And coincidentally, the owner of the trailer at the back of the property hadn’t been up in a while.
Never has been confirmed whether CH knew them…But as you say, CH four wheeled around there with another Sunderland buddy…not the trailer owner.
I have spent a lot of time on this crime..and never read anyone else confirm that the perp knew of the area…until AFTER his guilt was established.
I knew it ..I just knew because I do know the area between Queensville and where Christine was found.
I also knew the perp had to have been someone who knew the family.

 

[Track]

Copied from contributor Crimesolver on websleuths thread. “Playing on a swing set in a Hamilton (a city 75 km southwest of Toronto) park near Fennell Ave. E. and Upper Ottawa St., just three blocks from her home, 4-year-old Cindy Williams was abducted on Friday, July 26th, 1974. The youngster had been playing with friends when, the children who witnessed the abduction later stated, a black Ford with a stripe on the hood, red primer paint on the driver’s door, and patches on the right front fender and hood, pulled up. Cindy ran over and climbed into the car. Earlier in the day, a 6-year-old acquaintance had seen her talking to a man in a dark suit. It was believed the man may have arranged to pick her up at the park later with the promise of candy or a doll.
On Wednesday, April 30th, 1975, a man gathering moss with his two children found a skull later identified as Cindy’s in a shallow grave near Grover Rd. and Highway 53 in the Burlington area, about 8 km from the abduction scene. Police found additional bones nearby, as well as the child’s shorts and running shoes. No further information in the newspaper on possible leads or suspects.”
Does anyone know if this case was solved? If not, perhaps the record of vehicles belonging to Christine Jessop’s killer, Calvin Hoover, should be examined. Perhaps his ex wife and others who knew him might remember if this very distinct sounding vehicle was one he drove at any time.

 

[Deleted member 275109]

Track, as you say, that’s a distinct vehicle. It’s hard to believe no one could identify the driver. What are the chances that there was a second one just like it? However, without social media, cable, internet, word didn’t get around like it does today. It would be good if the story was posted on the news or social media as someone may have old photos at home of a family member with that vehicle. Or it may remind someone of an old vehicle a neighbour owned that suddenly got a new paint job etc.

 

[SolVic]

Still waiting for any new information on Hoover.

 

[Deleted member 275109]

Still waiting for any new information on Hoover.

Maybe the lack of updates is good news. Maybe he did only commit the one crime and live a miserable life of regret after that. Perhaps there are no new updates because the police haven’t uncovered anything else.

 

[MistyWaters]

Maybe the lack of updates is good news. Maybe he did only commit the one crime and live a miserable life of regret after that. Perhaps there are no new updates because the police haven’t uncovered anything else.

Yes I agree, if any unsolved crime involved another DNA match I think it’d be known by now. Unless CH can be conclusively pinned to another crime, it’s better for LE not to assume the perp was he, a now-deceased man who will never face legal consequences, just to close a cold case file with no chance of a future arrest of a perpetrator who might still be living.

JMO

 

[SolVic]

Didn’t someone in a previous thread link an article about Hoover’s son finding him dead?

 

[Forest_Wood]

Didn’t someone in a previous thread link an article about Hoover’s son finding him dead?

Who was Calvin Hoover? The man Toronto police say killed 9-year-old Christine Jessop in 1984 | Globalnews.ca

This might be the article: "Global News also learned that Hoover was living in Port Hope on a rural property in 2015 when he died, from asphyxiation. His son who was away at the time came home to find his father hanging in the garage. Hoover had taken his own life."

 

[CastlesBurning]

DNA technology best hope to solve murder cold cases, former cop says | Vancouver Sun

 

[othram]

We are thrilled with the uptake of the method. We work with the Toronto Police Service but also multiple divisions of the RCMP and also other local agencies throughout Canada!

 

[Andreee]

We are thrilled with the uptake of the method. We work with the Toronto Police Service but also multiple divisions of the RCMP and also other local agencies throughout Canada!

As a Canadian, glad to hear this!