CANADA Canada - Margaret McWilliam, 21, Toronto, 27 Aug 1987 'Cinderella Murder'

dotr

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December 27 2016
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/12/27/still-no-leads-on-toronto-murder-case-27-years-later.html



She is file 36/87.

But for 21 years before that, she was known as Margaret Louise McWilliam.

On Aug. 27, 1987, McWilliam’s body was found in a secluded area of Warden Woods Park. She had been raped and badly beaten before being strangled with a piece of the jogging suit she was wearing. Police at that time said her face bore bruises from being punched, showing she had fought against her attacker.
In 2014 — 27 years after the murder — a DNA test revealed a “strong male profile” from skin cells left on McWilliam’s sweater.
Det.-Sgt. Stacy Gallant, head of the Toronto Police cold case squad said that since the DNA databank came into effect in 2000, a number of cold cases were revisited. McWilliam’s case was one of them

While the police have his DNA profile, the killer remains at large.
On the day she died, McWilliam left her basement apartment on Santamonica Blvd. at around 7 p.m. Police believe she jogged north on Santamonica to St. Clair Ave. E., went west on St. Clair Ave., passing the TTC station on Warden, and entered Warden Woods Park on the southwest corner of Warden and St. Clair. Police believe McWilliam was attacked as she jogged along the single-lane road that wound through the park.
Her body was found on the east side of the path.

Gallant said, because it was August, it would have been light even at 7 p.m. And although schools would have been out, the park would have many regular users — dog walkers and joggers. The area, at that time, was “very lush,” with a thick tree canopy, full of vegetation, so it would have been easy to pull someone off the trail and hide in the area.

The year that she died, McWilliam had worked as a dining room supervisor and receptionist at the Fellowship Towers senior citizens’ home — now Davenhill Senior Living – in the Yonge-Bloor area.

She was an earnest and well-liked employee, a 1987 report in the Star said.
Around 10 a.m., two hours after she didn’t show up for work on Friday, Aug. 28, the then-office manager of the senior citizens’ home, Marion Colbourne, called the house where McWilliam rented the basement.

He said McWilliam likely wasn’t targeted.

“It was more along the lines of the offender happened to be in the park as well and saw this as an opportunity because there was no one else around or (that the suspect) acted on those urges that just happened at the time.”

Who the man was is what the police are still trying to solve.
To that end, apart from the DNA profile, police have a fragmented old shoe print, and a grainy sketch of a potential witness.
]
The man was described as a light-skinned black man with a thin moustache, muscular build, in his early 20s and wearing a red hat.

For a while, as police were on the lookout for a certain kind of shoes thought to be worn by the killer, the case was known as the “Cinderella Murder.”

A distinctive running-shoe print found in the area where McWilliam was killed was another “extremely significant” lead the police worked on. A search was called for owners of Korean-made, gray and white vinyl-top shoes with the letters AAU printed on the heel. They sold for $29.99 exclusively at Bata Shoe Stores in Canada.
Police at that time said about 500 pairs of those shoes were sold, and about 50 suspects were eliminated by combing through sales records.

DNA evidence is a step forward, but police are still on the hunt for the man responsible.

Painting a psychological profile of the killer, he said the person responsible, likely, would not be able to maintain a normal relationship with a woman.
“There would likely be a lot of conflict in his relationships,” he said. “He likely would not be in a high-profile job, likely be in a low-end job, change jobs frequently, not an excellent communicator more so with women than men, likely now if not at that time abusing alcohol and drugs, may have had some sort of a traumatic family issue happening at the time surrounding whether it was family violence happening within his home, against his own mother, a discord with his mother . . . ”
Gallant is certain that the man who killed McWilliam would have given some hint to someone about his deed — made a comment — said something, made an indication to someone.

“And I need that person to come forward,” Gallant said. “And just give me that name. We can do the rest.”
 

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Very lengthy article.
http://globalnews.ca/news/2937940/c...s-moments-after-daughters-death-29-years-ago/
attachment.php


Margaret moved to Scarborough in 1987 and was working at a retirement residence while attending classes at Ryerson University.

She grew up in Deep River, Ont. and had dreams to cycle across the continent.
“She liked the outdoors,” Margaret’s mother Charlotte McWilliam told Global News. “She wasn’t the greatest athlete but she liked to cycle and swim.”
Margaret and her mother had planned a trip to go on a walking tour of England and in preparation for the trip, Margaret decided to take up running.
“Margaret thought she had to get into shape and she had told us she had discovered this really pleasant place near where she lived in Scarborough,” said Charlotte.
“There was a stream and it was woodsy and it was lovely … it was Warden Woods park. That’s where she went. She would see the wildflowers and she would never realize that there were dangers lurking very close at hand.”
 

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Published on Jul 17, 2015

In 1987, the year Margaret McWilliam was murdered in Toronto, there was no such thing as Geographic Profiling as it's done today. Developed in the 1990’s to identify serial killers, Geographic Profiling identifies the patterns of “between locations”, the place where the perpetrator lives, where they kill, and where they leave the body.

Even Margaret’s case began with no real sense of who the killer was, and no knowledge of similar victims. But Michael Arntfield and his team knew there were other aspects of what was developed in the 90’s that could help. One thing he wanted the team to figure out was which of the four key categories of Serial Killers Margaret’s murderer could fit into: The Hunter, who kills on their home turf; the Poacher, who attacks away from their home turf, and the Troller, who is opportunistic and whose locations are vary between the Hunter's and the Poacher's.

After evaluating the place where Margaret was found, the team became convinced that if Margaret’s Killer had killed before or after her murder, they could be either a Hunter or a Troller because of the proximity to residential homes and the hidden nature of where her body was found.
[video=youtube;P_n3m5wKQzc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_n3m5wKQzc[/video]
 
VIDEO
Cold Case Files: Ontario family search for answers around daughter’s death | Watch News Videos Online
Could people be targeting women working in hospital or retirement home settings? speculation, imo.
$50,000 reward offered in 1997 death of nursing assistant
"$50,000 reward offered in 1997 death of nursing assistant
January 2, 2018




Police have announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to arrest and conviction of a person in the 1997 death of Gracelyn Greenidge, 41. She was found dead from blunt force trauma in her apartment at 50 Driftwood Avenue on the evening of July 29, 1997. As reported by police this week, Ms. Greenidge led an exemplary life as a nursing assistant. Her body was discovered after a co-worker who was concerned she had not come to work raised the alarm. She had last been seen leaving the Christie Street Seniors Residence at 11:30 p.m. on July 28, 1997. Police have DNA from the scene. The resulting profile has been used to eliminate men who knew Gracelyn as well as checked against the national DNA databank. “We have the killer’s DNA, now we just need a name to go with the DNA, nothing more,” said Cold Case Detective Sergeant Stacy Gallant. “Anyone who knew Gracelyn who did not speak to the police during the original investigation is asked to contact Cold Case investigators immediately. You may have the key to this case and not realize it.” Gallant said there are surely others who know what this man has done but have never come forward.

CASES WHERE DNA IS ON HAND

Police also have DNA in the Cold Cases of Margaret McWilliam, murdered in Scarborough in 1987 and in the case of murdered nurse Sonia Varaschin, 42. She was killed in August 30, 2010 in her modest home on a quiet little street in Orangeville. In none of these cases have police been able to put a name next to the identifying genetic material.
 
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I imagine folks MUST have commented on this already, but: MY WORD! Margaret McWilliam looks very like a young Sonia Varaschin in those photos above. I had to look TWICE and read to confirm Margaret's was not simply a younger photo of Sonia. While I understand LE in this case believe Margaret's murder was not targeted (more a crime of opportunity) and in Sonia's that she was known to her killer and targeted specifically, I wonder if Sonia could have reminded him of the earlier, random crime? It is another small connection that they were both murdered at the end of August (1987/2010).
Dotr, you present another possible connection in asking if someone is targeting health care workers.... Since there is, apparently, DNA from both murders I assume a link has been ruled out (or we would have learned of a connection?) But to me the resemblance seems UNCANNY.
 
I imagine folks MUST have commented on this already, but: MY WORD! Margaret McWilliam looks very like a young Sonia Varaschin in those photos above. I had to look TWICE and read to confirm Margaret's was not simply a younger photo of Sonia. While I understand LE in this case believe Margaret's murder was not targeted (more a crime of opportunity) and in Sonia's that she was known to her killer and targeted specifically, I wonder if Sonia could have reminded him of the earlier, random crime? It is another small connection that they were both murdered at the end of August (1987/2010).
Dotr, you present another possible connection in asking if someone is targeting health care workers.... Since there is, apparently, DNA from both murders I assume a link has been ruled out (or we would have learned of a connection?) But to me the resemblance seems UNCANNY.
Nice to "see" you 2soccermom!
Had meant to comment also on the similar appearance of the women but did not get around to it, thanks for mentioning that!
 
Dotr! Once more thanks for posting the images of MM and SV together AND suggesting a link by their work in health care; I would never have seen the physical similarity between them otherwise (I certainly didn't have MM's murder on my radar). Do others see visual similarity? Has LE ever suggested any connection?
 
COLD CASE: Margaret McWilliam killer remains at large since 1987
•Mar 9, 2020
680 news.
Fil martino sat down with Detective Constable Andrew Doyle with Toronto's cold case unit about the ongoing case.
 
Interesting that a UK murder was also dubbed The Cinderalla murder.
Bedsit Killer probed over barmaid, 24, found dead miles from sicko's home

We know that Fuller toured with a popular band as their unofficial photographer and possibly went abroad. I need to look into this case in Toronto and read through a bit. He left his shoe print on one of the Tunbridge Wells bedist victims and the other one being investigated involves a shoe print.
The shoe print found on McWilliam was obviously a Canadian make or shoe but not ruling out just yet.
 
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Was the tour band Cutting Crew doing any local tours at the time of the murder as murderer David Fuller was one of their unofficial photographers and followed them everywhere. Apparently thousands was spent travelling so could have gone to some of the Canadian tours.
 
Interesting that a UK murder was also dubbed The Cinderalla murder.
Bedsit Killer probed over barmaid, 24, found dead miles from sicko's home

We know that Fuller toured with a popular band as their unofficial photographer and possibly went abroad. I need to look into this case in Toronto and read through a bit. He left his shoe print on one of the Tunbridge Wells bedist victims and the other one being investigated involves a shoe print.
The shoe print found on McWilliam was obviously a Canadian make or shoe but not ruling out just yet.
David Fuller 'regularly cheated on his wife', murder trial hears
0_David-Fuller-court-case.jpg

Court artist sketch of David Fuller appearing via video link at Maidstone Crown Court via video link in December 2020 (Image: Elizabeth Cook/PA Wire)
''Hospital electrician David Fuller had 'a roving eye' and regularly cheated on his wife, a murder jury has heard today (November 3).

The three-times married pensioner and unofficial photographer for 80s band Cutting Crew was said to have flirted with his sister-in-law not long after he married and had an affair with a colleague.''
rbbm
 
Was the tour band Cutting Crew doing any local tours at the time of the murder as murderer David Fuller was one of their unofficial photographers and followed them everywhere. Apparently thousands was spent travelling so could have gone to some of the Canadian tours.

Cutting Crew was in Calgary on July 13, 1987.

Search for setlists: artist:(Cutting Crew) date:[1987-01-01 TO 1987-12-31] | setlist.fm

It seems they did one performance (on the other side of the country), but I don't know if this list is complete. The band had Canadian members.

Wendy Knell was murdered on June 23, 1987. Both of the victims shown here had dark hair.

David Fuller 'regularly cheated on his wife', murder trial hears

Interestingly, the lead vocalist was discovered while working as a hospital orderly.

Nick Van Eede - Wikipedia
https://www.concertarchives.org/bands/cutting-crew
 
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Interesting that a UK murder was also dubbed The Cinderalla murder.
Bedsit Killer probed over barmaid, 24, found dead miles from sicko's home

We know that Fuller toured with a popular band as their unofficial photographer and possibly went abroad. I need to look into this case in Toronto and read through a bit. He left his shoe print on one of the Tunbridge Wells bedist victims and the other one being investigated involves a shoe print.
The shoe print found on McWilliam was obviously a Canadian make or shoe but not ruling out just yet.

See photo here:

How depraved Bedsit Killer David Fuller got away with abusing corpses for years

He was a cyclist! Margaret McWilliam was a cyclist who dreamed of cycling across the continent, as described in this link provided by dotr earlier in this thread.

Cold Case Files: Ontario family recalls moments after daughter’s death 29 years ago | Globalnews.ca

"Margaret and her mother had planned a trip to go on a walking tour of England and in preparation for the trip, Margaret decided to take up running."

A talking point, perhaps?

Also note his appearance in the cycling photo. Here are the running shoes police thought were worn by Margaret's killer.

aau sneakers — The Deffest®. A vintage and retro sneaker blog. — Vintage Ads
 
See photo here:

How depraved Bedsit Killer David Fuller got away with abusing corpses for years

He was a cyclist! Margaret McWilliam was a cyclist who dreamed of cycling across the continent, as described in this link provided by dotr earlier in this thread.

Cold Case Files: Ontario family recalls moments after daughter’s death 29 years ago | Globalnews.ca

"Margaret and her mother had planned a trip to go on a walking tour of England and in preparation for the trip, Margaret decided to take up running."

A talking point, perhaps?

Also note his appearance in the cycling photo. Here are the running shoes police thought were worn by Margaret's killer.

aau sneakers — The Deffest®. A vintage and retro sneaker blog. — Vintage Ads
Do we know where in the UK Margaret was planning the visit for her UK walking holiday. Fuller had Portsmouth in Hampshire and Tunbridge Wells, Kent connections.
 
I'm confused by all the posts about David Fuller.
Fuller has just been charged in the UK for Tunbridge Wells bedsit murders.
His MO was to strangle his victims then rape them post mortem.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theargus.co.uk/news/19695378.amp/
He followed the Cutting Crew band as their unofficial photographer and spent thousands of pounds following them around. They did quite a few gigs in Canada so he may have come to Canada.
Fuller was a keen cyclist and enjoyed cycling tours.
Fuller left a shoe print at one of his crime scenes.
He is being looked into but has not been charged for two woodland murders here in the UK called Bedgebury Forest murders.
Police are as also seeing if he is linked to the UK Cinderella murder.
I came across Toronto, 27 Aug 1987 'Cinderella Murder' by chance when googling the other one.
 
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