Deceased/Not Found Canada - Alvin, 66, & Kathy Liknes, 53, Nathan O'Brien, 5, Calgary, 30 Jun 2014 - #11

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Sillybilly

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Nothing that would be considered a forest. There may be a few trees/bushes near the Elbow River, though. But not enough to conceal a body or bodies.
The crime scene is pretty close to the downtown area.

Anyone who is more local can probably give better insight than me.
I don't live in Calgary, but I do have general knowledge about the city.

Google streetview shows this at the end of their street (about 4 houses down from the Liknes' home):



It's the Elbow River Pathway (iirc) that runs alongside the river.
 
AMBER Alert issued for missing five-year-old from Calgary

Calgary police are investigating the disappearance of a five-year-old child and his grandparents from a home in the southwest and issued an AMBER Alert on Monday afternoon.

Police were called to a home in the 100 block of 38A Avenue SW at about 10:00 a.m. Monday by a mother who went to the home to pick up her son who was staying with his grandparents.

The three were not at the residence and have not been located despite efforts by police.


Investigators say evidence at the scene suggests their disappearance may be suspicious.
full article:
http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/amber-alert-issued-for-missing-five-year-old-from-calgary-1.1893711

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*Media, Maps & Timeline*

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...ia-Maps-amp-Timeline*&p=10713927#post10713927

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REVISED TIMELINE DATED JULY 16, 2014

SUMMARY OF ADDITIONS/CORRECTIONS INCLUDED IN THIS REVISION (in blue font):


1960 added DG aliases
1961 corrected Kathryn’s maiden name Prevost
1973 DG’s parents bought the Airdrie property
1980 DG attended Univ of Alberta (approx)
1980 DG applied for his own SIN in his own name
1988 charge of prohibited weapon dismissed
1989 assault charge stayed
1992 October charges listed in BC court registry
1992 (correction re Can Test .. in charge of 30 not 15 employees
1993 DG gets SIN and DL in the name of Matthew Hartley
1998 October charges listed in BC court registry
2000 DG released between June 19, 2000 and October 2000 after serving 1/6 of a 39 month sentence
2005 March lawsuit, DG v. Ministry of National Revenue
2006 FC said he carried gun because people wanted to hurt him
2008 Corrected that Nathan O’Brien born 2008, not 2009
2014 January FC released from prison
June 30 CL arrival at L home
July 2 LE says grandparents not considered suspects
July 2 lights on in greenhouse, burning all day long
July 7 DG’s parents’ pastor says they are doing as well as can be expected
July 13 The Liknes home was released as a crime scene
July 13 homicide detectives conclude 3 family members murdered
July 14 DG re-arrested early morning hours near his parents’ farm in Airdrie
July 14 LE presser re arrest and charges to be laid later
July 14 DG formally charged
July 16 second court appearance for DG
Aug 14 third scheduled appearance for DG



REVISED TIMELINE:

1948 Alvin Cecil Liknes born (Alvin, AL)

1960 Douglas Robert Garland born Jan 27 1960 (DG aka Douglas Garland, Matthew Kemper Hartley, Douglas John Garland)

1961 Kathryn Faye Prevost born (Kathryn Liknes, Kathryn, KL, KFL)

1973 DG’s parents bought the Airdrie property, 273149 RR 291, Airdrie, AB

1980s Alvin involved in civil lawsuit(s) in 80s and 90s

1980s exact dates unknown, DG studied science at the Univ of Alberta with plans to become a doctor. He left school without finishing a degree (apparently caught cheating, subsequently claimed he had a nervous breakdown)

1980 DG applied for his own SIN in his own name

1980 October 29 Head-on collision 6 km southeast of Cardston, AB claimed the lives of Jill Lorene Hartley and Matthew Kemper Hartley

1988 charge of prohibited weapon dismissed against DG

1989 assault charge stayed against DG

1989 approx year Alvin and Kathryn married (Alvin previously m. to SB)

1990s Alvin involved in civil lawsuit(s) in 80s and 90s

1992 October 23 drug raid at Garland farm. LE found beakers, Bunsen burners and boxes of chemicals used in the manufacture of meth. Evidence was also located at a rented facility in Crossfield, AB. DG disappeared for 7 years after the raid and assumed the identity of Matthew Kemper Hartley.

1992 October 23 – charges listed in BC court registry under file #42183-1-H (against Douglas ROBERT Garland):

FDA - 39(1) Traffic in a controlled drug Commit GARLAND, DOUGLAS Robert
CCC - 353(1)(b) possessing automobile master key Commit GARLAND, DOUGLAS Robert
CCC - 351(1) Possess break-in instrument Commit GARLAND, DOUGLAS Robert
CCC - 351(1) Possess break-in instrument Commit GARLAND, DOUGLAS Robert
CCC - 351(1) Possess break-in instrument Commit GARLAND, DOUGLAS Robert
CCC - 354 Possession of property obtained by crime Commit GARLAND, DOUGLAS Robert
CCC - 90(1) Possession of a prohibited weapon Commit GARLAND, DOUGLAS Robert

1992 November 20 – charges listed in BC court registry under file #42183-1-H (against Douglas ROBERT Garland):

CCC - 355(a) PSP - Over $1,000 Commit GARLAND, DOUGLAS Robert
CCC - 355(b) PSP - Under $1,000 Commit GARLAND, DOUGLAS Robert


1992 DG commenced working at Can Test chemical testing lab in Vancouver where he went on to supervise 30 chemists and technicians. At the same time he was also a lab auditor for the B.C. government, checking for quality assurance at various testing facilities. (Unclear if this last sentence pertains to the 1992-1997 job or the subsequent job)

1993 DG applied for and received a SIN in the name of Matthew Hartley. Also applied for a driver's license
under the name Matthew Hartley and conducted all his activities in Vancouver under the name Matthew Hartley

1994 AL declared bankruptcy (business or personal?)

1997 DG finished working at Can Test after nervous breakdown

1998 October, DG arrested in Richmond BC in connection with a stolen tractor trailer unit

1998 October 02 – charges listed in BC court registry under file #41250-2-C (against Douglas JOHN Garland, found by searching under the alias Matthew Hartley):

CCC - 355(a) PSP Over $5,000 Commit GARLAND, Douglas JOHN Richmond BC
CCC - 129(a) wilfully resisting or obstructing a peace officer Commit GARLAND, Douglas JOHN Richmond BC


1999 May 31, DG arrested in Vancouver BC; had been working as a chemical mixer at the B.C. Institute of Technology under the name of deceased Matthew Kemper Hartley. Charges of impersonation, trafficking in a controlled substance, theft over $5,000, possession of break-in instruments, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 and obstructing a police officer (weapons charge dismissed?).

2000 Alvin was the respondent in 2 civil law suits

2000 DG was released between June 19, 2000 and October 2000 after serving 1/6 of a 39 month sentence

2005 March, Calgary, AB, lawsuit DG v. Ministry of National Revenue, DG represented himself and won an appeal wrt whether his employment at Can Test was insurable and pensionable employment

2006 January 2, Alvin Liknes’ daughter, EAL shot by ex-common-law husband, 61 yo Fernando Chora in Okotoks, AB. Chora (represented by Calgary lawyer, Adriano Iovinelli) was acquitted of assault, but found guilty of fleeing the scene and 2 weapons charges and sentenced to 4 years with credit for time served. During the trial, Chora told the judge that he had provided EAL with a great deal of money because of a criminal lifestyle. FC said he still carried a gun because he had enemies who may want to hurt him. He said he left that lifestyle behind when he moved out of his Kamloops BC home with EAL and moved to Vulcan AB

2008 Nathan O’Brien born (September?)

2008 AL’s company Blue Sky Oil and Gas Corp, involved with natural gas production, was registered in Nevada. Filings indicate Blue Sky was in merger discussions with a Florida company called Whitemark Homes Inc. As a result of the housing crash, Whitemark had proposed to take up resource development

2009 DG's charged with "failure to yield to a pedestrian" and subsequent fine of $575

2009 August 24, JO (nee JP-L) and RO married

2012 KL ceased being a licenced realtor (as per Real Estate Council of Alberta in 2014 who said she had not been practising for two years)

2012 KL declared personal bankruptcy

2012 A Sarasota Florida-area businessmen involved with the Whitemark deal was a real estate developer with close ties to a man who was sentenced in 2012 to 3 yrs in prison for masterminding a large house-flipping fraud

2013 DG ran his chemical manufacturing company, P2 Solutions Ltd until sometime this year

2013 October, Alvin's son AL, said he last saw DG at his in-laws last Thanksgiving and said DG seemed a bit of a loner and didn't speak to him that much

2013 December 5, title documents show the Liknes home was sold to a Calgary lawyer for $705,000. AL and KL continue to live in the home.

2014

2014 January FC released from prison

2014 KL was involved in social media marketing, offering Search Engine Optimization services and website templates for businesses; also direct marketing for Nucerity (skincare products)

June 11 estate sale ads started being placed in kijiji (ads placed June 11 to June 24)

June 25 Winter Petroleum employees officially resigned on this date

June 27 Friday, start of estate sale that was advertised as “SALE June 27,28,29th - FRIDAY 2PM-7PM, SATURDAY 8:30-4:00, SUNDAY 8:30-400”

June 29 Winter Petroleum premises cleaned out

June 29 locals report that the area near Parkhill neighbourhood had only a “brief spitting” of rain

June 29 Sunday, JO attends estate sale at Liknes home with NO and his younger brother

June 29 neighbour reports seeing AL playing in the park with NO around noon (elsewhere said NO in park and AL watching from by the garage in the back laneway)

June 29 10:00pm approx. time JO leaves with the youngest boy and NO stays with AL and KL for a sleepover

June 30 5:25am sunrise in Calgary

June 30 10:00am Monday, JO returns to the Liknes house to pick up NO and nobody is at the home. She notifies LE

June 30 10:00am Sometime in the morning after LE arrived, AL’s brother CL arrived at the home after having phoned and receiving no answer to his call(s?)

June 30 5:15pm MT (mountain time) Amber Alert is issued

July 1 Tuesday, AL and KL were to vacate their home at 124 38a Av SW, Calgary (to be verified whether July 1 or July 31)

July 1, 11:00 am Investigators say they have no "significant leads" about the whereabouts of the missing family. Also that evidence at the Liknes home indicates the three family members left the residence against their will. LE ask anyone who attended the estate sale to contact them and that LE will be at Parkhill Community Centre on July 3 to meet with them. People are being asked to bring photos of what they bought to help investigators catalogue what was purchased and what remains in the house.

July 1 2014 Police contacted 3 landfills asking for trash to be segregated

July 1 RO sends an email late today to CTV Calgary saying that a reward will be announced Wednesday through CPS

July 2 Wednesday, sometime after midnite and before morning, a neighbour of the Garlands is awake during the night and sees a light on in the greenhouse at the Garland farm. He says that is unusual.

July 2 Neighbours notice that someone at the Garland property has been burning most of the day (elsewhere it said 2 days?)


July 2 3:00pm MT (mountain time) JO and RO make public plea for the return of their son. LE say they have decided not to offer a cash reward at this time. LE also says the grandparents are not considered suspects.

July 3 of approx. 200 people who attended sale, 80+ attended Parkhill Community Hall

July 4 LE update says there was a violent struggle inside the Liknes home. They are searching for a green Ford F150 made in the late 1980s or early 1990s that was seen driving around the neighbourhood several times the night of the disappearance

July 4 LE arrived at the Airdrie farm in the evening; a green truck matching the one LE is seeking is removed from the scene and POI DG is taken into custody

July 5 Search takes place around the Liknes’ home and the park.

July 6 DG continue search at farm but DG is released from custody. LE says he remains a POI

July 7 DG makes first court appearance and will be back in court Wednesday, July 9

July 7 It is announced that POI has link to Liknes family and has criminal past. (It becomes known that DG’s sister is in a CIL relationship with AL’s son AL)

July 7 Pastor Dave Pollard of Airdrie United Church says DG’s parents are doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances

July 8 It is said that detectives have interviewed staff of AL’s company that went bankrupt weeks before the family’s disappearance

July 9 DG made second court appearance. Will return to court Friday July 11 when he could be released on conditions, including that he provide an address where he will be staying

July 9 LE reveal that DG and AL had money dealings that soured and there is "bad blood" related to money between the two. They are not aware of the specifics

July 9 LE ask property owners in rural areas outside Calgary to search their land for anything suspicious

July 10 LE commenced search of Spyhill landfill; bags of (potential?) evidence removed by LE

July 10 LE start search of second landfill site at 17th and 68th Street today

July 10 RCMP Explosives disposal unit was dispatched to the Garland property in Airdrie today

July 10 In LE presser today, they say they know who was hurt in the home

July 10 Hundreds of people attend vigil held for the family

July 11 DG released from custody on $750 bail with the following terms: keep the peace and be of good behaviour; must stay in province (cannot leave Alberta without permission), surrender passport within 24 hours of release, to report 3 days a week, first report to be July 15, must provide land line phone # if available to supervisor, must be home between the hours of 9 pm and 7 am each day, he is to reside at transitional housing - hotel, motel, Mustard Seed, Drop-In Centre, Salvation Army Centre of Hope, or homeless shelter, be back in court Aug. 6 at case management office, not possess ID other than his own. DG asks judge "I live on a farm, sometimes working past 9 o'clock, would residence be on the farm itself?" The judge reminds him he won't be going to the farm but to some form of transitional housing.

July 11 LE conclude search at southeast Calgary landfill and focus their efforts on an acreage north of the city and the Spyhill Landfill site. Also have a tactical unit at the Airdrie acreage to deal with dangerous and flammable chemicals that were found on the property. Asking people/businesses/oil companies in the Airdrie and Parkhill/Stanley Park areas to check their properties for absolutely anything out of the ordinary.

July 11 Members of Liknes family confirm in the media that beef between AL and DG was over patent filed years ago by AL; family says it was AL's invention

July 13 The Liknes home was released as a crime scene

July 13 time unknown, homicide detectives conclude enough evidence to determine all 3 family members murdered

July 14 1:30 am DG re-arrested in the early morning hours near his parents’ farm in Airdrie.

July 14 1:00 pm LE holds presser to advise that an arrest has been made and that two charges of first-degree murder (AL andKL) and one charge of second-degree murder (NO) are pending in the case. Police did not confirm the name of the suspect, but family has told media that Douglas Garland is the person. LE expect charges to be laid later today.

July 14 DG was formally charged late tonite with 2 counts of first degree murder related to Alvin and Kathryn Liknes, and 1 count of second degree with regard to Nathan O’Brien. His next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday, July 16

July 16 Second court appearance for DG. Case adjourned to Aug. 14, defence (Kim Ross) awaiting disclosure

July 31 AL and KL were to vacate their home (to be verified whether July 31 or July 1 2014)

August 14 Third scheduled appearance for DG
 
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Was there something posted about their house being built in the 80's? It doesn't fit the 80's style of architecture and that area was around well before the 80's.

The house completely fits with the 80's style, the type of vinyl siding, windows and siding vents were common to that era. It was likely built on the lot after the original house was torn down.
 
I just viewed the Calgary crime map for homicides here http://crimemap.calgarypolice.ca/content/DisclaimerPage.aspx

I noticed that only 2 homicides are listed for the Liknes home which I found interesting given the numerous media reports that one of the 3 victims might have left the home alive. IMO the blood at the scene might have confirmed 2 deaths and there was no DNA evidence for the 3rd. Perhaps one victim did not require as much force, or left alive and was killed elsewhere.

Hmmm....very interesting.
 
I just viewed the Calgary crime map for homicides here http://crimemap.calgarypolice.ca/content/DisclaimerPage.aspx

I noticed that only 2 homicides are listed for the Liknes home which I found interesting given the numerous media reports that one of the 3 victims might have left the home alive. IMO the blood at the scene might have confirmed 2 deaths and there was no DNA evidence for the 3rd. Perhaps one victim did not require as much force, or left alive and was killed elsewhere.
That's very interesting. What if DG killed the grandparents in the house and took NO he may have been rattled, unsure of what to do since he didn't expect him to be there. When they searched the neighbourhood the second time they were looking for places that a child might hide if frightened .... maybe they had reason to believe that NO left the house alive .... then later found evidence at the G property to suggest that he had been killed there.
 
I've learned that military can haul a 200 pound body, but could the accused haul up to 200 pounds of dead weight times three out of the house in an hour? Dragging, he could accomplish dragging someone out of the house, but the Amber Alert said that the child might be in the company of his grandfather ... which suggested that his grandmother might not be there and his grandfather was not dragged out of the house ... which suggested that the drag marks might relate to the grandmother ... which means that he hauled the grandmother out of the house and left drag marks. If he had to drag the short 130 pound grandmother to get her out of the house, how did he get the 200 pound six foot grandfather out of the house?

Going back to the comments made at the first press conference ... does anyone have a link? I think the father said that Nathan had strong faith and his soul was with God, and sthe mother said that her mother would have been protecting her son ... arms around him comment? I really liked the comment Nathan's dad made: the older he got, the kinder he became. He was holding a butterfly that his son had made for him. I'm not 100% I got it right, but revisiting those comments might reveal a lot about what happened ... knowing what we know now.

You are mixing old, less informed opinions, with what LE knows now. Perhaps at that time they suspected AL was the perp and rightly asked the public to keep an eye out for him. They now know different. If they may have thought she was the one dragged at some point, I'm pretty sure that opinion had changed. Several women have posted throughout this forum that they can carry and drag a dead weight, 200 pound body. It might be awkward, thus leaving blood and drag marks behind, but it is not as difficult as you make it out to be.
 
I still can't understand why everyone is so hung up on DG being able to possibly move a 200lb body. He is 54, not 74. If he's been working on a farm, doing any sort of physical labour, he would be able to drag a body, especially if it was wrapped up in a blanket. Looks to me like he was pretty fit as well.
 
The house completely fits with the 80's style, the type of vinyl siding, windows and siding vents were common to that era. It was likely built on the lot after the original house was torn down.

This post from LoriMcA didn't get moved over for some reason

The house was actually built in 1955. I checked City of Calgary Property & Assessment *it's open to the public* which you can find here and do a map search:

http://www.calgary.ca/_layouts/cocis...m=2&sideBar=3#

I knew the architectural style wasn't 80s but one could assume that the siding and windows might have been replaced in the last 60 years? New siding and windows don't change the architectural style of the house which is definitely not 80's style in Calgary anyway.
 
This post from LoriMcA didn't get moved over for some reason

The house was actually built in 1955. I checked City of Calgary Property & Assessment *it's open to the public* which you can find here and do a map search:

http://www.calgary.ca/_layouts/cocis...m=2&sideBar=3#

I knew the architectural style wasn't 80s but one could assume that the siding and windows might have been replaced in the last 60 years? New siding and windows don't change the architectural style of the house which is definitely not 80's style in Calgary anyway.

This was posted in reply to someone suggesting there would be a milk chute that DG could gain access to the house. Looks like it has been remodelled/renovated in the 80's with new siding, doors and windows, etc. , if there was a milk chute, it likely would not be there now.
 
This post from LoriMcA didn't get moved over for some reason

The house was actually built in 1955. I checked City of Calgary Property & Assessment *it's open to the public* which you can find here and do a map search:

http://www.calgary.ca/_layouts/cocis...m=2&sideBar=3#

I knew the architectural style wasn't 80s but one could assume that the siding and windows might have been replaced in the last 60 years? New siding and windows don't change the architectural style of the house which is definitely not 80's style in Calgary anyway.

Interesting that the City of Calgary Market Value Assessment put the value of the property at $594, 000. In my experience they are usually a little low but not low enough to suggest that $705,000 was indicative of a fire sale like price as has been implied.
 
I don't doubt that DG could drag a 200lb body. I think the more difficult part would be getting it in and out of the truck. If he did that I would imagine there would be tons of DNA left behind and that truck would require and extremely thorough cleaning. I would imagine that if this happened that when LE searched the truck it would be spotless and smell of bleach/cleaners. This would not what I would expect from a 20 year old farm truck and would certainly raise red flags.

Graphic imagery alert but 2 adults would require a struggle and force to subdue and leave behind blood and other DNA. A 5 year old could easily be strangled or suffocated without leaving any DNA evidence. This could explain why only 2 homicides are reported at the home.

I was trying to reason why LE would say that one person left the home alive. I figured they found some evidence that a living person was either in DG's car or home. What could they find? Vomit and urine come to mind. Dead people don't do either of those things. Sorry again for the imagery but I did not include feces as sometimes that does happen post mortem.


So I wonder what caused LE to cancel the Amber alert. They must have concluded that NO was not kidnapped and certainly no longer living. But how?
 
Sorry if this is a dumb question but why would DG remove the bodies from the house in the first place? I'm trying to 'think like a murderer' but not coming up with much ...
 
Sorry if this is a dumb question but why would DG remove the bodies from the house in the first place? I'm trying to 'think like a murderer' but not coming up with much ...

My guess is because he did not wear gloves and his fingerprints would be on the victims.

I just had a thought about AL. I wonder if AL was taken from the home alive, by force, b/c DG wanted to force him to produce some money.

I found it off that AL's truck was taken in to be searched and KL's car was left there. I assumed since there was what appeared to be blood in the driveway in front of the truck that maybe some blood was also on the truck. I thought maybe DG was going to try to make AL drive his truck somewhere for money. Maybe he thought AL had cash laying around somewhere, from the estate sale or otherwise.

OR

DG wanted to make it seem like AL had killed NO and KL?


One thing that really bugs me is that DG did not appear to have a bruise or a scratch on him.
 
That's very interesting. What if DG killed the grandparents in the house and took NO he may have been rattled, unsure of what to do since he didn't expect him to be there. When they searched the neighbourhood the second time they were looking for places that a child might hide if frightened .... maybe they had reason to believe that NO left the house alive .... then later found evidence at the G property to suggest that he had been killed there.

I don't think NO died in the house. I think AL/KL were killed in the house and NO was done somewhere else. JMO but i think that is why LE kept the amber alert on so long. I feel they were hoping DG would not have touched NO because PG probably said that her brother would not harm a child. Once LE realized that even if DG kept NO somewhere the amount of time without food and water that passed NO would no longer be alive therefore resulting in 2nd degree murder because maybe DG did not kill him with his own hands. As for the human remains at the acreage possibly being discovered, maybe there was but DNA came back and it was not those three? Maybe that is why they are looking into other missing people cases.
 
Hmmm....very interesting.

Extremely interesting. I'd be so heartbroken if he took NO with him while contemplating, hid him for awhile and then when the heat was getting turned up decided later in the game to commit a 3rd homicide :(
 
I thought very early on that perhaps KL or AL had time to tell NO to stay quiet or hide somewhere. I was hoping this were true but now I am not so sure.
I do think it is possible that DG took NO and that is why LE were telling people to check wells, storage units etc.
As someone said earlier, perhaps they just assumed now that without water for over two weeks NO would have now died. Sad to think he may have been somewhere alone and died from starvation and thirst.
 
This post from LoriMcA didn't get moved over for some reason

The house was actually built in 1955. I checked City of Calgary Property & Assessment *it's open to the public* which you can find here and do a map search:

http://www.calgary.ca/_layouts/cocis...m=2&sideBar=3#

I knew the architectural style wasn't 80s but one could assume that the siding and windows might have been replaced in the last 60 years? New siding and windows don't change the architectural style of the house which is definitely not 80's style in Calgary anyway.
In that case, there was a major renovation, a garage addition and the bedroom/bonus room above sometime within the last 3 decades; in which case the roof line would have been changed to accommodate the addition. Homes in 1955 did not have double front attached garages. They didn't have vinyl siding. The garage in back may have been the original one, but still, in 1955, families were lucky to have one car, not two.
If there was a milk chute, there is a 50% chance that it was on the garage side, but was covered over when that addition was built. So there may be a milk box on the opposite side, but most contractors would not preserve it when re-doing a home to look modern.
 
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