Dark Poutine - True Crime and Dark History

Episode 377: Joyce Carolyn Stevens, the daughter of a preacher from Houston, Texas, and Rose Marie Turford, a Canadian nurse and suburban mother, became infamous as the real-life “Thelma and Louise.” Their cross-border crime spree in the mid-1990s stunned communities from Houston to Toronto, as they lured, robbed, and humiliated unsuspecting men, all while eluding law enforcement. The case, with its bizarre twists, elaborate disguises, and a mysterious figure named “Avery,” captivated the public and left a trail of questions about motive, manipulation, and the dark side of friendship. Sources: 1997 CanLII 26231 (ON CNO) | College of Nurses of Ontario v Turford | CanLII [https://www.canlii.org/en/on/oncno/doc/1997/1997canlii26231/1997canlii26231.html] Rose Turford and Carolyn Stevens | Unsolved Mysteries Wiki [https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Rose_Turford_and_Carolyn_Stevens] CANADA NABS FUGITIVE DUO `THELMA, LOUISE' [https://www.deseret.com/1995/10/5/19196991/canada-nabs-fugitive-duo-thelma-louise/] After serving 13 years in Texas, let the Canadian half of the infamous 'Thelma and Louise' crime duo come home, her three sons plead [https://web.archive.org/web/20080618215126/http://www.torontosun.com/News/Canada/2008/06/15/5881441-sun.html] The Canadian half of a Houston robbery duo dubbed... - UPI Archives [https://www.upi.com/Archives/1995/10/05/The-Canadian-half-of-a-Houston-robbery-duo-dubbed/1743812865600/] Real-life "Thelma and Louise' jump bail [https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1995/08/11/real-life-thelma-and-louise-jump-bail/] 'Thelma and Louise' fugitives arrested [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/thelma-and-louise-fugitives-arrested-1576198.html] Unlikely Suspects Are Sought in 'Thelma and Louise' Robberies (Published 1995) [https://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/13/us/unlikely-suspects-are-sought-in-thelma-and-louise-robberies.html] Real-Life 'Thelma and Louise' Elude the Law [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-09-03-mn-41917-story.html] In Toronto, U.S. Fugitives Find They Can Run but Can't Hide (Published 1996) [https://www.nytimes.com/1996/10/14/world/in-toronto-us-fugitives-find-they-can-run-but-can-t-hide.html] "72 Hours: True Crime" The Game (TV Episode 2004) | Documentary, Crime [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1025117/] This Real-Life ‘Thelma and Louise’ Caused Mayhem Wherever They Went [https://www.thedailybeast.com/this-real-life-thelma-and-louise-caused-mayhem-wherever-they-went/] WOMEN ON THE RUN [https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1995/08/15/women-on-the-run/323fbbf1-e8cb-4a07-8e0e-a5222ed54063/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Episode 376: On June 6, 2021, Nathaniel Veltman, 20, deliberately drove his truck into the Afzaal family, Pakistani immigrants, as they walked along the road in London, Ontario. The attack killed four members of the Afzaal family: Talat Afzaal (74), Salman Afzaal (46), Madiha Salman (44), and Yumnah Afzaal (15), and severely injured 9-year-old Fayez Afzaal. Veltman admitted that he had targeted the family solely because they were Muslim, making this Canada’s first fatal vehicle attack prosecuted as terrorism. Sources: Canadian Anti-Hate Network [https://www.antihate.ca/] What we know about the Muslim family in the fatal London, Ont., truck attack | CBC News [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/london-muslim-family-attack-what-we-know-1.6057745] Court releases dramatic video of scene moments before London, Ont. Muslim family is killed [https://www.ctvnews.ca/london/article/court-releases-dramatic-video-of-scene-moments-before-london-ont-muslim-family-is-killed/] 2021 London, Ontario truck attack [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_London,_Ontario_truck_attack] Terrorism in Veltman Murder Case - News Release - PPSC [https://www.ppsc-sppc.gc.ca/eng/nws-nvs/2024/22_02_24.html] AUDIO: Nathaniel Veltman and the 911 call [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lwis-IG_Sa4] RAW VIDEO: Nathaniel Veltman's first interview with London police [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDo6Ip2FJwU] RAW VIDEO: Nathaniel Veltman's June 6, 2021, arrest [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnDEP1_d4Rs] Veltman says he's remorseful for killing Muslim family [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5NreZG0Ht4] An Act of Evil | MacLeans [https://macleans.ca/society/an-act-of-evil/] Muslim family in Canada killed in 'premeditated' truck attack [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57390398] Disorders took Nathaniel Veltman to 'very, very dark place': Defence expert [https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/disorders-took-nathaniel-veltman-to-very-very-dark-place-defence-expert] The Terrorist: How a devout Christian kid became a radicalized mass murderer [https://nationalpost.com/feature/how-london-mass-murderer-nathaniel-veltman-turned-terrorist] 2024 ONSC 2276 (CanLII) | R. v. Veltman | CanLII [https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2024/2024onsc2276/2024onsc2276.html] 2024 ONSC 1054 (CanLII) | R. v. Veltman | CanLII [https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2024/2024onsc1054/2024onsc1054.html] 2023 ONSC 5063 (CanLII) | R. v. Veltman | CanLII [https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2023/2023onsc5063/2023onsc5063.html] Killer of London, Ont., Muslim family appeals convictions, challenging use of manifesto at trial [https://www.cbc.ca/lite/story/1.7554680] Nathaniel Veltman | News, Videos & Articles | Global News [https://globalnews.ca/tag/nathaniel-veltman/] In manifesto, Nathaniel Veltman called for 'violent revolution' [https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/in-manifesto-nathaniel-veltman-called-for-violent-revolution] Veltman sentencing: Killer’s actions ‘constitute terrorist activity’, judge says [https://globalnews.ca/news/10308500/nathaniel-veltman-afzaal-muslim-family-murders-sentencing/] 'I did it on purpose': What the Nathaniel Veltman jury didn't hear [https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/i-did-it-on-purpose-what-the-nathaniel-veltman-jury-didnt-hear] 'He was smiling': Officer who arrested Veltman testifies at his trial [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeS5u9w58Yg] Timeline: London, Ont. attack kills four members of Muslim family [https://www.ctvnews.ca/london/article/timeline-london-ont-attack-kills-four-members-of-muslim-family/] 2025 Vancouver car attack [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Vancouver_car_attack] Islamophobia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamophobia] Christian terrorism [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_terrorism] Muslim family's kin grieves 'theft of precious life' as convicted killer's sentencing in London, Ont., begins | CBC News [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/veltman-sentencing-hearing-london-1.7073654] Nathaniel Veltman's 'deep regret' dismissed by Afzaal family supporters [https://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/nathaniel-veltmans-deep-regret-dismissed-by-afzaal-family-supporters] Introduction: The Enduring Relationship of Religion and Violence [https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/34350/chapter-abstract/291417966] Rapoport-Four-Waves-of-Modern-Terrorism [https://international.ucla.edu/media/files/Rapoport-Four-Waves-of-Modern-Terrorism.pdf] A Multidimensional Analysis of Religious Extremism [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6876432/] Christian Identity Reborn | The George Washington University [https://extremism.gwu.edu/christian-identity-reborn-evolution-and-revitalization-antisemitic-theology] It’s Time to Talk About Violent Christian Extremism [https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/02/04/qanon-christian-extremism-nationalism-violence-466034] God, Religious Extremism and Violence [https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/abs/god-religious-extremism-and-violence/67AC1965CF89F2B2D9CB8F732A2DC953] Preventing Violent Extremism and Mass Atrocities - Handbook For Parliamentarians | PDF | Violence | Islamic State Of Iraq And The Levant [https://www.scribd.com/document/380461454/Preventing-Violent-Extremism-and-Mass-Atrocities-Handbook-for-Parliamentarians] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Episode 375: On a bleak November afternoon in 2003, Toronto’s east end became the unlikely stage for a crime so brutal and bizarre that, even years later, it defies belief. The victim was 12-year-old Johnathon Robert Madden, a boy remembered by teachers and friends as “kind and thoughtful,” the kind of child who would go out of his way to walk a younger classmate home just to ensure he was safe. His murder was not the work of a stranger or a notorious criminal, but of his brother, 16-year-old Kevin Madden—a troubled youth whose anger and alienation had been festering for years. Kevin was not alone that day. With him were two friends: 15-year-old Timothy Ferriman, a self-styled “vampire” desperate for attention and belonging, and another teenage boy whose identity remains protected by law. Together, the teens would go on an afternoon rampage of violence and destruction that would shatter a family and horrify a city. Sources: 2006 CanLII 33472 (ON SC) | R. v. Ferriman | CanLII [https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2006/2006canlii33472/2006canlii33472.html] Murder of Johnathon Robert Madden [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Johnathon_Robert_Madden] Rage by Jerry Langton (Ebook) - Scribd [https://www.everand.com/book/216908320/Rage-The-True-Story-of-a-Sibling-Murder] THIS WAS JOHNATHON [https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/this-was-johnathon/article18173952/] Johnathon Madden (1991 - 2003) — In Memory Of [https://web.archive.org/web/20080125154837/http://www.johnathon-madden.memory-of.com/] Why Monitor Violent Websites? A Justification [https://file.scirp.org/pdf/BLR20120200007_73985617.pdf] Goth culture social network Vampirefreaks closes [https://ramzine.co.uk/news/goth-culture-social-network-vampirefreaks-closes/] Farewell To VampireFreaks: The Website That Changed More Than Alt… [https://www.kerrang.com/farewell-to-vampirefreaks-the-website-that-changed-more-than-alt-cuture] Neighbours React To Johnathon Verdict [https://toronto.citynews.ca/2006/09/29/neighbours-react-to-johnathon-verdict/] Mother chronicles Johnathon's life in memorial website | CBC News [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/mother-chronicles-johnathon-s-life-in-memorial-website-1.577555] Teen Sentenced As An Adult For Murdering His Brother In Johnathon Trial [https://toronto.citynews.ca/2006/09/29/teen-sentenced-as-an-adult-for-murdering-his-brother-in-johnathon-trial/] 'Johnathan' named as teen killers receive adult sentences | CBC News [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/johnathan-named-as-teen-killers-receive-adult-sentences-1.577557] Johnathon’s killer loses bid for new trial [https://www.thestar.com/news/crime/johnathon-s-killer-loses-bid-for-new-trial/article_04e5d9b0-fe27-54b0-ad87-958c71982da2.html] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Episode 374: On a frigid February night in 2020, the quiet streets of Calgary’s Bowness neighbourhood became the scene of a tragedy that would send shockwaves through the city and beyond. Melissa Rae Blommaert, a loving mother and devoted friend, was found fatally injured—her life stolen in a brutal act of violence. The investigation quickly turned toward someone heartbreakingly close to her: her husband, Ronald John Candaele. As the harrowing details of Melissa’s final hours came to light, so too did the story of a woman who had fought for hope and safety amid years of hardship. In this episode, we explore Melissa’s life, her struggles, and the devastating betrayal that led to her death. Sources: The History of Bowness [https://www.kenrichter.com/history-of-bowness.php] Melissa Rae Blommaert Obituary 2020 - Pierson's Funeral Service, LTD [https://www.piersons.ca/obituaries/melissa-rae-blommaert] 2021 ABQB 332 (CanLII) | R v Candaele | CanLII [https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abqb/doc/2021/2021abqb332/2021abqb332.html] 2024 ABCA 117 (CanLII) | R v Candaele | CanLII [https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abca/doc/2024/2024abca117/2024abca117.html] 2024 ABKB 521 (CanLII) | R v Candaele | CanLII [https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abkb/doc/2024/2024abkb521/2024abkb521.html] callitfemicide2020 [https://femicideincanada.ca/callitfemicide2020.pdf] Melissa Rae Blommaert - Search - Newspapers.com™ [https://www.newspapers.com/search/results/?keyword=Melissa+Rae+Blommaert] Ronald John Candaele - Search - Newspapers.com™ [https://www.newspapers.com/search/results/?keyword=Ronald+John+Candaele] Melissa Rae Blommaert homicide | News, Videos & Articles | GlobalNews [https://globalnews.ca/tag/melissa-rae-blommaert-homicide/] Family remembers victim of Bowness domestic homicide as loving mother of 2 who enjoyed the outdoors - Calgary [https://globalnews.ca/news/6544162/domestic-homicide-victim-bowness/] Calgary man who drove over wife with U-Haul guilty of manslaughter, not murder: court of appeal | CBC News [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/candaele-blommaert-murder-bowness-uhaul-appeal-manslaughter-1.7168279] Calgary husband who drove over wife with U-Haul should spend 15-18 years in prison for manslaughter: Crown | CBC News [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/candaele-blommaert-murder-bowness-uhaul-appeal-manslaughter-sentencing-1.7284037] ‘Benefit of the doubt’: Appeal Court downgrades conviction in moving van death [https://www.reddeeradvocate.com/news/benefit-of-the-doubt-appeal-court-downgrades-conviction-in-moving-van-death-7340678] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Episode 373: In the shadowy annals of North American crime, few names evoke as much dread as H.H. Holmes, a master manipulator, a conman, and a predator who thrived in the chaos of a rapidly changing world and the man often called America’s first serial killer. Born Herman Webster Mudgett, Holmes’s reign of terror began in Chicago, where he constructed his infamous “Murder Castle”—a labyrinth of hidden rooms, trapdoors, and secret passageways designed to lure and dispatch his victims during the bustling days of the 1893 World’s Fair. But Holmes’s evil did not respect borders; his murderous path would ultimately stretch into Canada. During his murderous career, in 1894, Holmes claimed the lives of his accomplice, Benjamin Pitezel, 38, and three of his youngest victims, Benjamin’s children: Howard Pitezel, 8, in Indianapolis, and, later in Toronto, Pitezel’s daughters, Alice Pitezel, 15, and Nellie Pitezel, 11. Their tragic deaths in a quiet Toronto neighbourhood forever linked Holmes’s legacy to both sides of the border. Sources: The Holmes-Pitezel case by Frank P Geyer | Internet Archive [https://archive.org/details/holmespitezelcas00geye] H. H. Holmes: Master of Illusion — Swindler — Crime Library [https://www.crimelibrary.org/serial_killers/history/holmes/index_1.html] Holmes' Autobiogrpahy | Library of Congress [https://www.loc.gov/resource/rbc0001.2015gen22698/?sp=1&st=slideshow] Holmes' Own Story by Herman W. Mudgett | Project Gutenberg [https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/64249] Depraved: Schechter, Harold | Internet Archive [https://archive.org/details/depravedshocking0000sche] The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson | goodreads [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/397483.The_Devil_in_the_White_City] H.H. Holmes: The True History of the White City Devil | goodreads [https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/33154631-h-h-holmes] Forensic-Scholars-Today-1.2-H.H.-Holmes-One-of-Americas-First-Recorded-Serial-Murderers [https://www.csp.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Forensic-Scholars-Today-1.2-H.H.-Holmes-One-of-Americas-First-Recorded-Serial-Murderers.pdf] Benjamin Freelon Pitezel (1856-1893) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree [https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Pitezel-1] The Toronto link to America's bloodiest serial killer - Spacing Toronto [https://spacing.ca/toronto/2015/07/22/toronto-link-americas-bloodiest-serial-killer/] HOLMES - PITEZEL CASE: A History of the Greatest Crime of the Century and of the Search for the Missing Pitezel Children. [https://www.higginsonbooks.com/products/local-history_miscellaneous-history-misc0011-h] H. H. Holmes | by Rebecca Frost [https://rebeccafrostwrites.com/tag/h-h-holmes/] A Book of Remarkable Criminals, by H.B. Irving [https://www.gutenberg.org/files/446/446-h/446-h.htm] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]