Deceased/Not Found Canada - Alvin, 66, & Kathy Liknes, 53, Nathan O'Brien, 5, Calgary, 30 Jun 2014 - #22

[deugirtni]

I remember when Allen testified he said that DG was in fact paid for his services that he did. Then in DG's father's testimony he claims that AL did not pay DG. But for all we know DG could have just told his father that he didn't get paid and we all know he has a good record of being a liar. MOO

The way I understood that testimony was that Allen was trying to establish that DG was a paid contractor, as opposed to working without compensation in return for potential future remuneration when/if the pump and patent succeeded. (Not sure if being paid for work would preclude DG from being also listed as a contributor on the patent though?). Then when DG's father reported DG saying he hadn't been paid, it may not have meant 'ever', or 'anything', but could have just been one time, one invoice, part of one bill, whatever.

 

[deugirtni]

BBM

There was a bloody trail from the upstairs bedrooms, down the stairs, out the side door, and to the front driveway. There are shoe prints in the garage. What would he be mopping up in the kitchen?

If there was no need to send the mop for evidence testing, then it was understood (for unknown reasons) that the mop was not related to the murders.

I don't think he was expecting such a bloody crime scene. Given the bloody scene, he may have erratically mopped up some blood, and not other blood.

I must have missed something about that mop not being sent for forensic testing.. I thought it had been reported that it *had* been collected for testing?

 

[JadeSLeuth]

He worked at BCIT, the BC version of SAIT and NAIT ... "his job at Can Test Ltd. and BCIT(British Columbia Institute of Technology)". How was it discovered that he had a fake identify? Was he arrested for drugs, matched to his real identify, and then arrested for fake identity? Then he lost his job, and weren't there questions about his credentials?

Wasn't there also something about a stolen semi?

Still getting caught up , but YES. There was a stolen - was it a semi? or a tractor? It was not your everyday average stolen vehicle.... I'll look back if someone hasn't already. I'd forgotten about that too!

 

[JadeSLeuth]

Side note - I love this forum (but not the reason it exists of course) and the contributors in it! Thanks to all for being here.

 

[JadeSLeuth]

I don't think I knew DG was re-charged with stolen identity - I thought it was just possession of a debit or credit card. Maybe thats the same thing, or maybe I blanked out this detail...
Note this is an old article....

Garland`s criminal history includes drug trafficking and possession of stolen property convictions, after he was caught making amphetamines on his parents' Airdrie acreage in 1992.
After failing to appear at court in 1992 for drug charges, the then 33-year-old Garland disappeared.
A document from the Tax Court of Canada indicates Garland was later discovered living under Matthew Kemper Hartley's stolen identity in Vancouver.
Hartley was a 14-year-old Alberta boy killed in a car crash in 1980.
The same document says Garland suffers from attention deficit disorder and had attended medical school in Alberta for one year before suffering a mental breakdown.
Garland told the court at the time he had been traumatized after causing what he described as a horrific accident after falling asleep behind the wheel.
After he was discovered living in Vancouver, Garland returned to Calgary and pleaded guilty to several of the charges in connection to the drug bust and stolen identity, while the others were dropped.

Last year, before being charged with murder, Garland was charged and released on bail for identity theft, again connected to Hartley.

It was days after that he was arrested in a field near his rural Airdrie acreage.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...ary-inquiry-begins-in-calgary-today-1.3078348

 

[Lalalacasbah]

If the pump had been successful (which I don't think we know whether it was or it wasn't, whether in its then-current iteration or a later one), it could have been worth a LOT of money... ongoing.

It sounded to me from testimony given to date however, that DG was more upset about having been let go, rather than his work on the patent. Either way, it may have been more meaningful to him in the way of future job/business prospects, if he could show his name as a contributor on a patent, or receive a good reference, or develop a reputation in the industry perhaps, for being good at that type of work, etc?

From testimony given to date, it seemed like DG had made a point about AL and AL stealing from him, about AL not paying him for work performed, and about being fired, but I don't remember reading anything about him complaining about his name not being on a patent. (I could have missed it because lots to read). More may be coming in that regard?

What I don't get is if DG thought he was so brilliant, why not go out and come up with your own ideas, inventions, schematics, wiring, patents, etc. If he thought he was so smart, where are all his brilliant ideas?

Was he hanging on the *one* that assisted with AL? I almost find it lazy. They were using each other. Sure, his work might've been the thing holding AL's patent together, but when that one failed both of them could've went their own way to come up with their own "million dollar idea".

 

[JadeSLeuth]

What I don't get is if DG thought he was so brilliant, why not go out and come up with your own ideas, inventions, schematics, wiring, patents, etc. If he thought he was so smart, where are all his brilliant ideas?

Was he hanging on the *one* that assisted with AL? I almost find it lazy. They were using each other. Sure, his work might've been the thing holding AL's patent together, but when that one failed both of them could've went their own way to come up with their own "million dollar idea".

He tried that ... meth lab! LOL

 

[otto]

If the pump had been successful (which I don't think we know whether it was or it wasn't, whether in its then-current iteration or a later one), it could have been worth a LOT of money... ongoing.

It sounded to me from testimony given to date however, that DG was more upset about having been let go, rather than his work on the patent. Either way, it may have been more meaningful to him in the way of future job/business prospects, if he could show his name as a contributor on a patent, or receive a good reference, or develop a reputation in the industry perhaps, for being good at that type of work, etc?

From testimony given to date, it seemed like DG had made a point about AL and AL stealing from him, about AL not paying him for work performed, and about being fired, but I don't remember reading anything about him complaining about his name not being on a patent. (I could have missed it because lots to read). More may be coming in that regard?

Allen Liknes stated at the beginning the Garland held a grudge over not being included on the patent, and that's the only reason we know that he was not included.

 

[otto]

I must have missed something about that mop not being sent for forensic testing.. I thought it had been reported that it *had* been collected for testing?

I got the info re the mop from the post I quoted ...

 

[YYC]

BBM

There was a bloody trail from the upstairs bedrooms, down the stairs, out the side door, and to the front driveway. There are shoe prints in the garage. What would he be mopping up in the kitchen?

If there was no need to send the mop for evidence testing, then it was understood (for unknown reasons) that the mop was not related to the murders.

I don't think he was expecting such a bloody crime scene. Given the bloody scene, he may have erratically mopped up some blood, and not other blood.

I need to correct myself with regards to sending the mop for analysis. Alexon denied that he had the task to send it for analysis, but it seems that someone else did send it.

Lucie Edwardson
Jan 18
Lucie Edwardson ‏@MetroLucie
A mop found at Liknes home in kitchen was submitted to RCMP for testing. #Garland #yyc

Lucie Edwardson ‏@MetroLucie
Ross is asking Alexon about this photo. Did he have the task to send this away for analysis? "Not in this case," said Alexon. #Garland #yyc

 

[otto]

I need to correct myself with regards to sending the mop for analysis. Alexon denied that he had the task to send it for analysis, but it seems that someone else did send it.

Lucie Edwardson
Jan 18
Lucie Edwardson ‏@MetroLucie
A mop found at Liknes home in kitchen was submitted to RCMP for testing. #Garland #yyc

Lucie Edwardson ‏@MetroLucie
Ross is asking Alexon about this photo. Did he have the task to send this away for analysis? "Not in this case," said Alexon. #Garland #yyc

Thanks for finding that! The victim's blood on the mop doesn't tell us anything, but the suspect's fingerprints on the mop does.

On second thoughts, the victim's blood on the mop tells us that the three victims were so incapacitated in the truck on the driveway in the middle of the night that Garland could take his time to mop the floor. That does not support the claim that all three victims were not mortally wounded at the Liknes home.

Blood on the mop is a point in favour of the victims being killed during the kidnapping.

 

[Tealgrove]

I really hope that at some point we find out what diagnosis has been determined for DG's mental condition or conditions. I really think that it will shine significant light on his motivations and actions. Maybe, if DG does put on a defense then his mental illness issues will play a role?

 

[otto]

I really hope that at some point we find out what diagnosis has been determined for DG's mental condition or conditions. I really think that it will shine significant light on his motivations and actions. Maybe, if DG does put on a defense then his mental illness issues will play a role?

The question of whether he is mentally competent to stand trial was addressed prior to trial, and apparently he's fit to stand trial in spite of his long history of mental illness.

However, mental illness certainly seems like a good defence, one that is hard to refute. If he was sentenced to a mental health facility instead of prison, he could be released as soon as he is considered to be well enough to function in society.

It can't even be argued that he was a meticulous murderer ... he bought shoes to commit the crime, got rid of the shoes but left the shoe box in plain sight, he left foot prints at the scene, he dragged three people out of their house to the front yard knowing full well that someone could walk or drive by, he took the victims to the acreage with his parents at home ... he did so many things that were not sneaky or cautious. I think that although he fantasized about murdering the couple, that did not translate to a coherent plan.

 

[Blue Amethyst]

Still getting caught up , but YES. There was a stolen - was it a semi? or a tractor? It was not your everyday average stolen vehicle.... I'll look back if someone hasn't already. I'd forgotten about that too!

A semi is also called a tractor. You might hear the expression that someone was driving a tractor-trailer unit.

 

[otto]

I came across a couple of images I collected in 2014 - topo map of Airdrie property, obit, and Garland's release conditions.

 

[YYC]

If the pump had been successful (which I don't think we know whether it was or it wasn't, whether in its then-current iteration or a later one), it could have been worth a LOT of money... ongoing.

It sounded to me from testimony given to date however, that DG was more upset about having been let go, rather than his work on the patent. Either way, it may have been more meaningful to him in the way of future job/business prospects, if he could show his name as a contributor on a patent, or receive a good reference, or develop a reputation in the industry perhaps, for being good at that type of work, etc?

From testimony given to date, it seemed like DG had made a point about AL and AL stealing from him, about AL not paying him for work performed, and about being fired, but I don't remember reading anything about him complaining about his name not being on a patent. (I could have missed it because lots to read). More may be coming in that regard?

As Alvin said, coil tubing was their pump's advantage (vs. more expensive and less portable steel tubing) and if we go back to period from 2005 to 2008 the price of natural gas was much higher than after 2009 ($6-$8 in 2006/2007, with spikes to $13-$14 end of 2005 and in 2008). Probably in 2006/2007 the pump had a promise of more than a million of dollars and DG must had hoped to be well paid and probably on ongoing basis as Alvin could not pay him that much at once in 2007. After the price of NG crashed after 2009 this prospect was many times lower as the oil & gas companies stopped drilling pure gas wells.

Alvin probably didn't plan to apply for the patent with a convicted criminal, especially after he learned more about his character through common work, but rather to pay him as a contractor.

 

[otto]

As Alvin said, coil tubing was their pump's advantage (vs. more expensive and less portable steel tubing) and if we go back to period from 2005 to 2008 the price of natural gas was much higher than after 2009 ($6-$8 in 2006/2007, with spikes to $13-$14 end of 2005 and in 2008). Probably in 2006/2007 the pump had a promise of more than a million of dollars and DG must had hoped to get a good percentage. After the price of NG crashed this prospect was many times lower as the oil & gas companies stopped drilling pure gas wells.

Alvin probably didn't plan to apply for the patent with a convicted criminal, especially after he learned more about his character through common work, but rather to pay him as a contractor.

Allen (Alvin's son) was common-law with Garland's sister, so it's very likely that Alvin knew about Garland's criminal history prior to entering into business with him.

Garland doesn't strike me as the sort of person who would do something for nothing, or for a few dollars an hour. I'm of the opinion that he chose to put his time into the design of the pump because he believed there was something in it for him. We don't know the nature of their work agreement, but we do know that the business was not properly concluded at the time that the work was completed. Allen can claim that Garland was fired, but we know that the project was completed at that time because the wiring schematics that would have been completed by Garland were sufficient for a patent. We also know that the pump was used, but that - as you point out - the market couldn't support the cost. That doesn't mean that the patent will not be a viable solution in the future.

 

[musicaljoke]

A semi is also called a tractor. You might hear the expression that someone was driving a tractor-trailer unit.

A "semi" is the trailer section and a "tractor" is the front part of a tractor-trailer unit. It's a "semi" because it doesn't have the tractor part attached, so it can't go anywhere on its own. Semantics. :/

 

[sublimemumma]

Thanks for finding that! The victim's blood on the mop doesn't tell us anything, but the suspect's fingerprints on the mop does.

On second thoughts, the victim's blood on the mop tells us that the three victims were so incapacitated in the truck on the driveway in the middle of the night that Garland could take his time to mop the floor. That does not support the claim that all three victims were not mortally wounded at the Liknes home.

Blood on the mop is a point in favour of the victims being killed during the kidnapping.

Unless he dosed them with something or if he went back to clean up after taking them to the farm.

 

[Ellmau]

The question of whether he is mentally competent to stand trial was addressed prior to trial, and apparently he's fit to stand trial in spite of his long history of mental illness.

However, mental illness certainly seems like a good defence, one that is hard to refute. If he was sentenced to a mental health facility instead of prison, he could be released as soon as he is considered to be well enough to function in society.

I can't see any other possible defence for him than insanity, tbh.