Identified! Canada - Tofield, AB, 'Septic Tank Sam' Ntv/WhtMale 1046UMAB, Apr'77 - Gordon Edwin Sanderson

[branmuffin]

Way back in my first comment on this murder I speculated whether Gordon's death was related to gang activity, that it appeared to be personal and payback because of the horrific degree of violence. At the time, I thought about biker gangs which were active in the area but any criminal gang would suffice. Just as Othram works their way back through a familial tree to identify a UID, so too can LE with criminal families; who belonged, the activity of choice whether drugs, theft, guns, etc, and if there were turf wars between these groups.

I don't think Sgt. Lammerts is unconcerned about the carriage of justice for Donald's murderer(s) only that he shows the frustration that's percolated for over 40 years about a well placed suspicion that couldn't be acted on without some proof.

And I also think it's possible that it wasn't another criminal group who murdered Gordon but the one he was associated with. As the saying goes, there is no honour among thieves, especially if they are a snitch or a traitor.

 

[MistyWaters]

Do we know if Gordon was reported missing? It is known that he was last seen on his way to visit his brother, I wonder if that happened in early 1977.

Although Gordie was apparently reported missing in the early 80s, if the sister had lost touch with both brothers at the time, his disappearance might not’ve been connected to the Province of Alberta, although I’d wonder that a police record check wouldn’t have placed him in Edmonton, considering mention of his “multiple run-ins”. I do hope the sister and her other brother have now been successfully reunited.

“Known as “Gordie” by his family and friends, Sanderson was born in Manitoba on Oct. 22, 1950. At nine years old he was separated from his family during the Sixties Scoop and put in foster care. He struggled with addictions and had multiple run-ins with police during his life.

He lived in Edmonton in the 1970s and was going to Calgary to visit his younger brother Arthur, but he didn’t make it.

His sister, who had lost touch with both her brothers, reported him missing in the early 1980s.

Police believe Sanderson was killed by people he knew that were involved in criminal activities in the Edmonton area. Officers are looking to speak with anyone who knew him at the time or have information about his death…”
Cold case murder victim 'Septic Tank Sam' identified as Edmonton man after genetic tests | Edmonton Journal

 

[aThousandYearsWide]

I literally audibly gasped when I saw the news of Gordie's ID! This was one I feared wouldn't be solved.

The details of his death are absolutely horrifying!

I read that he has a daughter and it saddened me for her. Also leaves more questions as in why he doesn't reported sooner. I wonder if her mother has any insight to what may have happened. Could his daughter have been a part of the 60's scoop as well if she was old enough? That could be another reason why Gordie's disappearance fell through the cracks. I also wonder who he was living with at the time.

 

[taramarie]

I see several people asking if his brother was ever found. The RCMP Alberta FB page posted more information. Link below, snippet about the brother here:

“The Alberta RCMP were also able to provide family members with information on Gordon Sanderson's brother, who had also lost contact with family for many years and unfortunately passed away in Edmonton several years ago.”

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[Susikatze]

Terrible. Uprooted and made miserable for life.
Another murdered Native person. I am overwhelmed that now step by step minority community members get their names back.
He came home shortly after Shirley Soosay.
Fly high, Gordie.

 

[Gina20]

Lindbrook, Alberta - Wikipedia

Gordon Edwin Sanderson is now the only notation on Linbrook's Wikipedia page.

 

[Eman317]

Absolutely overjoyed by this news. This has been the Doe case that I wanted solved the most. RIP Gordon.

 

[LadyL]

Othram Labs does it again!

 

[Susikatze]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>

Happy Sam is not Sam anymore but Gordie.
I hope they can still find and persecute his killer. Drug/gang related or not, young or old, Gordie needs justice.

 

[dotr]

 

[Al Ka]

Just adding extra photos of Gordon "Gordie" Sanderson

(click on images to enlarge)

‘Septic Tank Sam’: Canadian police ID victim of 1977 torture murder using DNA, genetic genealogy

 

[rosesfromangels]

I always knew he was *Somebody's* Sam. RIP Gordie.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Such a tragic life and death. I hope justice can be served. Rest peacefully now Gordie.

As always, way to go Othram!

 

[Satchie]

Way back in my first comment on this murder I speculated whether Gordon's death was related to gang activity, that it appeared to be personal and payback because of the horrific degree of violence. At the time, I thought about biker gangs which were active in the area but any criminal gang would suffice.

I've not immersed myself in gang crime, but all the instances of gang payback I've come across involve a quick death through shooting/bombing/stabbing and then an equally quick abandoning of the body.

Sometimes they do engage in beheadings, etc, but those bodies are left deliberately to be found and publicized, as a way of warning others not to betray them.

IMO, gangs are involved in illegal activities, but are not sadistic psychopaths, since they have to get along and work with each other.

Can you cite examples of gangs that tortured people and hid the bodies?

 

[Springrain]

I've not immersed myself in gang crime, but all the instances of gang payback I've come across involve a quick death through shooting/bombing/stabbing and then an equally quick abandoning of the body.

Sometimes they do engage in beheadings, etc, but those bodies are left deliberately to be found and publicized, as a way of warning others not to betray them.

IMO, gangs are involved in illegal activities, but are not sadistic psychopaths, since they have to get along and work with each other.

Can you cite examples of gangs that tortured people and hid the bodies?

I personally agree with you. Not sure, of course, but this seems more personal than necessarily gang-related. I'm still leaning towards hate crime. I don't see what a gang would try to accomplish by killing somebody in a torturous, drawn-out way and then leaving their body covered in quicklime in a septic tank. Now, I'm not ruling out that his killer/killers were involved in gang activity because they may have been, but I don't think Gordon/his death had anything to do with gang activity SPECIFICALLY, more so that I think it's possible that a gang member(s) targeted him for whatever reason unrelated to the gang.

I googled some keywords about gangs torturing people and hiding remains, and this article from BBC popped up. It's about 59 unmarked graves found in Guanajuato, Mexico that are thought to be possibly related to drug cartels and gang violence. But I have no clue how they were murdered or any of the other factors that went into those deaths. Mexico: At least 59 bodies found in unmarked graves

Personally, one of my friends from middle school, who is originally from Alberta, had mutual friends with Brando Walker, who was an 18-year-old from Alberta, who was murdered in 2015. Brando was tortured and set on fire before his body was dumped on the Tsuu T'Ina First Nation. The reason I bring this up was because it was suspected that this may have been done by a gang, and while they do know who killed him, I am not sure if they ever found it if it was gang-related or not. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/jamison-childress-suspect-in-brando-walker-homicide-killed-by-u-s-border-agents-1.3004636

 

[TootsieFootsie]

44-year-old murder mystery of man found in septic tank solved using genetic technology

 

[branmuffin]

I've not immersed myself in gang crime, but all the instances of gang payback I've come across involve a quick death through shooting/bombing/stabbing and then an equally quick abandoning of the body.

Sometimes they do engage in beheadings, etc, but those bodies are left deliberately to be found and publicized, as a way of warning others not to betray them.

IMO, gangs are involved in illegal activities, but are not sadistic psychopaths, since they have to get along and work with each other.

Can you cite examples of gangs that tortured people and hid the bodies?

I can't provide evidence of an overarching theme in gangs overall but I can provide evidence of discrete cases of individuals being tortured for various reasons.

Sadistic drugs gang torture teen couple with Deep Heat and taser to the genitals

Christopher Dean killed by gang members, crime scene photos | 11alive.com

Boy Tortured To Death Was Drug Informant Mother Says Son Felt Pressured By Police; Practice Called Unethical

The Throwaways

While I agree there is always the possibility this murder was a hate crime, I think it would be disingenuous to think a group of people who already exhibit coordinated antisocial behaviors that involve all manner of illegal activities including murder do not devolve occasionally into bouts of torture for any number of perceived grievances. I don't even bother listing the numerous examples of egregious killing methods that drug cartels engage in.

 

[FrankieFalzon]

Can you cite examples of gangs that tortured people and hid the bodies?

Brandy Duvall. Gang: Deuce Sevens. "Pancho" Martinez: "Thrown her down there, ain't nobody gonna find her".

Elizabeth Peña and Jennifer Ertman. Gang: Blacks & Whites. Peter Cantu: "We left them *advertiser censored* where nobody will go".

Marilyn Sheckler, Glenn Eckert. Gang: Pagans.

Inefficient attempts, bodies were quickly found, but the killers thought that they were hiding the victims.

 

[ntt1]

Full press conference (requires login)

 

[MadMcGoo]

Full press conference (requires login)

Thank you for sharing this! For me (US resident) it didn’t require a login. I took away a few new things…to be taken with a grain of salt as it pertains to his disappearance and brutal murder.

Gordie struggled with addictions and had some run-ins with the law. Gordie had a daughter. His sister, Joyce, reported him missing in the early 80s but never heard back about him.

The RCMP believe he was killed by associates of his involved in various criminal acts in the Edmonton area.

(side note) I really wanted to transcribe this and stay within copyright and WS TOS, but allll the info in the video is worth posting. Like I said, it should be fine for all my fellow US citizens. If anyone else has questions let me know. I think the majority of details are available publicly. FWIW.