CANADA Canada - Christine Jessop, 9, Queensville, Ont, 3 Oct 1984 - #1

[bessie]

Brilliant work, Dedpanman. Very well done. :cheers:

 

[Dedpanman]

Believing scenario E is not required by anyone.

It does account for what is known though and unfortunately would put the killer into the category of 'organized.'

What's next?

I agree that Scenario E puts the killer in the organized category. Why "unfortunately", though?

In terms of what's next...

How about the position of the legs? What are people’s thoughts on that?

It was surmised that the thigh muscles atrophied and pulled them into that horrific position as opposed to the killer wrenching them that way (RR).

Has anyone ever heard of such a phenomenon concerning a decomposing body before? I’ve never come across an explanation like that before or since.

 

[puppyraiser]

Is it possible that the shallow cuts were done as torture to find out if she had told anyone about the ongoing sexual abuse? I recall reading her brother had talked to her and said she shouldn't be doing it anymore. Could the boys have shown up and Christine refused to participate thus enraging them? The injuries and sheer number seem to indicate intense rage. The attack was personal, not random IMO

On another note, if the body was moved after it had become skeletal, then how did the legs remain in the upright and spread position they were in while the torso basically became a pile?

It would appear, to me anyhow, from the position of the legs that 1)a sexual assault occurred in that location and Christine did not move afterwards because she was dead or very close to it, or 2) the killer(s) took time to pose the body and stage the scene.

 

[Wondergirl]

Is it possible that the shallow cuts were done as torture to find out if she had told anyone about the ongoing sexual abuse? I recall reading her brother had talked to her and said she shouldn't be doing it anymore. Could the boys have shown up and Christine refused to participate thus enraging them? The injuries and sheer number seem to indicate intense rage. The attack was personal, not random IMO

On another note, if the body was moved after it had become skeletal, then how did the legs remain in the upright and spread position they were in while the torso basically became a pile?

It would appear, to me anyhow, from the position of the legs that 1)a sexual assault occurred in that location and Christine did not move afterwards because she was dead or very close to it, or 2) the killer(s) took time to pose the body and stage the scene.

Good post, PR.

On a random note, I was looking at and posted regarding some cold cases from Colorado with respect to Jessica Ridgeways case, and many of the bodies, including young girls, were left in a prone position, fwiw.

 

[Woodland]

My thoughts on the legs.

I think Christine's legs were put into that position before decomp began. I also think the decomp process could have contributed somewhat to pulling the legs further apart, but not to the full extent the way she was found.

Due to the stabbing, her upper torso decomposed faster than her lower body and head but must have had some skin to see what Hillsdon Smith described as two small holes in her torso.

Christine had mummified or parchment of skin on her legs, specifically her thighs. Seems to me this is what kept her lower body intact. If her legs were moved after the skin became mummified, I think it would have cracked the mummified skin and been noticed.

Hillsdon Smith thought there had been animal activity on her thighs, but did not confirm this or have it confirmed. He claimed not to be an expert in this area and there is no report he sought other help. There is no mention of possible animal activity on other parts of her body - only the cuts on some ribs from whatever was used to stab her.

If animal activity was responsible for the pile or heap or scattering of bones to her torso, why not her lower body? How could it have been left as intact as it was? If a certain amount of tissue etc was left on the lower body, how was this missed or left by animals?

Her head was wrapped in a sweater and bruising was visible at autopsy - so tissue must have been present. This is confirmed in RR and also in a phone conversation I once had with retired Det BF. His words were 'you wouldn't believe the bruising to her face.'

Animals could not bite through or tear away the sweater?

 

[puppyraiser]

My thoughts on the legs.

I think Christine's legs were put into that position before decomp began. I also think the decomp process could have contributed somewhat to pulling the legs further apart, but not to the full extent the way she was found.

Due to the stabbing, her upper torso decomposed faster than her lower body and head but must have had some skin to see what Hillsdon Smith described as two small holes in her torso.

Christine had mummified or parchment of skin on her legs, specifically her thighs. Seems to me this is what kept her lower body intact. If her legs were moved after the skin became mummified, I think it would have cracked the mummified skin and been noticed.

Hillsdon Smith thought there had been animal activity on her thighs, but did not confirm this or have it confirmed. He claimed not to be an expert in this area and there is no report he sought other help. There is no mention of possible animal activity on other parts of her body - only the cuts on some ribs from whatever was used to stab her.

If animal activity was responsible for the pile or heap or scattering of bones to her torso, why not her lower body? How could it have been left as intact as it was? If a certain amount of tissue etc was left on the lower body, how was this missed or left by animals?

Her head was wrapped in a sweater and bruising was visible at autopsy - so tissue must have been present. This is confirmed in RR and also in a phone conversation I once had with retired Det BF. His words were 'you wouldn't believe the bruising to her face.'

Animals could not bite through or tear away the sweater?

above quote BBM
Do (child) killers typically show this much rage towards a stranger or is it directed more towards someone they know?

I can't recall any other murders of children in Ontario where so much damage was inflicted by a stranger to the victim. There have been incidents of severe beatings causing death and burning a corpse but these cases were done by someone who knew the child.

 

[Dedpanman]

I thought I would post this since we're on the topic...
A reminder of the sober reality of this case.

 

[Woodland]

I agree puppyraiser, the rage towards Christine is extraordinary. A brazen daylight abduction for the purpose of inflicting so much damage to her body.

Imo, this person didn't care who his victim was, he/they just needed a victim.

 

[Dedpanman]

I think Christine's legs were put into that position before decomp began. I also think the decomp process could have contributed somewhat to pulling the legs further apart, but not to the full extent the way she was found.

I suspect she was left posed with her legs spread wide to shock whoever was going to find her. Then the decomposition process drew her legs into the "frog-like" position. Still... it's pretty strange.

 

[Woodland]

So what could account for the lower half of her body and head found intact but not the upper body?

 

[Dedpanman]

So what could account for the lower half of her body and head found intact but not the upper body?

Been thinking about that question for a few hours now, and I have some thoughts.

Because the head was wrapped up in clothing, it was somewhat protected from insects and animal scavenging. That seems a safe enough bet. The upper torso provided multiple entry points for insect activity as this is where the majority of the injuries were. Maggot activity was at its highest intensity there for the brief amount of time they had to do their work.

The maggots were unable to complete their part of the decomposition process in the legs because of the onset of winter temperatures in November and December.

When the body was found, the legs were described as little more than bones covered with a mummified parchment of skin. So, there was little tissue there to shield the maggots from the winter environment.

That’s my amateur guess.

 

[Woodland]

Okay - so the head was protected somewhat from insect and animal scavenging. Animals ignored it? Animals were not curious what was there? Animals did not attempt to touch it? Left it in place? Flies could not find a way to penetrate the clothing?

But - you skip over animal scavenging for the lower body and now the upper torso. Previously the torso bones were scattered, moved, piled etc by animals. All in one place.

I agree maggot activity dropped off if it was present. But animal activity has not been nailed down, imo. Tough one eh?

 

[jobo]

All there is, is dogs, coyotes, wolves, foxes, raccoons, skunks, porcupines, and then smaller animals. Maybe bears, but maybe not, I know there is the odd one around, but not as a rule.. Some of those animals I mentioned might be herbivores, not 100% sure off the top of my head.
But, then we have crows...turkey vultures. Not sure what else there might be.

 

[Woodland]

Yep - all lookin' to put on fat for the winter.

 

[Richard]

I wonder if Dennis Melvyn Howe might have killed Christine.

 

[Chorley8]

As is often pointed out in this case we have a conundrum: the violence enacted on poor Christine exceeds the norm in these cases and yet we don't seem to have similar cases or at least similar local cases which we would expect. What I say here is just a hypothesis and I really need to read the two books (well I read them years ago but again) to say more.

I think there may have been multiple, local, possibly young perpetrators each egging the other on to wreak unspeakable havoc and injury on this child. I will see if I can fit this scenario into those suggested here it should be possible. The attack was a case of group frenzy out of the norm for each of the perpetrators and why we haven't seen it repeated. I also broach the idea that initially Christine wasn't very far away from home and was taken to the Sund site at some unknown date but the possibilities are being discussed here on WS as we know. I agree drowned at a home or a nearby stream if there is one and there has to be. I agree that her skeleton was not posed like that but her corpse or even living body was. As part of the above scenario or as part of the coverup to point away from these youths and suggest an adult rapist.

There is certainly some kind of link between Queenville and Sutherland it might be something significant and major or something so minor that it is almost impossible to look for that is likely given that nothing has turned up in all this time.

I agree that it is very likely that it is related to the previous abuse. The suggestion that Christine was going to "tell" is one scenario. There is almost certainly some element of substandard work on the case and that could fit with the age of the offenders a person or people hoping the boys or young men could put this behind them not have it ruin their life.

Couple of questions: 1. I have read that very few people drove on that Sunderland road I wonder how many would walk it? (I am thinking of the smell of decomp). 2. Do we know how many boys had sex with Christine? (I think in the way that is treated in the press we can already see some of that "protection" at work. It is treated at bit strangely almost as if it is par for the course boys will be boys not quite but almost like that). 3. Why did Christine only way 40 pounds?

The violence fits more with horrific child abuse cases than sex murders. The semen on the underwear is almost meaningless until we know what in the heck was happening to Christine in that town. For example do we know for sure she wasn't being "pimped out" by these boys locally?

Does the choice of site for the new school have anything to do with physically or psychologically eradicating some evidence that may or not have been present physically at that address but was there psychically for the offenders or those who know about it.

 

[Dedpanman]

Okay - so the head was protected somewhat from insect and animal scavenging. Animals ignored it? Animals were not curious what was there? Animals did not attempt to touch it? Left it in place? Flies could not find a way to penetrate the clothing?

But - you skip over animal scavenging for the lower body and now the upper torso. Previously the torso bones were scattered, moved, piled etc by animals. All in one place.

I agree maggot activity dropped off if it was present. But animal activity has not been nailed down, imo. Tough one eh?

All good points – and I don’t pretend to be an expert in this area or to have any definitive answers.

It seems like there are a number of variables here:

1. severity of soft tissue damage
2. insect activity/maggots
3. animal scavengers
4. weather/temperature/changing seasons
5. time
6. ecological niches for the various animals in that ecosystem (see Jobo’s list)

With that many variables to consider, it’s difficult to determine (or guess) the degree to which each variable played a part in the decomposition of her remains.

I’ll share this, though. When I was younger, I used to go deer hunting with my father, grandfather and uncles in October and November. I’ve spent hundreds of hours wandering through southern Ontario forests (sometimes completely lost) during those months, and I came across numerous decomposing animal carcasses and I can honestly say that each one looked different. Rarely did I find a completely skeletonised corpse. I can recall finding a deer carcass that had been scavenged (by who knows what) and it was basically a pristine head, untouched legs, and everything else was scattered bones.

Based on those experiences, I think it’s entirely possible for C’s remains to end up like they did through the natural processes of that ecosystem.

Can I prove it?
Nope.

Tough one, indeed.

 

[Dedpanman]

I wonder if Dennis Melvyn Howe might have killed Christine.

I think a lot of people have considered that. But, there are some problems with him as a suspect. Howe murdered Sharin’ Morningstar Keenan in Toronto in January of 1983, then took off and disappeared completely. Christine vanished October 3, 1984 – some twenty-one months later.

Would Howe – the subject of a massive RCMP manhunt at the time – be lingering around the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) in 1984?

Howe’s family and connections were all out west… but, at the same time, Howe was well known for his ability to change his appearance dramatically by gaining or losing weight.

Did Howe do something completely unexpected and return to the general area of his latest crime (the GTA) while his hunters were focusing elsewhere?

It’s an intriguing idea… but other than his rape and strangulation of a 9-year-old girl in early ‘83, there’s nothing else that really links him to the Jessop case.

I would love for someone to tackle this suspect and try to link him to this with something tangible.

 

[Chorley8]

I think Howe could have remained in Ontario or come back the photo released of him didn't look like him and IMO may not have been him so how hard would it be to hide? I don't know what the validity of the claim that Howe left Toronto the day after killing Sharin really is - it is usually said that he was last seen at a bus stop or depot in S.S. Marie but do we know that for sure we are never told who the witness is.

(The Ridgen doc. makes much of brother Eugene lending him money and visiting Montana on repeated trips but if you listen watch closely it is obvious that the lending of money was probably the time he got out of the Pen and took off for Toronto and the Montana trips could mean anything and if police thought he had gone out west why did they not even interview one of his brothers for ten years?)

The trouble with Howe as a suspect would be the area is quite for out of Toronto and how would be have a car which he would pretty well need. Could have stolen one or had a buddy I guess. The other problem would be the bizarre violence in Christine's case as we understand it S. was pretty well "just" strangled. IMO there are all kind of problems with the "identity" of Howe so there actually could be a link but it would be a slightly different scenario than the picture we have been given. "Ring" might be too grandiose a word for it but it would involve some organization among perpetrators, at least conversation about such and such girl etc.

 

[Woodland]

Attached is a paper titled 'Canid Scavenging/Disarticulation Sequence of Human Remains in the Pacific Northwest'.

**Warning - there are graphic photos and text**

I chose it as it was published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences in May 1989 - closer to the time of this case. It was first received for publication in June 1988.

http://library-resources.cqu.edu.au/JFS/PDF/vol_34/iss_3/JFS343890587.pdf

Maybe a newer publication will show different results but at that time there was a consistent observation with regards to animal activity on human remains - animals will scatter remains in the short and long term and leave teeth marks on bones from biting and gnawing. The order in which animals consume remains is consistent.

Remains that were not interfered with by animals were found in relatively anatomical order - not heaped or piled or scattered in any way. In these cases at most rodents removed fingers or toes.

My interpretation of this article is - Christine's remains were not interfered with by animal activity but was interfered with due to the disarray of her upper torso bones. This is assuming the descriptions in RR are accurate.