CANADA Canada - Margaret McWilliam, 21, Toronto, 27 Aug 1987 'Cinderella Murder'

[Gina20]

This is an interesting write up.
Will They Find Margaret McWilliam's Killer? - Ian Scott

As police have DNA there must be a few people who have been eliminated including any original suspects. Police have DNA of man who killed Margaret McWilliam

There is still animosity in Canada about Paul Bernardo and the "sweetheart" deal police cut with his wife Karla Homolka. Some people believe to this day that she got away with murder. Doubt remains about Paul Jason Teale, as he is called now. Much about that case was bungled and bungled again. So perhaps the truth is not known, and never will be known.

The Russell Williams case was unusual. Subsequently, many sexual abuse claims have led to distrust in our military.

 

[SaintGertrude]

There is still animosity in Canada about Paul Bernardo and the "sweetheart" deal police cut with his wife Karla Homolka. Some people believe to this day that she got away with murder. Doubt remains about Paul Jason Teale, as he is called now. Much about that case was bungled and bungled again. So perhaps the truth is not known, and never will be known.

The Russell Williams case was unusual. Subsequently, many sexual abuse claims have led to distrust in our military.

Was he in the military and where did he serve.

 

[dotr]

Was he in the military and where did he serve.

RW?
Russell Williams (criminal) - Wikipedia
''David Russell Williams[1] (born March 7, 1963) is a British-born Canadian former colonel of the Canadian Armed Forces and convicted double-murderer who was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murders of Marie-France Comeau in November 2009 and Jessica Lloyd in January 2010.''

 

[Lexiintoronto]

Just noting the setting of that area in 1987.

Margaret lived close to the intersection of Warden & St. Clair. At that time, going clockwise: Warden subway (and bus) station, Warden Woods Park entrance, vast vacant land, and Warden Woods Mall that was set back from the intersection.

The area wasn’t highly populated by homes, mainly because the subway made it a less desirable place at the time. Scarborough was developing. (It’s now officially part of Toronto, or GTA, and the area is built up.)

The park entrance was marked by a sign, but little else indicated that if you ventured down you’d find a nice park with trails.

Bluffers Park is relatively close by. If you were from outside the area, that’s where you’d go because it’s close to the lake and the beautiful bluffs. I think Warden Woods was primarily used by locals. Remember that we didn’t have the internet or social media to map out areas. You’d have to explore based on available printed or tv information.

I went down there to cycle a few times in that era as a young girl, but felt uncomfortable by how secluded it felt. Margaret may have felt more comfortable as it was only a few hundred metres from her home.

I mention this as I think the killer was local or familiar with the area. Possibly familiar with the subway station. If he ventured down there and murdered Margaret out of the blue, without knowing the area, I’d be surprised.

Fwiw— I looked up the location on Google Earth, and the entrance Margaret used (and I used) is exactly the same as 34 years ago. I imagine they’re the same trees that block the view of the park below.

I had passed by that areas many times and didn’t know there were trails until it was pointed out to me.

I re-read the original articles about the crime and they describe it as a ‘popular’ trail, but it was relatively unknown. (In my view as a local at that time.) I stopped cycling there because there were too few people and it was isolated.

Google Earth images, Warden & St. Clair, Warden Woods entrance.



In the first photo is the entrance that takes you down to the trails. There was a simple sign that said ‘Warden Woods Park’, but back 34 years ago without the benefit of the internet as google maps, you had to take a leap of faith to go down there through that entrance, imo.

 

[SaintGertrude]

Here's another possible victim of the "bedsit killer".

Bedsit killer morgue rapist 'could be probed over unsolved barmaid murder'

Note the similar appearance to Margaret McWilliam.

I checked out the thread here on WS, and as SaintGertrude mentioned, police investigators did come to Canada with regard to David Fuller (they also went to Australia). This is interesting, because police investigating Margaret's killer said that they believe the man could have left the country or died. They think he would have committed crimes again, and yet the DNA trail ended in 1987.

UK - Arrest in 1987 'Bedsit Murders' of Wendy Knell, 25, and Caroline Pierce, 20, in Kent

The Bedgebury Forest is heavily wooded, not unlike Warden Woods. David Fuller was a cyclist and birdwatcher.

I know that Canada has more than enough sexual predators who could have killed Margaret, and too many more since then. Paul Bernardo lived in nearby Scarborough. Russell Williams lived in Toronto. The list goes on.

The only way to rule David Fuller out in Margaret McWilliams' murder is to rule him out. Compare the DNA samples. Until this is done, the mystery will remain.

ETA, the location where Fuller dumped one of his victims was just off a path where he cycled regularly with a cycling group. Others in the group probably thought it was as lovely place, not knowing that human remains were waiting to be discovered nearby, and one of their group was the cold-blooded killer responsible.

The double murderer who sexually abused the dead for decades

Fuller has a genealogy interest with someone buried at Resthaven Memorial Gardens Toronto, Ontario, Canada if that is of any relevance to this case. If he was visiting Canada this is a place of interest to him. As someone said the only way he can be ruled out really is for police to check the DNA.

 

[Lexiintoronto]

Fuller has a genealogy interest with someone buried at Resthaven Memorial Gardens Toronto, Ontario, Canada if that is of any relevance to this case. If he was visiting Canada this is a place of interest to him. As someone said the only way he can be ruled out really is for police to check the DNA.

Resthaven is within walking distance to the local motels I mentioned and a few minute’s drive from Warden & St. Clair where Margaret lived and was murdered.

Can you give us more information about his relative who may be resting there?

I’m still not following how Fuller is a possible POI, I’d like to understand. I’ll re-read the thread, but if you could expand on it I’d appreciate it.

I’m going to search if they made a profile from the DNA available.

 

[dotr]

TPSNews.ca | Stories | Police Have Killer’s DNA
''Police Have Killer’s DNA
By Ron Fanfair, Toronto Police Service April 15, 2016
Investigators have his DNA.''
''All they need is the name of the suspect who brutally murdered a young Scarborough woman 28 years ago.

Margaret McWilliam, 21, left her home on August 27, 1987, around 7 p.m., for a jog near Warden subway station. When she didn’t show up for work the next day, police were alerted.

The victim’s lifeless body was located in a wooded area in nearby Warden Woods Park.

“There were signs of violent trauma. The cause of death was ligature strangulation,” said Detective Sergeant Stacy Gallant, who leads the Homicide
Cold Case section. “The only missing item appeared to be an earphone.”

The case went cold despite an enormous police investigation.

Gallant said a re-examination of the case resulted in a strong unknown male DNA profile being developed but it never received a hit in the national DNA database.

“There’s no doubt there are people close to the offender, or who were close with him back then at the time of the offence, and you know he did this,” Gallant said. “I am confident of that. If you want to remain anonymous, that’s perfectly fine. We have his DNA, so all we need from you is his name and nothing more. It’s your duty to bring his name into this investigation so he can be held accountable.”

 

[SaintGertrude]

Resthaven is within walking distance to the local motels I mentioned and a few minute’s drive from Warden & St. Clair where Margaret lived and was murdered.

Can you give us more information about his relative who may be resting there?

I’m still not following how Fuller is a possible POI, I’d like to understand. I’ll re-read the thread, but if you could expand on it I’d appreciate it.

I’m going to search if they made a profile from the DNA available.

We are not allowed to mention any family names on websleuths so I can only generalise.
David Lewis Fuller was recently charged for the bedist murders. This was the killing of Wendy Knell and Caroline Pierce in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK in 1987
Fuller is a keen family historian and made careful notes about his family tree on a popular genealogy site. This includes a memorial photo of a gravestone where someone was laid to rest at the Resthaven cemetery.

As unofficial photographer for Cutting Crew band he may have covered Canada as this appears to have been a very popular tour place for the band. All newspaper articles state is that he must have spent thousands touring alongside the band. I need to relate that there have been no official media statements form the band so this is just a thought to put out to people without any actual evidence.

Could he have come to Canada on a visit in 1987 and visited the grave out of curiosity because of his interest in genealogy. MOO
Was he in the area when Margaret was murdered. MOO

Fuller also belonged to a local cycling club in his home area of Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge.
We know that Margaret McWilliam was a keen cyclist and in one newspaper article it states that she had talked about touring abroad.
Margaret was also due to come to the UK but was murdered in the meantime. I am not sure which part of the UK she had been planning to visit.

 

[SaintGertrude]

We are not allowed to mention any family names on websleuths so I can only generalise.
David Lewis Fuller was recently charged for the bedist murders. This was the killing of Wendy Knell and Caroline Pierce in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK in 1987
Fuller is a keen family historian and made careful notes about his family tree on a popular genealogy site. This includes a memorial photo of a gravestone where someone was laid to rest at the Resthaven cemetery.

As unofficial photographer for Cutting Crew band he may have covered Canada as this appears to have been a very popular tour place for the band. All newspaper articles state is that he must have spent thousands touring alongside the band. I need to relate that there have been no official media statements form the band so this is just a thought to put out to people without any actual evidence.

Could he have come to Canada on a visit in 1987 and visited the grave out of curiosity because of his interest in genealogy. MOO
Was he in the area when Margaret was murdered. MOO

Fuller also belonged to a local cycling club in his home area of Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge.
We know that Margaret McWilliam was a keen cyclist and in one newspaper article it states that she had talked about touring abroad.
Margaret was also due to come to the UK but was murdered in the meantime. I am not sure which part of the UK she had been planning to visit.

 

[Lord Peter Flimsy]

I assume Kent Police in the UK have hold of Fuller’s passports to see if he travelled to North America and Canada in August 1987?

One of the questions in the UK is why was there a gap between his two murders in Tunbridge Wells in June & November 1987?

One of his colleagues at the Tunbridge Wells hospital stated she had seen Fuller on his own in the very secluded Pembury Woods at the rear of the hospital.

Another lady went missing in those woods in 1997 never to be seen again. Fuller started working for the NHS in 1989 at the Kent & Sussex Hospital and later Tunbridge Wells Hospital.

 

[Gina20]

TPSNews.ca | Stories | Police Have Killer’s DNA
''Police Have Killer’s DNA
By Ron Fanfair, Toronto Police Service April 15, 2016
Investigators have his DNA.''
''All they need is the name of the suspect who brutally murdered a young Scarborough woman 28 years ago.

Margaret McWilliam, 21, left her home on August 27, 1987, around 7 p.m., for a jog near Warden subway station. When she didn’t show up for work the next day, police were alerted.

The victim’s lifeless body was located in a wooded area in nearby Warden Woods Park.

“There were signs of violent trauma. The cause of death was ligature strangulation,” said Detective Sergeant Stacy Gallant, who leads the Homicide
Cold Case section. “The only missing item appeared to be an earphone.”

The case went cold despite an enormous police investigation.

Gallant said a re-examination of the case resulted in a strong unknown male DNA profile being developed but it never received a hit in the national DNA database.

“There’s no doubt there are people close to the offender, or who were close with him back then at the time of the offence, and you know he did this,” Gallant said. “I am confident of that. If you want to remain anonymous, that’s perfectly fine. We have his DNA, so all we need from you is his name and nothing more. It’s your duty to bring his name into this investigation so he can be held accountable.”

Sounds like another case for Othram.

Othram - General Discussion

 

[Gina20]

Well, if it does turn out that David Fuller was in Canada in the late 1980s, perhaps he should be investigated for other unsolved cases where dark-haired young women went missing from or were murdered in wooded areas in Toronto. Like this one, for example:

Robert Baltovich wants police to reopen the Elizabeth Bain case | Toronto Sun

Granted, "a blond man with a moustache and receding hair line" isn't much to go on.

 

[Gina20]

I assume Kent Police in the UK have hold of Fuller’s passports to see if he travelled to North America and Canada in August 1987?

One of the questions in the UK is why was there a gap between his two murders in Tunbridge Wells in June & November 1987?

One of his colleagues at the Tunbridge Wells hospital stated she had seen Fuller on his own in the very secluded Pembury Woods at the rear of the hospital.

Another lady went missing in those woods in 1997 never to be seen again. Fuller started working for the NHS in 1989 at the Kent & Sussex Hospital and later Tunbridge Wells Hospital.

Did she have dark hair, too?

 

[Gina20]

View attachment 321746

Here's another thought for you. David Fuller took one of his mistresses to an air show for a first date.

David Fuller: Nurse who had affair with morgue rapist says she is lucky to be alive

Airshows of the Past : The Shepway Festival Airshow | UK Airshow Information and Photography - Flightline UK

The air show was conveniently located near the Romney Marsh, where he had dumped one of his murder victims.

If he also followed air shows, the CNE 1987 air show took place September 4-7. Just a theory. It would be nice if we knew whether or not his DNA profile matched the DNA of Margaret McWilliams' murderer.

Vintage Toronto

 

[dotr]

Did she have dark hair, too?

If this is the person referred to ^, who went missing from the hospital grounds, she is blond and not finding a thread, just got one started...
UK - UK- Margaret Costen, 54, teacher, voluntary patient last seen leaving Pembury Hospital, 23 Feb 1997

 

[Lord Peter Flimsy]

Did she have dark hair, too?

Yes she did

 

[whiterhino]

Some questions:

How old was David Fuller in 2010 when Sonia Varaschin was murdered? What size is the running shoe print? (noting the size of the print in SVs' case is a 10-11) What a coincidence that the 3 women worked in healthcare and were also outdoorsy. Was Sonia also a cyclist?

 

[SaintGertrude]

Some questions:

How old was David Fuller in 2010 when Sonia Varaschin was murdered? What size is the running shoe print? (noting the size of the print in SVs' case is a 10-11) What a coincidence that the 3 women worked in healthcare and were also outdoorsy. Was Sonia also a cyclist?

If you go to the following thread there is a timeline on page nine.
UK - Arrest in 1987 'Bedsit Murders' of Wendy Knell, 25, and Caroline Pierce, 20, in Kent
David Fuller was born in 1954 so in 2010 he would have been 56 years of age.

 

[SaintGertrude]

Here's another thought for you. David Fuller took one of his mistresses to an air show for a first date.

David Fuller: Nurse who had affair with morgue rapist says she is lucky to be alive

Airshows of the Past : The Shepway Festival Airshow | UK Airshow Information and Photography - Flightline UK

The air show was conveniently located near the Romney Marsh, where he had dumped one of his murder victims.

If he also followed air shows, the CNE 1987 air show took place September 4-7. Just a theory. It would be nice if we knew whether or not his DNA profile matched the DNA of Margaret McWilliams' murderer.

Vintage Toronto

Good thinking about someone possibly staying in the area as they were visiting the air show.
The CNA 1987 air show took to the sky over Lake Ontario during the days you mentioned. This was part of a Canadian exhibition with 100,000 spectators on 3rd September when a plane plummeted into the lake.

 

[SaintGertrude]

Here's another thought for you. David Fuller took one of his mistresses to an air show for a first date.

David Fuller: Nurse who had affair with morgue rapist says she is lucky to be alive

Airshows of the Past : The Shepway Festival Airshow | UK Airshow Information and Photography - Flightline UK

The air show was conveniently located near the Romney Marsh, where he had dumped one of his murder victims.

If he also followed air shows, the CNE 1987 air show took place September 4-7. Just a theory. It would be nice if we knew whether or not his DNA profile matched the DNA of Margaret McWilliams' murderer.

Vintage Toronto

I see what you mean Gina from looking at the map locaton