Canadian police link killings of four young women in 1970s to North Idaho sex offender who died in prison

Garrett Cabeza, The Spokesman-Review

PLUMMER (Spokesman-Review) – A serial intersexual offender from Plummer, Idaho, who died while serving a rape condemnation successful an Idaho situation was down 4 killings of young women successful Alberta successful nan 1970s, Canadian constabulary announced Friday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police successful Alberta judge Gary Allen Srery was responsible for nan killings of Eva Dvorak and Patricia McQueen, some 14, Melissa Rehorek, 20, and Barbara MacLean, 19, according to a news merchandise from nan rule enforcement agency .

All 4 were recovered dormant successful a one-year span successful nan Calgary area.

“For complete forty years, investigators did not springiness up successful their pursuit to place those responsible for these murders,” said Superintendent David Hall, serviceman successful complaint of nan Alberta RCMP’s Serious Crimes branch. “Identifying nan perpetrator does not bring Eva, Patsy, Melissa aliases Barbara back. It is our dream however, that nan families are yet capable to person immoderate answers arsenic to what happened to their loved ones each of those years ago.”

Dvorak and McQueen, who were friends, were past seen stepping together nan evening of Feb. 14, 1976, successful downtown Calgary. They were recovered dormant nan adjacent greeting nether nan Happy Valley Overpass connected Highway 1 westbound of Calgary.

Rehorek, who lived successful downtown Calgary, was past seen by a roommate nan evening of Sept. 15, 1976. Her assemblage was besides recovered nan adjacent greeting successful a ditch westbound of nan city.

MacLean was pinch friends Feb. 25, 1977, astatine nan Highlander Hotel barroom and was past seen stepping unsocial from nan edifice successful nan early hours nan adjacent morning. A canine walker recovered her assemblage successful Calgary later that day, nan merchandise said.

A aesculapian examiner ruled Rehorek and MacLean were strangled. The deaths of Dvorak and McQueen were undetermined astatine nan clip and were investigated arsenic “sudden deaths,” constabulary said.

Semen was discovered astatine each 3 crime scenes, but exertion did not beryllium to create a DNA floor plan astatine nan time.

Police worked for decades to lick nan case.

Police confirmed done DNA successful 2003 nan aforesaid fishy was linked to nan deaths of Rehorek and MacLean. The suspect’s DNA was uploaded to a Canadian DNA database and went without a lucifer for years.

Genetic genealogy was utilized successful 2021 to place nan fishy successful nan killings of Rehorek and MacLean.

Srery’s relationship to Canada was yet established, and that he had a criminal grounds of committing convulsive acts against women.

During this time, crime segment grounds was resubmitted to nan laboratory from nan Dvorak and McQueen investigation.

The aforesaid DNA floor plan identified connected some victims matched nan DNA from nan Rehorek and MacLean killings. Police believed that nan aforesaid antheral was responsible for nan deaths of each 4 victims.

Using nan accusation provided done familial genealogy, constabulary began an investigation into Srery, who died of earthy causes successful situation successful 2011.

He was serving an 8 -years-to-life condemnation for raping a female successful 2008 aft driving her location from a Coeur d’Alene bar, according to erstwhile S-R reporting.

With assistance from Interpol and Idaho State Police, Srery’s DNA matched nan antheral DNA floor plan coming connected each 4 Calgary victims.

Srery was domiciled illegally successful Canada astatine nan clip of nan killings, constabulary said. Srery had an extended criminal grounds successful nan U.S. for activity offenses, including rape, kidnapping, burglary and intersexual perversion.

He appeared to fly nan U.S. sometime during 1974 aft posting bail for a rape complaint successful California. He lived nether aliases, including Willy Blackman and Rex Long, successful 1976 and 1977 successful Calgary. Srery lived a transient manner and worked occasionally nether nan array arsenic a cook. He was adept astatine often changing his appearance, spot of residence and vehicles, constabulary said.

He lived successful Alberta and British Columbia from nan 1970s to 2003 erstwhile he was deported.

Alberta constabulary judge location whitethorn beryllium much victims, including unsolved homicides, and asked nan nationalist to assistance successful further establishing Srery’s timeline successful Canada. Those who admit Srery aliases knew him by 1 of his aliases are asked to telephone nan Alberta RCMP Historical Crime Unit astatine (780) 509-3306.

Those who judge Srery whitethorn beryllium responsible for a crime successful their jurisdiction should telephone their section rule enforcement.