Dark Poutine - True Crime and Dark History
True crime, legends, folklore, dark history and other creepy topics from the perspective of real live Canadians.
Episodes
Twice and Again: The Walpole Island Murders
Episode 380: The tragic saga of an indigenous man named Stephen Kiyoshk is one of Canada’s most haunting tales of crime, retribution, and the complexities of the justice system. Spanning nearly three decades, the case includes double murder…
The Mystery of Jerome, the Legless Man of Sandy Cove
Episode 379: In the annals of Canadian folklore and unsolved mysteries, few stories have endured as hauntingly and stubbornly as that of Jerome, the silent, legless man who appeared from out of nowhere on the remote beach of Sandy Cove, Nov…
Fredericton’s Last Execution: The Murder of Norman Burgoyne
Episode 378: Fredericton, New Brunswick, in the sultry summer of 1949, was a community caught between the relief of peacetime and the tensions of post-war hardship. Along the margins of this tidy city lived George Hamilton (25) and Rufus Ha…
The Canadian Thelma and Louise: Rose Turford and Carolyn Stevens
Episode 377: Joyce Carolyn Stevens, the daughter of a preacher from Houston, Texas, and Rose Marie Turford, a Canadian nurse and suburban mother, became infamous as the real-life “Thelma and Louise.” Their cross-border crime spree in the mi…
The 2021 London Truck Killings: The Afzaal Family
Episode 376: On June 6, 2021, Nathaniel Veltman, 20, deliberately drove his truck into the Afzaal family, Pakistani immigrants, as they walked along the road in London, Ontario. The attack killed four members of the Afzaal family: Talat Afz…
Blood Ties: The Murder of Johnathon Madden
Episode 375: On a bleak November afternoon in 2003, Toronto’s east end became the unlikely stage for a crime so brutal and bizarre that, even years later, it defies belief. The victim was 12-year-old Johnathon Robert Madden, a boy remembere…
Foreseeable: The Killing of Melissa Rae Blommaert
Episode 374: On a frigid February night in 2020, the quiet streets of Calgary’s Bowness neighbourhood became the scene of a tragedy that would send shockwaves through the city and beyond. Melissa Rae Blommaert, a loving mother and devoted f…
The Canadian Crimes of H.H. Holmes: The Pitezel Murders
Episode 373: In the shadowy annals of North American crime, few names evoke as much dread as H.H. Holmes, a master manipulator, a conman, and a predator who thrived in the chaos of a rapidly changing world and the man often called America’s…
Two Flavours of Justice — Part 2: The Murder of Darcy Manor and The Trials of Glen Race
Episode 372: In the spring of 2007, Glen Douglas Race’s violent odyssey escalated from a regional nightmare in Nova Scotia to an international manhunt that spanned two countries and left a trail of devastation in its wake. After the murders…
Two Flavours of Justice — Part 1: The Murders of Michael Knott and Trevor Brewster
Episode 371: In early May 2007, Nova Scotia was shaken by a series of brutal murders that would eventually be linked to a single man: Glen Douglas Race. Over the course of just over a week, two well-liked men — Paul Michael Knott and Trevor…
Summer of Fear: The Carlos Rivera and Regier Family Murders
Episode 370: In this episode, we journey into the chilling case of Jesse Imeson—a man whose troubled past and violent crimes left a deep scar on Southwestern Ontario. In the summer of 2007, Imeson's name became synonymous with fear as he em…
Final Justice: The Murder of Guylaine Potvin
Episode 369: In the quiet city of Jonquière, Quebec, the brutal 2000 murder of 19-year-old Guylaine Potvin sent shockwaves through her community and left investigators baffled for over two decades. For years, the case grew cold, with few le…
Playing Nurse: The Life and Crimes of Brigette Cleroux
Episode 368: Here, we delve into the life and crimes of Brigitte Denise Cleroux, examining how she repeatedly evaded regulatory scrutiny, the suffering she caused, and the systemic failures that enabled her persistence for so long. This sto…
Road Trip: The Murder of Reeva Steenkamp
Episode 367: In the early hours of Valentine’s Day 2013, the world awoke to the shocking news that South African Olympic and Paralympic hero Oscar Pistorius had shot and killed his girlfriend, a 29-year-old paralegal and model Reeva Steenka…
Merciless: The Murder of Constable Michael Sweet
Episode 366: On a cold night, March 14, 1980, the city of Toronto was shaken by an act of violence that would leave a deep scar on its police force and forever change the lives of one family. It was the kind of crime that, decades later, st…
Beneath the Roots: The Murder of Mary Ann Frauzel Mailman
Episode 365: On a humid August morning in 1873, the quiet, tight-knit community of Baker’s Settlement outside of Bridgewater in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, was shattered by a crime so shocking that it would echo for generations. This is …
The Collapse of the Second Narrows Bridge: A Tragedy in Steel
Episode 364: On June 17, 1958, a warm summer afternoon in Vancouver, British Columbia, the bustling construction site of the Second Narrows Bridge was alive with activity. Seventy-nine workers, including ironworkers, engineers, and painters…
Shattered Innocence: The Murders Leanne McFarlane and Jeffrey Taylor
Episode 362: On the morning of May 29, 2010, gunshots shattered the quiet of a rural property just outside Cranbrook, British Columbia. By the time police arrived at the scene, two lives had been tragically cut short in an apparent case of …
POWs in Canada and the Murders at Camp 132
Episode 362: We explore chilling events that unfolded at POW Camp 132 in Medicine Hat, Alberta, during World War II. This prisoner-of-war camp, one of many scattered across Canada, became the site of two brutal murders that shocked even har…
Avro Arrow: The Rise and Fall of Canada’s Dream Fighter
Episode 361: On October 4, 1957, as the world's eyes turned skyward to witness the launch of Sputnik 1, another technological marvel was about to be unveiled in a hangar in Malton, Ontario. The Avro Arrow, Canada's ambitious supersonic inte…
Madness on the Hill: The 1966 Parliamentary Bombing
Episode 360: On May 18, 1966, Paul Joseph Chartier, among other things, a disillusioned and unemployed security guard and former truck driver, attempted a deadly act of terrorism on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Chartier planned to throw a hom…
Margate Horror: The Murder of Mary Pickering Tuplin
Episode 359: On a warm summer evening in June 1887, 17-year-old Mary Pickering Tuplin vanished from her family's farm in Margate, PEI. A search and a grim discovery followed that would rock the quiet farming community to its core. Mary's bo…
Made in Canada: The Unsolved Murder of Reet Jurvetson
Episode 358: In Los Angeles, California, in the autumn of 1969, along winding Mulholland Drive, a young woman's body was discovered, brutally stabbed more than 150 times, her identity shrouded in mystery for nearly half a century. This Jane…
Murder and Mayhem in Norfolk County
Episode 357: On a sunny Wednesday afternoon, 21 June 1950, the tranquil tobacco farming community of Langton, of Langton, Ontario, was shattered by a violent crime that would leave an indelible mark on Canadian history. Joseph Herbert McAul…
Canadian Legends: The Lost Lemon Mine and The Vanishing Village at Angikuni Lake
Episode 356: In this episode, we explore two enduring Canadian legends that have captivated imaginations for generations. Our journey begins with the Lost Lemon Mine, a tale from the Canadian Rockies dating back to 1870. Two prospectors, Fr…
Homicidal Somnambulism: Are You a Murderer if You Kill in Your Sleep?
Episode 355: In this episode, we explore a phenomenon that blurs the line between consciousness and culpability: homicidal somnambulism. Can a person be held responsible for murder if they commit the act while sleepwalking? We'll examine tw…
The Fosterville Murders
Episode 354: In the quiet, close-knit community of Fosterville, New Brunswick, a crime of unspeakable horror shattered the peace on November 26, 1924. Two young sisters, Cynthia (14) and Necia Foster (10), were found bound, gagged, and brut…
The 2018 Toronto Van Attack
Episode 353: On April 23, 2018, a bright spring afternoon turned into a nightmare when a rented van plowed through pedestrians along Yonge Street in North York, a Toronto neighbourhood. In just minutes, 10 lives were tragically lost, and 16…
The Westray Mine Disaster
Episode 352: At 5:18 a.m. on May 9, 1992, in Plymouth, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, in the Westray Mine, a methane gas explosion, followed by a coal dust blast, ripped through the underground tunnels, claiming the lives of 26 miners working …
Killed on the Job: Constable Emmanuel Aucoin
Episode 351: On March 8, 1987, a routine Sunday morning traffic stop on a quiet stretch of Route 640 between Yoho Lake and Hanwell to the southwest of Fredericton, New Brunswick, turned into a tragedy that shocked the nation. Constable Emma…
Transatlantic Tragedy — The Murder of Ashley Wadsworth
Episode 350: Ashley Wadsworth’s story is one of hope and adventure turned into a nightmare. Originally from Vernon, British Columbia, Ashley travelled to the UK to be with her boyfriend, Jack Sepple, whom she had met online. However, what b…
Christmas 2024: Mummers, Murder and Manifestations
Episode 349: In the 8th Christmas episode of the Dark Poutine podcast, we once again dive into the shadowy side of holiday traditions that often go unnoticed amidst the festive cheer. This episode will explore the dark origins of some Chris…
The Gay Purge in Canada Part 2: The 1960’s -1990's
Episode 348: This is part 2 of our coverage of the Gay Purge in Canada. Last week, we uncovered the origins of the Canadian government’s purge of gays and queer folk, a campaign that began in the early years of the Cold War. This week, we t…
The Gay Purge in Canada Part 1: The 1940’s-1960’s
Episode 347: In this episode, part one of two, thanks to Mathew’s intrepid and unflinching research, we’re peeling back the layers on one of the most harrowing chapters in Canadian history: the Gay Purge. Officially, the campaign targeted L…
Complex Justice: The Tragic Story of Annie Mae Pictou Aquash
Episode 346: In this episode, we look into the life and mysterious murder of Annie Mae Pictou Aquash, a prominent Indigenous activist whose story continues to haunt the corridors of justice and activism alike. During the tumultuous 1970s, …
Particularly Cruel: The Murder of Baylee Wylie
Episode 345: In December 2015, the quiet city of Moncton, New Brunswick, was shaken to its core by a brutal crime that would leave an indelible mark on the community. Eighteen-year-old Baylee Wylie was found dead in a burned-out townhouse, …
Buried Evidence: The Murder of Erin Chorney
Episode 344: In 2002, Brandon, Manitoba, was rocked by the disappearance of Erin Chorney, a feisty and energetic teenager with her whole life ahead of her. What began as a simple outing—Erin telling her mother she'd be back in an hour—turne…
Remembrance Day 2024: More Badass Canadians at War
Episode 343: This is our special Remembrance Day episode. Each year on November 11, Canadians pause to remember the sacrifices made by those who served in the armed forces, defending our country and our allies with incredible courage and re…
Still on the Run: The Murder of Krystal Senyk
Episode 342: In the quiet Yukon community of Carcross, a chilling tragedy unfolded on March 1st, 1992, forever changing the lives of those involved and leaving a lasting impact on the region. Krystal Nicole Senyk, a twenty-nine-year-old wit…
Halloween Road Trip: Hauntings, Ghosts and Poltergeists Around the World
Episode 341: Welcome to a very special Halloween edition of Dark Poutine. This year, we’re also celebrating our seventh anniversary! Over the years, we’ve explored the darkest corners of Canadian crime and history, but tonight, we’re wideni…