Canadian True Crime - Renfrew County Murders

Episode Date: October 15, 2020

In 2015, Renfrew County—in the Ottawa Valley—would be the backdrop for the worst-ever case of intimate-partner violence in Ontario, and one of the worst in Canadian history.Look out for early, ad-free release on CTC premium feeds: available on Amazon Music (included with Prime), Apple Podcasts, Patreon and Supercast. Full list of resources, information sources, credits and music credits:See the page for this episode at www.canadiantruecrime.ca/episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast contains coarse language, adult themes, and content of a violent and disturbing nature. Listener discretion is advised. In the province of Ontario is Renfrew County, stretching west from Ottawa to the northern tip of historic Algonquin Park. Renfrew County is known for rolling countryside, gorgeous forests, glistening lakes, and vibrant fall colors. With a population of 107,000 people spread out over 7,000 square miles, it's a rural area known for traditional conservative values. In 2015, Renfrew County would become known for something else. It would be the location of the worst-ever case of intimate partner violence in Ontario,

and one of the worst in Canadian history. Natalie Warmadam had lived in Toronto with her husband and two children, but in 2005 they moved back to the Ottawa Valley. Both Natalie and her husband Frank had been raised in the area and wanted that experience for their family while their kids were still young enough to benefit. And Natalie had recently changed careers. She was originally a technical writer, but she had a yearning to care for people,

so she decided to go back to school. She worked hard, got her qualification, and secured a job as a palliative care nurse, providing care and comfort to people with terminal or degenerative illnesses. After their move to the Ottawa Valley, Natalie and Frank's marriage would only survive a few more years. At the time of their separation, 43-year-old Natalie was working at a community care access centre, traveling around the county, taking care of patients. She was known to be vivacious and fun to be around. One of the patients she cared for in hospice had a son called Basel,

a 52-year-old unemployed millwright or person who works with factory machinery. While Renfrew County is a rural community, it's also tight-knit, and room is spread like wildfire. and Basil Barutski was known to have a troublesome past. But from Natalie's experience, when he came to visit his father in hospice, they got on well. He seemed like a nice guy. Basil would later insist that it was Natalie who put the moves on him, but a friend of hers would tell Chattelaine that she remembered it differently.

Quote, anything you need to know about Basil can be summed up by the fact that his father was dying in hospice and he was hitting on his father's nurse. Natalie entertained the idea, but her mother urged her not to get involved. She'd heard that Basil's marriage had ended with a terrible, violent breakup and his ex-wife had been physically assaulted. And, according to the word on the street, there were others. Natalie spoke with Basil about the situation and he told her that even though he'd been charged with assault, all those charges were dropped. So he'd never actually been convicted of anything.

He assured her that his ex-wife was just a crazy woman, and any other women that said anything bad against him just had a vendetta. Regardless, he insisted that whatever happened was all in the past. Natalie's ex-husband, Frank, would tell the National Post that she was in a fragile and emotional state after their marriage breakdown. She was vulnerable. I'm Christy, an Australian who's called Canada home for more than a decade, and this is my passion project. Join me to hear about some of the most thought-provoking and often heartbreaking true crime cases in Canada. Using court documents and news archives, I take you through each story from beginning to end, with a look at the way the media covered the crime and the impact it had on the community.

This is Canadian true crime. Basil Barutski was born in 1957 to second-generation Polish immigrants. His father Walter was a trapper, while his mother Beatrice stayed home with the children in Renfrew County. Basil's reputation can be traced back to his school days. Some saw him as someone who just did not fit in. and others saw him as a bully. In 1977, 20-year-old Basil was charged with his first violent offence. He had assaulted his girlfriend.

He was convicted of causing bodily harm and uttering threats. He then began a relationship with a woman called Mary Ann, known as a kind and giving person who had a daughter from a previous relationship. Basel's violent tendencies were always lurking under the surface. Mirri-Anne would later describe what she was subjected to as a steady regimen of domestic violence. Relationships marred by domestic violence typically flow through a sequence, commonly called the cycle of abuse. Stage one is where tensions build and the survivor is on edge. Stage two is the incident, whether it be verbal.

emotional or physical abuse. Stage three is reconciliation where the abuser wooes the survivor back into their good graces. There's apologies, there's excuses, there's promises not to do it again. But there's also gaslighting. It wasn't that bad. No one will believe you.

And victim blaming. You made me do it. After the abuser has succeeded in getting the survivor back on side, Come stage four, calm. Everyone has settled down and moved on from the incident. But because it's a cycle, it doesn't take long before the relationship is back to stage one, with tensions building again, leading up to another abusive incident.

This cycle can be seen over and over in Marianne and Basil's relationship, which spanned some 26 years, starting from 1980. He ended up in court on three separate occasions on charges of physically assaulting Marianne, who was then considered his common law wife. According to the Ottawa citizen, the first assault was in 1985. Basel spent $20,000 in legal fees to defend himself against the charges and was successful. The cycle of abuse continued. The next year, Marianne gave birth to their first daughter,

together. The second assault on Marianne was at the end of 1993. According to court documents, Basil pulled her hair, slapped her, and tried to push her out of a moving vehicle. Again, he was charged with assault. But this time, instead of spending the money on an expensive legal defense, he stalked Marianne and pestered her to recant her statement, telling her that no one would believe her anyway because of his previous acquittal. He also threatened that she would never see her children again. But Marianne remained steadfast. Now Basil was trained and worked as a Millwright, a high-precision, skilled tradesman who works with factory machinery, plants and construction sites. But in the time after the latest assault charges, he injured his back in a car crash,

and could no longer work, so he went on disability. Now Basel used every tool he had to his advantage. He'd changed, it wouldn't happen again. He announced to Marianne that he wanted to get married and start afresh. She agreed to reconcile. In the months leading up to his court appearance for assaulting her, the couple were married and not long after that, Mary Ann found out she was pregnant with their second daughter.

She would later come to believe that his sudden interest in marriage and babies was part of a strategy to beat the charges. Surely no judge would send a married father with a child on the way to prison. In court, Basil himself insisted that he was innocent and Marianne was just being vindictive. The plan worked. Basil was acquitted a second time. But by the time the baby was born,

the couple had separated again. Four years later, Baisal was able to sweet talk Mary Ann into reconciling again. It was now 1998. Over the next 10 years, Mary Ann battled breast cancer and survived, but then something happened that court documents would only describe as a violent incident. One of their daughters would say that her mother came home bloodied and dirty after the incident. Whatever happened, Mary Ann decided that was enough. She laid domestic assault charges and the couple separated for the final time after this incident.

In court, Basel had the audacity to insist that Mary Ann's injuries were self-inflicted. He was charged with uttering threats and assaulting his wife, but he agreed to sign a peace bond and the assault charges were dropped. He walked away a free man, but the court ordered the court ordered the court. that Basil had to stay away from Marianne for a year. He ignored it. Instead, he stalked her. Basil was highly disgruntled in his life. He erected multiple signs at the entrance to his property

with a long handwritten list of people he declared were his enemies. Mary Ann was featured, along with some police officers and other people. A neighbour would say that at least one of the signs threatened to, to shoot any intruders. Two years later, on New Year's Eve of 2010, Basel was charged after a roadside breath test, where he was found to be over the limit. He accused the police of rigging the breathalyzer.

His license was suspended. The next year, 49-year-old Marianne and 54-year-old Basil attended court to finalize their divorce. Marianne testified about the abuse, she had suffered at Basil's hands and how he, quote, destroyed her spirit with his relentless threats and abuse. She said even after they separated, he continued to stalk her. He denied it all, of course, and flipped it as he always did. It was he who lived in constant fear of being falsely accused by Marianne. Of course, he again brought up the fact that he was never convicted

of anything during their relationship. At this hearing, both of their daughters testified about the abuse they had witnessed their mother encounter. They described how their father was violent, easily agitated and tyrannical toward his family members. The court heard that he had repeatedly threatened to burn down the house they'd lived in, and how after it had been vacated, the house did end up burning to the ground in what the media called mysterious circumstances. There was never any concrete proof about what happened. In his own defense, Basel produced a so-called marriage contract and pointed out where he said

Mary Ann agreed to give him full custody of the children and control of her finances and where she declared she had made false statements about him. Mary Ann testified that Basil had coerced her into signing the contract when she was battling breast cancer. The contract was discarded by the judge who described their marriage as being wretched. It was this divorce that formed the basis for the most recent rumours about Basel, but the only thing on the public record that indicated just how dangerous he was was the conviction from 1977 when he assaulted his girlfriend. A one-off from decades ago, and this fact would be something he would continue to reference. So, Basil was now trying to get with Natalie Warmadame as she cared for his dying father.

She'd heard the rumours about him, but friends and family described her as always seeing the good in people. Natalie rationalised it to herself. Whatever might have happened, surely if Basil was actually guilty of doing something wrong, he would have been convicted of something, and he seemed so nice. Her daughter Valerie would say that he told Natalie she was the most beautiful, amazing woman in the world. He gave her comfort at a time when she was going through a separation and was feeling vulnerable. She decided to give Basil the benefit of the doubt.

Soon after the two started dating, Basil talked his way in to moving into her house. Natalie's friends were concerned about him from early on, not only because of his reputation, but because it was clear that he had a serious drinking problem. Natalie's ex-husband Frank was concerned as well. He had moved to California for work, and this man was living in the same house as the two kids he shared with Natalie.

Frank hired a private investigator to run a criminal background check on Basil Barutski. The only conviction on his record was that one from 1977. All other charges had indeed been dropped, so there wasn't much that Frank could do. Basil lived there for two years. Natalie's daughter Valerie, in her mid-teens at the time, would tell the CBC that Basil showered her mother

with a constant barrage of abuse, chipping away at her self-esteem and making them all fearful of him. him. By 2012, the relationship had completely fallen apart. Basel's drinking was a major problem, and the house was a volatile environment with increasing arguments and yelling. By now, Natalie and both of her kids were utterly terrified. She wanted him out of her house. But he wouldn't leave, so in desperation she moved into the guest bedroom of her own house. Her daughter, daughter Valerie in her mid-teens at the time, would tell the fifth estate that she and her brother

heard Basel keeping their mother up at night, yelling at her, telling her that because they were common law, he deserved half of her possessions. Valerie also heard him say, quote, If Marianne ever puts me in jail, don't wait for me because if I get out, I'm going to kill her. Natalie was by now desperately afraid, for her and her children. children's safety, and after a particularly violent night, she decided enough was enough and went to the police. In July of 2012, Basil Barutski was charged with assaulting Natalie Warmadam, as well as issuing two threats, one to kill her dog and another to physically assault and kill her son. And this was not the first time. He was hostile and aggressive as he was arrested.

assaulted a police officer, and once he was in jail, he urinated on the wall and carpet of the jail cell. These incidents would be added to his record. When it came to Natalie's charges, Basil agreed to plead guilty on the lesser charge of uttering threats, but only if the assault charge was dropped. While this seems unfair to Natalie, it meant that there would be no trial and she wouldn't have to testify. At his sentencing, she submitted a victim impact statement. Quote, his alcohol-fueled rages left me to question myself, my self-worth, and my judgment. When it came to sentencing, the rules of the Canadian legal system make it so that previous charges brought against Basel that had been dropped weren't able to be taken into consideration.

So, Basil Barutski was sentenced to five months. in jail, and with the four months he'd already served, he would be released in just 33 days after the sentencing. He was also given a 10-year ban on possessing or owning weapons and a two-year probation, which required him to take part in a partner assault program called Living Without Violence. He never showed up. Even with his history of intimate partner violence and repeatedly ignoring his probation conditions, he was not the one monitored. Basel had been ordered to have no contact with Natalie, but she was the one who had to monitor it. She was given a panic button with a GPS and told to press it if Basil came within 500 metres. She bought a shotgun to keep by the bed. She had security

cameras mounted inside and outside her house. She kept a tactical pen in her purse. She developed the habit of backing into parking spaces wherever she went, so if he did turn up anywhere near her, she could leave quickly. Natalie Warmadame was serious about defending herself and her family. Anastasia Kuzik, known as Anna to friends, and Stasia or Stache to her family, had worked as a park ranger in Algonquin Park before moving to the community of Wilno in the Ottawa Valley. to be close to her two sisters and mother. Anna was known for being shy at first,

but someone who was a friend to all. She loved nature and animals and was known for her passion for horses. She rode competitively, she had competition ribbons everywhere, and had won an Ontario provincial championship. Anna had worked as a server at the Will No Tavern, a prime hangout spot in the area,

and one that Basil Beasel Burrutsky was known to frequent on occasion. According to Shattelaine magazine, his reputation preceded him even then. He was known to be aggressive, the kind of guy you didn't want to be around. When he arrived at the tavern, some locals would move to the other end of the bar. But he was always friendly to Anna, and it wasn't hard to see why. She was well-liked, easy to get along with, and attentive to custom. She was also ambitious.

She'd worked hard to get her realtors license so she could become a real estate agent on the side and she was making a serious success of it. Word of mouth was growing. Basil asked her for help finding a new home after he and Mary Ann separated. As we know, it didn't take long before he moved in with Natalie Warmadam, so that problem was solved. Basil's father had now passed away. so he also asked Anna for help with selling his father's home.

They became so friendly that at one point, Anna and her boyfriend went and visited Basil and Natalie where they lived at Natalie's house. When Basil went to prison for threatening Natalie, Anna lost touch with him, and when he got out five months later, he needed a place to stay, so he first called on a favor from a friend

who let him live in a run-down farmhouse. As soon as he sorted that out, he called Anna. By this time, Anna's relationship with her boyfriend had soured, and they had broken up. Like Natalie, Anna was feeling vulnerable and emotional. 55-year-old Basil talked with 34-year-old Anna about her breakup and heard that she was now struggling financially. And the farmhouse she lived in required a lot of,

lot of renovations. Basel offered to help her fix it up. Anna was aware of his history and brought it up with him. Just like he did with Natalie, he convinced her that it was because of vengeful, crazy women and that he was the victim. There were several other similarities between Natalie and Anna. They were both fresh from devastating relationship breakups. They both gave people the benefit of the doubt. And, before too long, Baisal had moved in to Anna's farmhouse, just like he had with Natalie. They were now a couple. It took just a few months before the relationship came apart. The day before New Year's Eve, Bacil brutally assaulted Anna and tried to choke her.

She would tell the police that she saw his eyes turning black and empty, and she thought he was going to either kill her or rape her. Quote, I was screaming, at that point in time I was begging him to kill me. My face was very sore, very battered up, and he wanted me to stop talking. He kept holding my mouth and he had his hands around my throat, like pressing. He said that it wasn't me, he said that it was the other woman that I had taken the beating for, the other women that had wrecked his life. But Anna didn't lay charges at first, nor did she seek medical attention.

for her injuries. She was scared, of Basel and of what people would think. She urged him to get help for his issues and he acknowledged that he needed it. But a few days later, he hadn't taken any action, so she photographed her injuries as a precaution. When she brought up the attack again, he effectively gaslit her. Quote, he didn't remember half the things I said that he'd done, He didn't remember hitting me. He didn't recall strangling me like trying to hold my throat upstairs. He said that it wasn't me. But not even three weeks later, Basil was at it again.

At midnight on a night in January 2014, Anna threw him out after they had an argument. She then locked the door and went to bed. But in the morning, Basil returned and he was in a rage. He busted down the door. he ran around the house gathering what he knew were Anna's sentimental handmade childhood items, including an antique rocking horse and a wooden tabletop hockey game. Cruely, he threw them into the fireplace and set them alight.

Anna would testify that she tried to wrestle him and stop him, but he fought her back so he could watch them burn. He then stole some of her other items, including her cell phone, and then took off in her mother's car without permission. Anna had been in contact with Natalie Warmadame about their shared experiences with Basil. Natalie urged Anna to lay charges. She had been outraged that her own assault charges were dropped in a plea deal and she was determined not to let it happen again.

Basil needed to be convicted of assault this time or other women won't know that he's a danger and this could happen again. Anna summoned the courage and laid the charges. Basel was charged with the assault, burning Anna's possessions, stealing her mother's car and breaching his probation. Anna testified about her experiences as well as a disturbing dream Basil told her about where he said he held Natalie under the water and she drowned. The prosecution noted that he had quite the collection of violated court orders,

including a driving probation where he'd been asked to forfeit his driver's license and a weapons probation. The court records noted additional concerns about Basel's propensity to re-offend and the fact that the charges against him seemed to be escalating each time he came back to court. This time, Basil was found. guilty and sentenced to 17 months in prison, but he was out in five with two years probation. His 10-year ban on weapons was upgraded to a lifetime ban, and he was also required to sign a no-contact document saying he would stay away from Anna. He refused to sign, but he was released anyway,

and Anna had no idea that he had even been released because no one from the criminal justice system had bothered to tell her. Another person who didn't know was Natalie Warmadame. By now she was starting to feel a little safer. As far as she knew, Basel was still behind bars and in any event she felt that the time that she was most at risk was likely behind her. Natalie even started to relax a little. Part of Basel's probation was a renewed requirement to attend the Living Without Violence course from his previous probation. The course coordinator told the fifth estate that when he was notified of Basil's required attendance, he looked through his records and was alarmed by what he saw, especially the sheer ferocity of the attack against

Anna Kuzik. In his experience working with abusers, this attack, this attack, was far beyond the norm. Because of this, the coordinator looked out for Basel's attendance at the course, but he didn't show up again. The coordinator contacted his parole officer to let them know, but never heard anything back. While Basel mostly did show up for his scheduled parole meetings, there was no record of any follow-up or any kind of consequences for these breaches of probation.

When he was released, he moved to an apartment block in a town called Palmer Rapids, still in Renfrew County. He made friends with a neighbour there, Sherl, who described him to various media outlets as a nice guy who used to bring her over baked goods as well as meals that he'd cooked himself. He even planted a strawberry patch under her picture window and did mechanical work on her car. All he asked in return was to borrow that car several times a week to run errands. It's not known if Sherl knew that he had forfeited his driver's license. Sherl did say he asked her something else that disturbed her one time. He wanted her to ask her boyfriend if he knew someone who could sell him a gun.

Cheryl felt uneasy about it and never did ask. One day, Bayser was at the local tavern when he ran into a friendly acquaintance and sometime love interest that he'd lost contact with when he was in prison. 66-year-old widow Carol Collettin was shoring up plans for her upcoming retirement after spending more than a decade in the public service. Her husband had died of cancer a few years beforehand and she was getting her finances in order. She had a small cottage nearby on Kameneskeg Lake that she planned to sell as part of her retirement plan. When she ran into Basel at the tavern, they caught up, and she mentioned to him in passing that she had to fix up her cottage before she could sell it. He was quick to offer to help her, saying he was bored and she'd save money.

At first, she was okay with him giving it a go. But boundaries were an issue for Basel. He would borrow his neighbour Cheryl's car and just show up at Carol's cottage to work on it. Carol wasn't happy. She told friends that not only was his work not great, but he left projects she wanted him to do unfinished and would instead start other projects she didn't ask for.

She started to feel like the cottage wasn't hers anymore. As well as showing up at her holiday cottage, Basil also showed up unannounced at her actual home, which was two hours away. Carol had never actually given him her address, but she would find out that he got it from a Christmas card. Friends were concerned for Carol. They told her that it was clear he was pursuing her romantically,

and in fact he seemed to be stalking her. But she gave the impression that she had the same, situation under control. In early September of 2015, Labor Day weekend, Carol was at the cottage having drinks with Basil and a friend called Jim. Carol was a fun person to be around. Friends described her as someone who had a dry sense of humor and a twinkle in her eye. Things were going well that night, until Carol sat on Jim's knee and Basil became jealous and angry. He and Carol fought about it. To Carol, they weren't in a relationship, so what right did he have to behave like this? He retaliated by tearing up her flower garden. He even stormed around to Jim's

house and demanded to know if he was interested in Carol. The second week of September, Carol celebrated her retirement and started saying goodbye to her work friends. She'd worked hard and had been through the hardship of losing her husband. She was ready to start the next phase of her life and would enjoy doing gardening, playing cards, and just generally enjoying herself. But Basil Barutski was not making that easy for her. He had been texting incessantly,

insisting that his act of destroying her flower garden was what a professional had told him to do to deal with his anger issues. He said it had been told to take them out on inanimate objects. Carol wasn't into the drama and didn't want to engage with him, so she resorted to only answering his texts every so often, saying things like, I'm sorry you feel this way, I really am. He kept talking about putting everything behind them. Quote, it's totally up to you now. Are we going down the negative path or the positive path? Regardless

of your choice, I'm okay, but obviously I prefer positive. By the third week of September, Carol had had enough. On Sunday, September the 20th, she told Basil that she had rekindled a relationship with an old flame and asked him not to bother her anymore. He texted back, begging her for an explanation, and trying to reassure her that he was a good person, not someone who was violent or vengeful. The next day he drove over to the cottage to confront her in person, but she wasn't there. He told her neighbour that he was very upset and was there to collect his things. He then left more than ten handwritten messages all over her property.

They were incredibly passive-aggressive. One said, Thanks for leaving, Carol. I was wondering how I was going to get rid of you so I could do this. Happy, positive retirement. Sorry I'm such an asshole. Carol took photos of each message with her digital camera. Later that day, his attitude changed.

Now he was downright aggressive. He sent her angry texts calling her a cruel, vindictive, self-centered human being. He accused her of scamming him for free labor and told her he will endure her betrayal and threatened that karma was going to take over. Carol planned to stay in the lake cottage by herself that night, because she was meeting a real estate agent there in the morning to talk about putting it on the market. Her new partner and friends were seriously worried and warned Carol to be careful.

But she insisted she would be fine, and if anything were to happen, she would lock the door and call 911. That same night, Basil was complaining to his neighbours. Some of them noticed that he seemed depressed. He told them the story that he had just broken up with his girlfriend at her cottage after finding her in bed with another man. He said he was angry and he ranted about women being sluts and whores. Sherl, the neighbour, who often lent her car to Basel,

heard that he hadn't slept at all the night before. He said that Carol had rejected him and he was upset. quote, karma's going to get her. Sherl said she could see the anger in his face. She would say to the fifth estate, I could tell that night he was going to snap. When she woke up the next morning, her car was gone. It was early in the morning of September 22nd, 2015.

Carol Colletton's close friend Teresa was calling the cottage to make sure she was okay. There was no answer. She called back again. Same result. It was still early, though, she'd try again soon. Anastasia Cusick, the 36-year-old real estate agent, had her sister Ava staying at her house in Wilno. It was about 8.45 in the morning and Ava was upstairs folding laundry when all of a sudden she heard Anna scream. Ava ran downstairs to see Anna crouched on the floor of the kitchen. She said in a little bit of a little bit of whisper. It's Basil. Ava then saw the man near the kitchen door. He seemed surprised to see Ava and he exited the house. Ava rushed out to confront him, yelling at him to stay away from my sister. She then ran to the front door to make sure he'd left, but instead she saw him coming back

with a big shotgun, so she ran back into the house and peered out the window. He was now on the porch walking towards the kitchen door again. She thought to herself, we're going to die, and she knew she had to get help. Then she heard the gun go off. She ran barefoot out of the house to get help and kept running because she heard footsteps behind her and thought he was following her. It turned out to be Anna's dog. As Ava approached the highway, she saw a line-marking vehicle and ran to it. When 9-1-1 was on the line, a distraught Ava told the dispatcher she heard screaming and she was hoping he hadn't killed her sister. The dispatcher told her to breathe. As the first responders rushed to the house, Ava called their other sister Laura and then

their mother who all lived nearby. They met the police back at the house where they were given the devastating news that their beloved Stasia was dead. The 36-year-old had been shot point-blank as she tried to hide behind her kitchen island. M. Basel was nowhere to be found. He had fled the scene. By 9am, reports of an active shooter was spreading throughout the community. Police from three different townships descended in the community of Wilno, where Anna lived. An emergency response unit had been training in a nearby park and they arrived as well. The local schools were put on lockdown.

Carol Colletton's friend Teresa was still waiting for the news that her friend was okay. Teresa turned on the TV. Ontario provincial police were reporting that there was a shooter on the loose in Wilno just 20 minutes from Carol's cottage and one person was dead. They said the shooter is believed to be in the area and while the OPP conducts ground and air searches for the suspect, they advised residents to lock their doors, stay inside and call 911 if they have any information. Teresa was starting to get very worried.

She called and texted Carol, urging her friend to call and confirm she was okay. Over at 48-year-old Natalie Warmerdams house, she was at home eating breakfast. Also in the house was her 20-year-old son, Adrian, who was lying on the couch watching TV. Her daughter Valerie was at school. All of a sudden, Adrian heard a scream from the other room where her mother was. He thought maybe she was just startled by a spider, but she screamed again, louder. Adrian ran over to check it out and he saw his mother running towards him with someone chasing her, pointing a shotgun at her.

He then recognized the man as Basil Barutski, someone he hadn't seen for a while, given it had been three years since he and Natalie had broken up. Adrian feared for his life and he ran, barefoot, he exited the back door and as he ran across the field and into the bush to hide, he heard a single gunshot. As he laid on his stomach hiding in the bush, he called 911 on his cell phone to tell them that his mother was under attack. And that's where he stayed until the police came. 48-year-old Natalie Warmadam's body was found on the staircase. A shell casing from a 12-gauge shotgun was found nearby.

Natalie's 18-year-old daughter Valerie was at high school at the time of the lockdown. Classwork stopped and the students wondered aloud why they could not leave the premises. After a time, Valerie's name was broadcast over the intercom to come to the principal's office. and she instinctively knew that Basil Barutski was somehow involved. Not long after, she was given the tragic news that her mother had been killed. Real estate agent Kathy Pitts was scheduled to meet Carol Collettin at the Lake Cottage at 11am that morning. But when she arrived, a window was smashed and the door looked like it had been kicked open. Kathy was uncomfortable entering the property alone, so she went to her. to a neighbor for help and they returned together. At first, nothing else seemed out of place

until Kathy got to the bedroom and saw what she thought was a rolled-up sleeping bag. But then she realized it wasn't. It was a person. It was Carol. There was no blood, but Carol was unresponsive. Kathy called 911. There was at least one more woman to be concerned about. Basil's ex-wife, Mary Ann. The OPP called her on her cell phone as she was driving to a doctor's appointment and told her to get to a safe place. She immediately drove to a provincial park and stayed in the park office, waiting for police to give her the word that it was safe. By now, a police manhunt had been established to locate Basel, with ground and air searches continuing. Multiple news reports were telling residents to stay secure in their homes.

As well as schools, the OPP decided to put the local Pembroke Courthouse on lockdown as a precaution, as well as several OPP detachments. Renfrew Town Hall was also evacuated as a precaution and staff were escorted to their vehicles. Three women were dead and the police didn't know what else this man had planned. It was clear that he was on a murder spree. News spread quickly in the small communities that make up Renfrew County. People were exchanging stories about what they'd heard. Who were the three people who were dead?

Who was the suspect? And why did it happen? As the hours went by, warnings spread wider than Renfrew County to Ottawa, and more than one site in that city was placed on lockdown. An added police presence was seen at the Ottawa Courthouse. Meanwhile, Basil's neighbor, Sherl, was wondering what was going on. It was now after lunchtime and she hadn't seen her car all day. Where had Basel gone with it?

At almost 2pm, she got a text message. It was Basel. He told Sherl that her car was at Carol's Cottage at the lake. Quote, Sorry, I left $100 for gas. Bye, friend. The police were tracing Basel's cell. phone and a command center had been set up on a side road near where his phone had been traced

to. Basel had been tracked east near a hunting cabin owned by relatives. Dozens of police officers were involved now from both the Ontario Provincial Police and the Ottawa Regional Police Services. Helicopters were circling overhead. There was now widespread fear in Renfrew County. No one could rest until the shooter had been captured. Ottawa police were put in touch with Basil's brother, Arthur Barutski. They wanted him to cooperate with police and text message with his brother and frame the messages so that Basil would surrender peacefully. After some messaging back and forward, Arthur texted, quote,

Nobody wants to hurt you, follow the instructions, hands up, no gun. Barutski texted his brother back, quote, The guilty have paid, it is not my fault. He then raised his hands and surrendered to the police. The five-hour manhunt was over. The police announced they had arrested a suspect although they wouldn't release his name until charges were laid. As the loved ones of Natalie Warmadame,

Anastasia Cusick and Carol Collettin came to terms with their loss, Local residents were able to breathe a sigh of relief. Basil Barutski was taken to the Pembroke OPP detachment where he spent the night. The next morning, Detective Sergeant Kaylee O'Neill arrived to interrogate him. O'Neill brought coffee and breakfast for Basel, which he ate as the detective tried to get him to talk, firstly by explaining his role and asking Basil if he understood what was going on. Basel was quick to establish himself as a reluctant participant who had multiple issues with police officers.

He could not be described as cooperative. He was disinterested and he was nonchalant. Early on, he stated that he did not murder those women with special emphasis on the word murder. He said he killed them, implying that murder is wrong and killing isn't. He cited his own. reading of the Ten Commandments, which he said he believed would provide vindication, saying he consulted his personal Bible on the eve of the murders.

Detective O'Neill asked him to explain. Basil spoke about his own studies of the Bible. In fact, he'd been reading it the night before the murders. The five-hour interrogation was released to the public, but I've selected just a few quotes to play to give an indication of how Basil sounds. as he spoke and I'll summarize the rest. Clips have been edited slightly to remove long gaps and silence. In this clip, Basel quotes what he says as one of the ten commandments as justification for what he did. O'Neill corrects him, but Basel insists he is right.

What's the difference between killing and murder? That was show. No, murder. Commandments. So it's killing justified. Is that what you're getting at? I'm saying that. I believe it's actually thou shall not kill. You're wrong. You better start reading the Bible.

Yeah? Find an old version before they changed it. Detective Sergeant O'Neill was clearly just reading from the wrong version of the Bible. He moved on to the next question. Why would God have you kill? those women. So that seems kind of counterintuitive. No.

No reason could there be for that? No, to me it seemed like God was trying to show me that the commandment is an thou shalt not kill, it is thou shalt not murder, and that when somebody, it's murder to kill some somebody, it's murder to kill some I believe that's innocent. That's why I couldn't kill myself because I thought about shooting myself, but I can't do that because I am innocent.

I didn't do it wrong. That would be me murdering myself. Does that make any sense? So in terms of Carol and anesthesia and Natalie, would you say you killed them or murdered them? I killed them because they were not innocent. They were guilty. I was innocent.

I had done nothing wrong. Basel painted a self-portrait of a man who was a chronic victim. None of what happened was his fault. He was wronged by all his previous partners, who he called bipolar, loony and crazy. He accused them all of framing him. He claimed he was also wronged by what he described as a corrupt police system. He sat with one arm across his chest and the other holding the side of his head. He repeatedly said he was the victim of malicious prosecution by the police

and that no one ever listened to him. He said the police had even framed him for his DUI. When asked if he wanted to call a lawyer, he said, I don't want to talk to any crooks. Basil Barutski's complaints and criticisms didn't end there. He complained about the lack of humanity in his treatment by police after he was arrested. He requested a doctor, citing chronic back pain. He complained about health problems, a vitamin deficiency,

four ruptured discs, a hernia, a history of concussions, and about the medications he was on. He also declared that he had... PTSD because of his treatment at the hands of the criminal justice system. He was asked, what had the women done to make him so angry that he decided to kill them? He said that if the community really wanted to know, they should start an independent inquiry. Quote, because Basil Barutski is a kind, caring, God-fearing human being. He had referred to himself in the third person, quite a few times through our

this interrogation. One by one he listed what he perceived to be slights against him by his ex-partners, each slight as ridiculous as the last. Mary Ann was the one who beat him up, not the other way round. Natalie was apparently in with a man stealing back hose and Basil accused her of trying to frame him for it. And as for Carol, she had simply rejected him after he did all that work on her cottage. After a few hours of back and forth and continued references to the Bible, as well as his lack of sleep, Basil Barutski told his version of what happened the morning of September 22, 2015. He said he left his apartment in Palmer Rapids just after 7.30 a.m., taking off in his neighbor Schill's car. He said as he drove the car, he felt that God was helping him

to do what's right. He had a 12-gauge shotgun with him that he told police he found at an old farmhouse two years earlier. As you'll remember, he had a lifetime ban on weapons and his firearms license had been revoked, but he still carried the expired permit card around with him. Basil said he drove about 15 minutes northwest to Carol Collettan's cottage on Kameniskeg Lake. She saw him arrive and he said something to her like, why do you hate me? She went inside and locked the door. He smashed the window open with his elbow, unlocked the front door and entered the cottage. She said, this is not you, Basil, this is not you. He chased Carol to her bedroom, grabbed a coaxal television cable and wrapped it around her head and neck six times while she begged for her life.

He strangled her. As Carol looked at her. As Carol lay dead on the bedroom floor with numerous defensive injuries and bruises on her hands and arms, Basil smoked a cigarette. He discarded the butt in Carol's kitchen sink, along with his DNA. He emptied out the contents of her purse and took her cell phone and the keys to her car. He left Shell's car parked at the cottage, with $100 in it for gas and then fled in Carol's car. At this point, no one had any idea that a killing spree had started. Basil drove about half an hour northeast to Wilno, where Anastasia Cusick lived. He arrived at around 8.45 a.m.

After the confrontation with her sister Ava, who fled out the house on foot, Basil said he located Anna cowering behind the kitchen island. He asked her, why did you lie in court? And she said, I didn't. He fired the gun, killing her with a single shot. A 12-gauge shell casing was found near her body, along with a fingerprint that matched to Basel. Next, he drove another half an hour, this time southeast, to the farm of Natalie Warmadam. The same farm where he lived for two years. Surveillance footage shows him walking into her house with a shotgun. He chased her around the corner with that shotgun as her son ran out of the house

and then he fired one shot, also killing her instantly. The same-sized shell casing was found near her body. Two minutes later, surveillance footage captured him walking back out. By 9.20 a.m., three women were dead, and Basil told each of these stories without a shred of remorse or even emotion. He was completely nonchalant. As you'll remember, his complaint about Natalie was that she was apparently in with a man stealing backhose and had tried to frame him. According to sources close to Natalie, she had nothing to do with whatever went on, but Basil decided that this man would be his next target. The man owned a sawmill, so Basil said he drove there and asked around for him.

He was told that he wasn't there. Basil decided to leave. In reality, the owner knew that Basel was there and was hiding in the bushes, a decision which saved his life. Basel drove around for a bit before heading out east to Kinburn, Ontario, where a relative had a property.

Just before 2pm, he parked the car on the outskirts of town, sat down at a picnic table and texted his neighbor Sherle to let her know where her car was. He then ran into the bush with a few bottles of liquor along with the shotgun. His plan was to drink himself stupid and then die by self-inflicted gunshot. But he decided not to. Quote, yeah, you can't do that, Basel, you're innocent. If you blow your head off, you'll never go to heaven.

Just 30 minutes later, he was. arrested. He pointed to where the shotgun was so police could take it. It was an old, rusty and run-down gun determined to be in poor condition, but it worked. Police also found ammunition which matched the shell casings found at the crime scene. They also found a note that read, I have no gun, don't murder me, I give up. And inside the car that he stole, Carol's car, they found a large machete. As you remember, the police had warned Basil's ex-wife Marianne to find a safe space. But when he was asked about her, he told police he hadn't actually thought of including Mary Ann in the day's plans. At the end of the confession, Detective O'Neill asked Basil if he

understood what happened to Anna, Carol, and Natalie was wrong. Basel replied, yeah. O'Neill asked, would you take it back if you could? Baisal replied, of course I would, but then continued on into another rant about how Natalie, Carol and Anna brought it upon themselves. He also said that he was prepared to shoot any police officer that got in his way. The only shred of remorse he showed was the fact that he borrowed his neighbor's car and left her gas tank empty. During the interrogation, Detective O'Neill repeatedly offered him legal counsel, but he turned it down. With Basel Barutski finally captured, the Renfrew County community were feeling safer, but still reeling in shock, especially those who knew Carol, Natalie and Anastasia.

As for Basil's family, his estranged brother Will told the Canadian press that they were angry and embarrassed. Quote, we're all in disbelief. Right now the only ones we're thinking about is the victims, the children, the families, the friends. Our hearts and souls go out to them. By now, the media had started reporting on who Basel was, including his criminal past and all the times he had evaded conviction. There was a lot of outrage at how this man, with his history of escalating violence towards women, was allowed to return to the community time and time again, even through multiple breaches of probation orders.

Kathy Pitts, the real estate agent who discovered Carol Collettin's body, told CTV News, quote, I'm very angry with the legal system for allowing an animal like that man be back out on the loose. My heart just bleeds for the families of these women and what they have to go through. Women's advocate groups had started to, point out that this, the worst ever case of intimate partner violence in Ontario, wasn't receiving

the kind of public attention it deserved. Many media outlets noted that the murders happened in the middle of the 2015 federal election campaign. The day after, the three main political leaders was supposed to have a debate on women's issues. The debate had actually been cancelled a month earlier under controversy, but the media noted that none of the three political leaders made a single public comment about the massacre as they campaigned. This absence was a missed opportunity to educate the public about domestic violence and the red flags that Basil was at high risk to continue re-offending, like his repeated refusal to follow his probation conditions. As journalist Sadia Ansari wrote,

in a blog post for the Huffington Post, quote, a mass shooting fueled by misogyny is no doubt a national tragedy. So how many women have to die before this issue warrants the political attention it deserves? As Basil had his first appearance in court, where he remained absolutely silent, a woman's support group gathered outside the building

to hold a vigil. Joanne Brooks, director of the women's sexual assault center of Renfrew County was one of the organizers. Quote, when these events happen in communities, what happens is it triggers rawness for many women. We all live with the threat of violence and I think it's important to be out and publicly visible for the women who cannot come forward. The group were there again for Basel's second appearance in court a few weeks later. This time, he uttered just one word when he was asked to identify.

himself, he said, God. It seemed fitting given what the police had found in his apartment. They seized three books, the Bible, the Jerusalem Bible, and a book called The Key to Freedom, which is essentially the Bible rewritten in contemporary English. The police also seized various writings they found from Basel to be used for handwriting analysis against the messages that he wrote all around Carol's cottage. Packed memorial services were held for the three women who were loved and missed by many. There were strong undercurrents of anger at how the massacre was allowed to have happened. Anastasia Kuzik was described as a lover of nature and a friend to everyone. Bagpipers played amazing grace in a hall that featured walls of photos, as well as a giant

display of the many ribbons she'd won in horse riding competitions. Her family asked for donations in her memory to be made to the local women's shelter. Those who gathered to memorialize Carol Collettin described her as wonderful, someone who loved all animals. Friends said Carol didn't know the extent of Basil's past, and because she was such a trusting person, she gave him the benefit of the doubt. Natalie Warmadame was remembered as someone who smiled with her whole face and had an infectious laugh. Her friend, Danielle Pecora Gorsi, told the crowd that the justice system had let Natalie down and they needed to channel their anger into bringing about change in the justice system. Quote, we need a system that works differently in cases of abuse against women. We need a

justice system that puts the protection of the victims over the rights of the abuser. In the meantime, CBC were investigating for the fifth estate. They had requested a phone call with Basel from prison, and to their surprise, he called back in the months after the murders. But it was more of the same as what he said in the interrogation. He'd been wronged. It was the police's fault. It was the women's fault. It was the system's fault. In the end, he He declared, you're judging me, and hung up. True to their word, the women's support group was organizing again for the one-year anniversary of the Renfrew County murders. Dozens attended a candlelight memorial to remember the three women.

They marched through the streets holding signs that read, Take Back the Night, in reference to the movement to end domestic violence. Natalie Warmerdame, Carol Collettin, and Anastasia Coussin, and Anastasia Cousick's names were etched into a monument that had been erected in memory of more than 20 women, killed by their partner or ex-partner. Many were reflecting on how gaps in the justice system allowed this to happen, and how one year on, Renfrew County was no safer for abused women than before. According to Statistics Canada, a woman is killed by her partner every five days on average,

and women in rural areas are even more susceptible. They are often put at a disadvantage because of traditional moral and religious beliefs in rural areas. Women also feel they can't leave an abusive relationship for financial reasons. Often, their livelihood is tied to a farm. But they're also afraid to leave because everyone knows everybody else in these areas. There's isolation and poverty. there's also the fact that many of the men are hunters, so have access to firearms and other weapons. And cases like this massacre and the fact that Basil was allowed to get away with not following his probation orders,

repeatedly, hardly encourage women to step forward or trust the system. And what's worse, Joanne Brooks from the Women's Sexual Assault Center of Renfrew County told the media about a disturbing trend. Several women they helped at the centre reported that their abusive partners had started using the name of Basil Barutski as a threat. She said that while there had been improvements in the justice system to warn women who are at risk when a man is released from jail, quote, at the end of the day, if a man chooses to kill a woman, it will happen. There are restraining orders and bail conditions, but those just get walked right through, especially in rural areas, where we are isolated without services.

We don't have neighbours that might call us and say, I just saw him coming your way down the street. We don't have neighbours necessarily. Basil Barutski's trial started in October of 2017, just over two years after he murdered three women. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder for Anastasia Cusick and Natalie Warmadame, and one count of second-degree.

murder in the death of Carol Colettin. This suggests that he did not plan to murder Carol, who was the first victim, but then he did plan on driving to Anastasias and Natalie's and killing them. In the lead-up to the trial, the 59-year-old was ordered to have a psychiatric test, but he refused to comply. When asked what his name was, he said, I don't know. When asked what people call him, he said, asshole. The psychiatrist reported back to the court that an attempt was made, but due to Basel's non-compliance, the assessment wasn't possible. Basel was no different at the trial.

As the judge would put it, he decided not to actively participate in his own defense, despite repeated requests by the court. He refused to hire a lawyer or request legal aid. He just sat there in the prisoner's box staring straight ahead. In cases like this, the court can appoint what is called an amicus curier, which means friend of the court. In Basil Barutski's case, the role assisted the trial process by offering him information, expertise and insight. In the opening address, the Crown prosecutor argued that the trial is not a who-done-it, because the evidence that was going to be presented is overwhelming.

It was clear that the killings were all about justice, his kind of justice. He believed there was a corrupt justice system out to get him and women paid the ultimate price. Quote, he thought about it before he did it and then he executed his plan perfectly. The videotaped interrogation where Basil explained his twisted logic would become the centrepiece of the Crown's considerable evidence.

Other evidence included testimony from Carol's new partner, the one she had just gotten back together with, about Basil's erratic behaviour leading up to the murders, the unannounced visits, the botched projects that Carol never asked for, and the jealous, possessive behaviour. There was blood on Basil's clothes that matched to Natalie and Anna, and his fingerprint was found at Anna's house, the cigarette butt in the sink of Carol's cottage with his DNA on it.

Surveillance footage showed him pulling out of his apartment block in his neighbor Sherle's car, which was recovered from Carol's cottage. Inside Sherle's car was his wallet, containing all his ID and bank cards and his expired firearms permit, as well as $100 for gas as per his text message to Sherle, before he was arrested. Surveillance from Natalie's house showed him going in and coming out minutes later. There was a lot of evidence.

Anastasia's sister, Ava, testified about the 911 call she'd made when Basil entered the house. At this point, Basil suddenly came to life, tapping on the glass and asking for a piece of paper. Basil had questions for Ava, which he wrote on the paper. The amicus curier asked the questions, saving Eva from having to give her answers to Basil himself in the prisoner's box. The questions were not overly poignant. She was asked where she was in the house and when she first saw the gun. There was no explanation about why the questions were asked or what he was trying to infer by way of defence. As you'll remember, Basil was a prolific writer.

Carol Colletton's brother testified about a letter Carol's neighbor gave him in the days after the murders. It was postmarked from Palmer Rapids, Ontario, the town where Basil lived. Kevin knew immediately that it was evidence, so he took the envelope straight to the police unopened. The letter was entered into evidence, a rambling, nine-page missive that starts, Carol, positive, positive, positive. Basil then writes about what he thinks are the positive changes he made in her life and his motivation for it. Quote, I am a loving, caring, human being, I am a good person, I am living in a world where society teaches us to be greedy. And at the end, he says, talk to me, it's not too late.

The trial was supposed to have lasted for 17 weeks, but instead, lasted six, thanks to Basil's refusal to participate. There was no defence put forward whatsoever. No witnesses were called. He did come to life for a second time halfway through the judge's instructions to the jury. When asked if he had any comment about it, he responded by complaining about the trial process, about not being able to address the jury and that he wasn't given a pencil and paper when he was. And at the end of the end of the end of the time, he was. And at the end of the of the jury charge, he was again given the opportunity to comment. He simply said, I am not guilty. The jury did not agree. Basil Barutski was found guilty of the two counts

of first-degree murder and the one count of second-degree murder. At the sentencing hearing, the judge described him as being devoid of mercy. He said that for the family and friends of the women, the effect the losses had on them is incalculable, particularly for Anna's sister, Ava, and Natalie's son, Adrian, who were there at the time of the attacks, and will have to carry those memories for the rest of their lives. Justice Robert Moranga quoted Natalie Wormadam's mother from her victim impact statement. Quote, there's a huge hole in our lives and in our hearts. Daily, we walk under a black cloud. Our health and family dynamics have been sorely affected due to everlasting stress and sorrow.

The justice also referred to a community impact statement that had been submitted by a group called End Violence Against Women in Renfrew County. Basil Barutski's murder spree had an incredible impact on the community. The lines of police cars on the rural roads, serious safety concerns as schools and businesses were lockdown. The statement said that women still don't feel safe walking on rural roads or hiking, and what's worse in Renfrew County during hunting season, the sounds of gunshot was considered normal, but since the murders, the gunshots were now triggering awful memories. Quote, the site of police vehicles once a symbol of safety and security for many, and now a reminder

of these horrific murders and fears of future violence. violence. Basel Barutski was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 70 years, which will bring him to around 128 years old. He will die in prison. The judge characterized him as a violent, vindictive, calculating abuser of women, who, on September 22, 2015, took his hatred to its ultimate climax and committed the triple murders of Carol Carole. Colettin, Anastasia Cusick, and Natalie Warmadam. Outside court, Natalie's daughter Valerie spoke to CBC News about the difficulty moving forward with her life, without her mother's advice and help, as well as her experiences not being

able to trust people. She said she was glad to see the increased awareness and was hoping and waiting to hear about what changes might be made to the justice system. Ironically, the sentencing decision was delivered on the anniversary of the 1989 Ecole Polytechnique massacre, which became the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Outside the courthouse, flags flew at half-mast to commemorate this anniversary, also the day women in Renfrew County learned Basil Baruch's will never be a threat to them again. In August of 2019, the Ontario government announced an inquiry

to examine the circumstances of the deaths of Natalie, Carol and Anna. Even though this was good news, their loved ones and the community were wary. Natalie's daughter Valerie told CBC that she hoped the inquest would do some good, but added that recommendations are good and well, but what's really needed is for politics. to follow through and implement them. Women's rights advocates noted that there had been similar inquests held over the years

only to see recommendations shelved afterwards. They wondered how another inquest would help without actually following through. Whatever happens, for many, the inquiry is too little, too late. Basil Barutski showed an escalation of violence and stalking behavior and never stuck to the conditions of his probation, and the system failed to protect the survivors. Most notably by letting him get away with not following his probation orders, and secondly, by not letting the women know when he was released from prison.

There has been no date set for the inquiry. Thanks for listening, and thanks to Deirdre Bradley for researching this case. As well as court documents, this episode relied on the report. reporting and journalism of Sarah Bowsfeld for Shadeline magazine, Aden Helmer for the Ottawa Citizen, and Judy Trin for CBC News. Canadian True Crime donates regularly to Canadian charitable organisations that help victims and survivors of injustice. This month, we have donated to the Women's Sexual Assault Centre of Renfrew County, who offer support for women in the area who have experienced or

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