Murder: True Crime Stories - UNSOLVED: Alexandra Wiwcharuk 1

Episode Date: September 10, 2024

Alexandra Wiwcharuk was a charming young nurse and beauty queen with a bright future. But in May 1962, she suddenly disappeared -- and a few weeks later, her dead body was found near a riverbank. Murder: True Crime Stories is part of Crime House Studios. For more, follow us on TikTok and Instagram @crimehouse. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is CrimeHouse. The most important factor in any missing persons investigation is time. When someone disappears, the first 72 hours are crucial to ensure their safe return. Every ticking second counts. But as the days go on and those 72 hours expire, another clock sets in. The one that marks the fading of evidence, clues, and memories of what happened. A countdown that urges us to act faster. Otherwise, we may not find any answers at all. People's lives are like a story. There's a beginning, a middle a middle and an end but you don't always know which part you're on sometimes the final chapter arrives far too soon and we don't always get to know the real ending i'm carter roy and this is murder true crime stories a crime house original every tuesday

i'll explore the story of a notorious murder or murders. I'll be bringing awareness to stories that need to be heard with a focus on those who are impacted. At Crime House, we want to express our gratitude to you, our community, for making this possible. Please support us by rating, reviewing, and following Murder True Crime Stories wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback truly matters. This is the first of two episodes on the murder of Alexandra Wacharek, a 23-year-old Canadian nurse whose death altered the city of Saskatoon forever. Today, I'll be taking you through Alexandra's life, the mysterious

circumstances surrounding her disappearance, and how her murder investigation sadly turned into a tragic cold case. Next week's part two will cover the winding investigation and its many frustrating dead ends, as well as her family's determination to find answers no matter how long it takes. All that and more coming up. Hey everyone, it's Carter. I have a favor to ask you. If you are enjoying Murder True Crime Stories, I would be honored if you took a moment to rate and review us on Apple and Spotify. Your valuable feedback helps us improve and expand our reach, so other true crime fans can find us too. Your support means everything.

can find us too. Your support means everything. Drive north from Montana, head across the Canadian border, continue on for some 260 miles, and you'll land in Saskatoon.an, and in 1961, its population was roughly 113,000. It was a relatively isolated community, surrounded by wheat fields. The type of place where a young girl might grow up happy enough, but dream of one day moving to the big city. That was the case for Alexandra Wacharek. Born in 1939, she was the youngest of 10 children. She had six older brothers and three older sisters. Her parents raised them all in a traditional Ukrainian household. Alexandra's parents encouraged her to reach for the stars, which was all the encouragement she needed. Even as a young girl, Alexandra had big plans for her future. Her first dream was to be a stewardess.

Alexandra wanted to hop on a plane and fly all over the world, experiencing new places and people. all over the world, experiencing new places and people. For a girl who had never left Canada, it seemed like an incredible opportunity. In the 1950s, as Alexandra entered high school, it was the job for a pretty young woman. And in that regard, Alexandra certainly fit the bill. She was a beautiful young lady with a round face and an Elizabeth Taylor Italian cut hairstyle. In pictures, she always looked put together, perfectly done eyebrows, just a little bit of blush, and a subdued red lip. Friends and family adored her. They described her as pretty, vivacious, and outgoing. Her sisters would often come home to find her dancing around the house. Alexandra was the type of girl who was

full of life, and she wanted to share that joy with others. She would have made a great flight attendant. Unfortunately, the job had height requirements. Even today, most airlines require flight attendants to be at least 5'2", so they can reach the overhead compartments. But Alexandra stopped growing sometime around high school, topping out just an inch below the required height. But Alexandra was determined. There were plenty of other occupations that could make use of her good nature and good looks. At first, she thought acting might fit the bill, so she joined the drama club. But ultimately, acting was a passing interest, and she set her sights on a career that she felt was more fulfilling.

Nursing. In 1959, at about 20 years old, Alexandra moved about 200 miles away from home to begin a training program at the Yorkton Union Hospital School of Nursing. But even as Alexandra shifted gears to nursing, she wasn't ready to give up on her other passions. When she wasn't studying, she pursued extracurricular activities like beauty contests. They allowed her to show off her charming personality and introduced her to new experiences and new people, the very things she'd lost out on by not becoming a flight attendant. things she'd lost out on by not becoming a flight attendant.

In 1960, a year into her schooling, Alexandra entered a contest at the Canette Skating Carnival in Yorkton. By that point, she'd already won several beauty contests, so it came as no surprise when she was voted queen of the carnival. Later that year, she went on to compete in the province-wide Saskatchewan Wheat Queen Contest. She represented the city of Yorkton and competed against 25 other young women. Beyond the title of Wheat Queen, the contest had a big prize. The winner would receive an all-expense paid trip to Florida, courtesy of TransCanada Airlines. It must have sounded like a dream for Alexandra. Unfortunately, she didn't bring home the crown, but it wouldn't be the last competition she entered. And the next one would cement her in Saskatoon's history forever. and the next one would cement her in Saskatoon's history forever.

In 1961, after two years of studying, Alexandra graduated from her nursing program. That September, she landed a job in her hometown at the Saskatoon City Hospital. Alexandra got an apartment with three other nurses, and it didn't take long for them to become friends. They learned each other's schedules, checked in on each other, and borrowed each other's clothes. One day, Alexandra heard an exciting piece of news on the radio. The country singer Johnny Cash was coming to town. The radio station was holding a contest. One lucky winner would get to go on stage,

and Johnny Cash would serenade her with his new single, Girl in Saskatoon. Alexandra entered the contest right away. It was a no-brainer. She'd won plenty of these types of competitions before, and if anyone was going to stand on stage and represent her city as the girl in Saskatoon, why shouldn't it be her? Sure enough, Alexandra won the contest. It's unclear whether it was a lottery or if she was hand-chosen, but either way, it sure seemed like fate. The night of the show, the excitement in the Saskatoon arena was palpable.

1,500 fans had gathered, all vying for a good view of the singer and the young woman who had won the contest. Alexandra stepped out on stage and joined Johnny near the mic, where he serenaded her with Girl in Saskatoon. As Johnny sang, Alexandra watched with her trademark smile. She may not have gotten to see the world yet, but a famous singer was locking eyes with her. People would be talking about her all over Canada, all over the globe even. When Johnny was done singing, Alexandra graciously thanked him

and left the stage so he could carry on. From that moment on, Alexandra would forever be immortalized in the minds of her community as the girl in Saskatoon. But less than a year later, Katoon. But less than a year later, her hometown would know her for a very different reason. That lucky girl on stage with Johnny Cash was missing. If you're enjoying the chilling tales of murder true crime stories, then you'll love the Crime House original Mind of a Serial Killer. What sets Mind of a Serial Killer apart is its focus on the twisted psychology of the world's most notorious serial killers. Names like Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, the Night Stalker, featuring expert psychological analysis from licensed clinical and forensic psychologist Dr. Tristan Engels. Mind of a Serial Killer will take you into their stories like never before. So get ready to uncover what drives someone to commit the unimaginable. Mind of a Serial Killer is a Crime House original. New episodes drop every Monday. Just search Mind of a Serial Killer is a Crime House original. New episodes drop every Monday.

Just search Mind of a Serial Killer and follow wherever you listen to podcasts. If you're fascinated by the darker sides of humanity, join us every week on our podcast, Serial Killers, where we go deep into notorious true crime cases. With significant research and careful analysis, Serial Killers. and get new episodes every Monday. After the Johnny Cash concert in 1961, 22-year-old Alexandra Wacharek's life went back to business as usual. She and her three roommates continued to work at the city hospital in Saskatoon. Alexandra was punctual, responsible,

and reliable. She never missed her shifts and was always on time. One big change was Alexander's new boyfriend, Hugh. On the evening of May 18th, 1962, he went over to Alexander's apartment. He knew she had a night shift coming up and wanted to see her before she had to head out. Unfortunately, when Hugh arrived, she was already gone. Her roommates told him that she'd left early to take a walk and mail a letter. Hugh shrugged it off. He was sad to have missed Alexandra, especially since he was leaving town in the morning to spend the weekend with friends. But he'd only be gone a few days. He would see her when he got back. Later that night, the hospital called the apartment.

Alexandra hadn't shown up for her shift. Since she'd never missed work before, they were wondering if one of her roommates knew where she was. None of them had any idea. They told the hospital the same thing they told Alexander's boyfriend. She had left the house around 8 p.m. that night to go for a walk and mail her letters before work. Alexander's roommates decided to wait it out overnight. Maybe some wires got crossed and Alexandra was with Hugh, or maybe she showed up at work and was just late. But when the morning came around and she still hadn't come home, Alexandra's roommates began to panic. They knew something was wrong. At 10.15 a.m., they called the police and reported

Alexandra missing. The Saskatoon police sprang into action. The longer a person is missing, the more difficult it is to find them. Leads drop off, clues get harder to uncover, and potential witnesses' memories fade. The first thing police did was track down Alexander's boyfriend Hugh, but Alexander wasn't with him and he had no idea where she would be besides work or home. Although romantic partners are often people of interest, there didn't seem to be any reason to suspect Hugh, so the authorities appeared to take him at his word. That left them with a verifiable missing persons case on their hands. The police reached out to some local radio stations and asked them

to read off Alexandra's missing persons report on air. The call to action was simple. If anyone had information about Alexandra's whereabouts, they should contact the authorities. Sure enough, several people either called into the radio station or headed down to the police station. Some said they had seen Alexandra, or at the very least someone matching her description, around Saskatoon the night she disappeared. The police interviewed everyone who came to talk to them. They also questioned all the people who might have seen her last. With this information in hand, they put together a timeline. At 8 p.m. on the night of May 18th, 23-year-old Alexandra

left her apartment. She said bye to her roommates and told them she was going for a walk and mailing some letters. Between 8.30 and 8.45 p.m., someone saw Alexandra at Meade's drugstore near her home. At some point, she stopped by the post office to buy stamps and mail her letters. Alexandra sent one letter to her sister in Fort William and another to a friend in Edmonton. Between 9 and 9.45 p.m., a group of boys claimed to see Alexandra walking by the riverbank of the Saskatoon River. However, that sighting was unconfirmed. Alexandra's shift was scheduled to start at 1130 that night, but she never showed up. Unfortunately, the timeline didn't amount to much. There was a big window between the

unconfirmed sighting of Alexandra at the riverbanks and her not showing up to work. And detectives had no idea what happened in between. The search for Alexandra intensified over the next few days. Police Chief Jim Kettle sent search and rescue out onto the river, scouting all the way up to Clarkboro Ferry, about 26 miles north of Saskatoon. At the same time, officers with their canine dogs checked the riverbanks. Meanwhile, authorities circulated posters of Alexandra with her picture and a description. They sent them to police departments all over Canada, stretching as far away as Quebec City, about a 35-hour drive from Saskatoon. While all that was going on, there was still an intense search happening within the city of

Saskatoon itself. On May 23rd, four days after the investigation kicked off, an officer and his canine partner were on the banks of the river. As they scouted the terrain, the dog perked up. It seemed like it had smelled something. The officer encouraged the dog to follow its nose. This might be the big break they needed. They searched all the surrounding areas, anticipation growing, but they seemed to be going in circles, and eventually the dog lost the scent. It was frustrating, but authorities knew they had to keep at it. The search continued. On the evening of May 31st, 12 days after Alexander went missing, two young brothers were playing on the riverbank while their dad fished. They decided to explore the nearby woods about 100 feet from the water's edge and that's when they found a hand poking out from the ground. The second the boys saw it,

they went running back to their dad, and he called the police. When detectives arrived, they uncovered a horrific scene. According to a local newspaper article, the hand belonged to a dead female who had been buried in a shallow grave. Her clothes were ripped, and she was nude from the waist down. Her face had been beaten and decomposed beyond recognition. There was only one missing girl in Saskatoon at the time. The body had to beold Alexander Ocharek. The body was in the same area where the K-9 unit had alerted officers nearly two weeks earlier,

the location also lined up perfectly with the unconfirmed sightings of Alexandra the night she disappeared. The authorities were pretty sure they had found Alexandra, but they couldn't understand why it took so long. The prevailing theory was that her body had been fully buried during their initial search With the recent rain, the dirt had shifted to expose the body Now, they had to get an identification Two of Alexandra's roommates came down to the station They immediately recognized the lime green slacks and multicolored blouse Alexandra was wearing the last time they saw her. After confirming the body was indeed Alexandra, Saskatoon police officers surveyed the crime scene for any additional evidence.

They found one of Alexandra's shoes in some nearby bushes. Beyond that, they didn't see much. Her roommates pointed out that Alexandra would have had her wallet on her, but officers weren't able to locate it. The scene itself seemed to indicate that the assault had taken place right there on the river bank. According to police chief Jim Kettles, there was no indication the body had been dragged there from somewhere else. Still, it was almost impossible to tell. Alexandra went missing 13 days ago. The time, paired with the recent rain, made it nearly impossible to gather any evidence from the environment. Their only hope for more clues was the autopsy. The autopsy confirmed that there'd been a brutal assault. The official cause of death was a skull

fracture that led to a brain hemorrhage, the sort of injury that's caused by a concrete block to the head. Based on the food in her stomach, they also believe that Alexandra was killed the night she left home. With that timeline, there were some signs that she may have been buried before she was actually dead. The autopsy also indicated that a sexual assault took place. Because Alexandra's body showed signs of a struggle, detectives concluded she had fought back against her assailant hard enough to leave marks on them. If Alexandra's body had been found earlier, the police might have been able to find her killer based on any noticeable scratches or bruises. As it was, nearly two weeks had passed, plenty of time for superficial wounds to heal.

Chief Kettles was disturbed by this murder. He prided himself on running a tight ship in a clean city, and this crime was what he considered, quote, one of the most heinous and sadistic offenses in Saskatoon for a long time. Kettles vowed to do everything in his power to catch Alexandra's killer. Over the next two months, the police took over 600 statements and made a list containing 1,100 names. They even staked out Alexandra's closed casket funeral. Chief Kettles joined his officers, scouting everyone who showed up, and even questioning a few people about why they were there. But despite all these tactics, they couldn't manage to turn up any leads. That is, until another young woman went missing,

and the city of Saskatoon couldn't help but wonder if the killer had struck again. In June 1962, in the middle of the investigation into Alexandra's murder, 17-year-old Georgina Harrison went missing. Like Alexandra, Georgina had left her room at the local Young Women's Christian Association one evening and never returned, nor did she show up at the beauty school she attended. For the community, news of another missing girl sent off alarm bells. Could they be dealing with a serial killer? Despite Saskatoon residents' worst fears, the authorities weren't as worried. Georgina had left home several times before, and they figured this was much of the same. The police never linked Georgina's disappearance with Alexandra's murder.

For them, they were two separate cases. While the police were able to rule out certain theories about what happened to Alexandra, they never seemed to land on any serious leads, at least not any that they shared with the public. They made no arrests, and eventually, Alexandra's case went cold. Although the investigation sputtered out, Alexandra was never forgotten. Johnny Cash was performing on stage when someone told him about Alexandra's murder. Reportedly, he stopped playing and had two minutes of silence in honor of the girl in Saskatoon. He never played the song during a concert again. For a long time, that was how Alexandra was remembered. Saskatoon police continued to pursue any leads they got, but they were few and far between. That is, until five years later, when a suspect finally emerged. In 1967, a 23-year-old man named Jerry Clark was arrested after a bar fight.

The man he assaulted was left with serious injuries, bad enough that he might not make it. When police questioned Jerry about the incident, he said, quote, I'd done this before. According to Jerry, he meant he'd been in fights before. But given the circumstances, the police thought he might have just confessed to murder. And since Alexandra Wacharek was their only outstanding cold case, they questioned Jerry about her. It seemed like a stretch. But back in 1962, the year she died, 16-year-old Jerry was Alexandra's neighbor. He lived with his parents on 6th Avenue while Alexandra lived on 7th. They shared a back alley

and Jerry's paper route went down her street. Jerry swore he didn't know Alexandra existed until the news of her disappearance. He had absolutely nothing to do with her death and even offered to take a polygraph test to prove it. It was enough for most of the force to accept that he wasn't their guy. But there was one officer who was still suspicious. He couldn't do anything about it at the time, but he wasn't ready to let Jerry off the hook quite yet. That officer would hold on to this instinct for nearly 30 years until 1996, when he got assigned to the Cold Case Squad. Jerry Clark was the first name he added to the suspect list, but he certainly wasn't the last.

Thanks so much for listening. I'm Carter Roy, and this is Murder True Crime Stories. Come back next week for part two of our series on Alexandra Wacharek. Murder True Crime Stories is a Crime House original. Here at Crime House, we want to thank each and every one of you for your support. If you like what you heard today, reach out on social media at Murder True Crime Pod on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. Don't forget to rate, review, and follow Murder True Crime Stories wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback truly makes a difference. We'll be back next Tuesday. Murder True Crime Stories, a crime house original powered by Pave Studios, is executive produced by Max Cutler.

This episode of Murder True Crime Stories was sound designed by Ron Shapiro, written by Alex Burns, edited by Alex Benidon, fact-checked by Catherine Barner, and included production assistance from Kristen Acevedo and Sarah Carroll. Murder True Crime Stories is hosted by Carter Roy. You may know a serial killer's crimes. Now, uncover the psychology behind them. Mind of a Serial Killer is a Crime House original.

New episodes drop every Monday. Just search Mind of a Serial Killer and follow wherever you listen to podcasts. If you're fascinated by the darker sides of humanity? Join us every week on our podcast, Serial Killers, where we go deep into notorious true crime cases. With significant research and careful analysis, we examine the psyche of a killer, their motives and targets, and law enforcement's pursuit to stop their spree. Follow Serial Killers wherever you get your podcasts

and get new episodes every Monday.