Murder: True Crime Stories - UNSOLVED: Alexandra Wiwcharuk 2

Episode Date: September 17, 2024

For years, the investigation into Alexandra Wiwcharuk's murder went nowhere. But decades after her death, her friends and loved ones haver continued to search for answers... and they think they know who did it. 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 Crime House. Dead end, after dead end, after dead end. Sadly, that's the fate of so many cold cases. Even with the most dogged detective working the investigation, leads often dry up and go nowhere. Memories fade, interest wanes, and there are bigger, more pressing cases that take priority and steal away resources. When cold cases are solved,

it almost always comes down to sheer persistence and a refusal to give up. Someone close to the case, whether it's a detective, reporter, or a family member, has to keep propelling it forward. With Alexandra Wacharik, it wasn't just one of those. It was all of them. it wasn't just one of those. It was all of them. An author with a personal connection, a detective on the historical cases unit, and Alexandra's own family, all working in tandem to keep her memory alive as they desperately searched for answers. People's lives are like a story. There's a beginning, 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 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 second of two episodes on the murder of Alexandra Wacharek, a 23-year-old Canadian nurse known as the Girl in Saskatoon. Last week, I introduced you to Alexandra, just as her life was tragically cut short. We walked through the initial stages of the investigation and learn that there were very few leads and even fewer suspects. This week, I'll take you along as investigators remain committed to Alexandra's case, even when it grows cold. We'll meet an author who knew Alexandra when she was younger, and we'll learn how she inspired some of Alexandra's family to begin their own investigation. And we'll learn how all three of those investigations intertwined.

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. Crime fans can find us too. Your support means everything. On the evening of May 18th, 1962, 23-year-old Alexandra Wacharek went missing. When her body was discovered 13 days later, it became clear she was the victim of a brutal assault and murder. It became clear she was the victim of a brutal assault and murder. And despite the Saskatoon police's best efforts, the perpetrator seemed long gone.

Until five years later in 1967, when Alexandra's neighbor, Jerry Clark, came under suspicion. Jerry was initially questioned after he nearly killed another man in a bar fight. He told investigators, quote, I'd done this before. The authorities assumed Jerry meant he'd committed murder before, and seeing as Alexandra was the only unsolved homicide at the time, they immediately suspected him. But after Jerry underwent questioning and volunteered to take a polygraph test, detectives eventually cleared him. Or so Jerry thought. Nearly 30 years later in 1996, a Saskatoon cold case detective put Jerry Clark's name back on the suspect list for Alexandra's murder But no one ever informed Jerry So his name sat there, ready to be investigated

Along with 19 other persons of interest Over the years, plenty of other leads were chased down by the Saskatoon Cold Case Division. They checked out the son of a Saskatchewan politician who had gone on a few dates with Alexandra. They also looked into a serial killer named Clifford Olson, who had been in Saskatchewan around that time, only for them to realize he was actually in prison when Alexandra was murdered. There were other less splashy leads. For example, the police looked into a group of men who, in 1958, four years before Alexandra's murder, had tried to kidnap a Saskatoon woman by literally snatching her off a well-lit, highly trafficked street. But none of those leads amounted to much, including Jerry Clark. If the investigation

was going to move forward, someone was going to have to try a different strategy. Around the same time, author Sharon Batala was thinking about her next project. She'd written some 15 books already, but this new topic she was considering was probably her most personal yet. Sharon grew up in Saskatoon and had gone to high school with Alexandra. They were in drama club together. and had gone to high school with Alexandra. They were in drama club together. Of course, Sharon knew what happened to Alexandra,

and recently, she'd been thinking a lot about her old friend. Sharon just couldn't shake Alexandra's murder from her mind. She started to ask around, just to see what she could turn up. That was when she crossed paths with a retired police officer named Ed Yakubowski. Like Sharon, Ed had been haunted by Alexandra's unsolved murder for years. He'd actually been a beat cop at the time of her death. Back then, he had his suspicions about who'd killed her, but he had no authority to sway the investigation one way or another, nor was he specifically assigned to that case. But in the years since, Ed had gone on to become the head of the murder and robbery squad, which gave him full access to Alexandra's case

file. He poured over roughly 650 interviews and statements, totaling more than 1,700 pages. But like everyone else so far, he never managed to pin down a suspect. For legal reasons, he never shared his theories publicly. However, he did share some of his theories with Sharon, giving her plenty of insight for her book, and she would use that information to get others to help her investigation as well. On November 30th, 2002, Sharon headed off to a formal dinner. It was a big night for her. She was being honored as an Officer of the Order of Canada, an award given by the government that recognizes Canadians of outstanding achievement in their fields. During dinner, Sharon found herself speaking with Canadian Governor General Adrian Clarkson. The Governor General was a largely ceremonial

position, but Clarkson was an impressive woman all the same. She was born in Hong Kong, raised in Canada, and pursued higher education in Paris. She was also an author, president of a publishing house, and a former journalist and television personality who hosted Canadian investigative programs like The Fifth Estate. Sharon shared Alexandra's story with the Governor General. By this point, Sharon had been preoccupied with the mystery of Alexandra's murder for the better part of four decades. Clarkson immediately wanted to help. She suggested Sharon reach out to a reporter for the Fifth Estate, Lyndon McIntyre, and tell him Adrian

Clarkson sent her. Sharon thanked Clarkson and followed up on her advice. She got in touch with Lyndon, who agreed. Alexandra's story was worth telling. But they needed to get to work. Even though it had been 40 years since Alexandra died, if they wanted to catch her killer, every second counted. Hey there, Carter Roy here. 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 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. After speaking with the Canadian Governor General, Sharon Batala brought Alexander Wacharek's story

to the producers of The Fifth Estate. They were intrigued and decided to investigate the case. They spoke to detectives and people who knew Alexandra, as well as potential suspects, to get their point of view. This included revisiting the group of men who attempted to kidnap a Saskatoon woman in 1958. That's how they found the group's ringleader, a man named John Hind. The authorities had never spoken to Hind about Alexandra, but he agreed to an interview with the Fifth Estate. Although he said he was surprised anyone thought there was a connection between Alexandra's murder and what he and his friends had done. He insisted his group was just joking around when they tried to grab the woman off the

street all those years ago. Hines' apathetic response definitely didn't make him look good, but that didn't mean he had anything to do with Alexandra's murder. Like so many leads in this case, it ultimately went nowhere. The Fifth Estate took nearly two years of production before the episode actually aired, but compared to the investigation itself, that was lightning quick. While the show didn't exactly push the investigation forward, it did bring attention to it, which gave the cold case officers on her case extra motivation to catch her killer. Around this time, Sergeant Phil Farian of the Saskatoon Police Service was assigned to

Alexandra's case. It actually wasn't the first time he'd crossed paths with Alexandra's files. Back in 1989, he had worked the case as a criminal intelligence analyst. Now, he was the forensics organizer from Saskatoon's historical case unit. Fair paired up with Sergeant Neil Wiley of the Saskatoon Police Service Major Crimes Unit. Together, they were tasked with reigniting the case. But that was easier said than done. It had been 42 years since Alexandra's murder, and in that time, eight different investigators had logged more than 3,800 investigative actions on the file.

So, the issue wasn't a lack of trying. The good news was Farian and Wiley had new DNA technology available to them. The bad news was the crucial evidence that could have been used for that DNA testing had disappeared over the years. They assumed it was a mix of carelessness and ignorance. Either way, it wasn't ideal. However, they did have the brick they believed was used to bludgeon Alexandra, plus three empty beer bottles found at the crime scene and some hairs. But they needed to see if any DNA found on those items would also be found on Alexandra. So in 2004, they made a difficult request to Alexandra's family. They asked to exhume her body.

Maybe they could find additional evidence left behind by her killer. By that point, Alexandra's family was still desperate for answers, so they agreed. And when the authorities exhumed her, they did find something. A piece of hair that had somehow been missed during the original autopsy. They sent it off to a forensics lab to be tested and kept their fingers crossed that it was enough to create a DNA profile for whoever it belonged to. This wasn't the first time authorities tried testing for DNA evidence. They'd made attempts in 1992 and 1995 as well. However, the evidence was too deteriorated, and the technology wasn't advanced enough back then to get a profile.

They were hopeful this time would be different. As it turned out, the hair worked. The lab was able to put together a tentative profile. So now, if Farian and Wiley ever got DNA from a suspect, they could test it against that profile and potentially find a match. Of course, there was a major disclaimer. Alexandra's body could have been contaminated before being buried. It was possible the hair was from a police officer who'd been at the original crime scene, or a lab tech, or even the undertaker. There was no real way of knowing.

Although Farian and Wiley were aware this could be another dead end, they were holding out hope. With the new suspect profile, they decided it was time to take another look at the 20 potential suspects the cold case unit had previously identified. Farian and Wiley quickly narrowed down their suspects to just over a dozen people. From there, they could collect DNA samples from those suspects to create profiles. But unfortunately, DNA testing was expensive. Each individual profile would cost between six and eight thousand U.S. dollars. Then, each time the authorities wanted to run a comparison between two profiles, it would be another 3,000 to 6,000. On top of that, the forensics labs across Canada and North America in the early 2000s

were backed up with higher priority active cases. Sadly, cold cases like Alexandra's got pushed back to a later date. Plus, even when testing was done, it still took up to 30 days to get a result. The one thing in Farian and Wiley's favor was that everyone they approached was cooperative, but not everyone on the list was still alive. In fact, one of the first names the detectives wanted to check off was someone who had died in the late 90s. Billy McGaffin was just a kid back in 1962 when Alexander was murdered. He was actually one of the boys who claimed to see her down by the river on the night she disappeared. It wasn't clear whether police truly thought he was suspicious, but he needed to be

ruled out all the same. He'd been at the scene, and it would have been irresponsible not to check him out. Farian and Wiley collected DNA from Billy's daughter and brother to create his profile, then sent it off for testing. Eventually, the results came back. Billy wasn't a match. They crossed his name off the suspect list. With Billy in the clear, they turned their sights to the next name on the list, one that was a lot more suspicious. Leslie Klassen was a teenager in 1962 when Alexandra died, but the police had known about him even then. He'd already served jail time for sex offenses, including five convictions for indecent exposure in the two years prior to her death. in the two years prior to her death. By the time Farian and Wiley were narrowing in on him in the mid-2000s, Klassen had racked up a total of 19 convictions for indecent acts and two indecent assaults. Worst of all, in 1974, he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old, then struck her in the head and killed her.

He then buried her in a snowbank. It felt eerily reminiscent of what happened to Alexandra. Klassen was serving time in prison when Farian and Wiley came to test his DNA. Klassen insisted he had nothing to do with Alexandra's murder. He said police already had his hair samples, although he was willing to provide more. He had assumed he'd already been ruled out. It turned out Klassen was telling the truth.

His DNA wasn't a match for the killer's profile. Klassen had his own theories about who might have killed Alexandra, and he later shared those with the investigative program The Fifth Estate. He thought it was either an acquaintance or someone who saw her walk a certain route home every day. Someone like Alexandra's old neighbor, Jerry Clark. As of 2008, Farian and Wiley were still working off of their list of what was now 13 persons of interest. The list wasn't made public, but it probably still included Jerry Clark. wasn't made public, but it probably still included Jerry Clark. But for the moment,

the detectives were investigating other, more promising leads. There was one in particular that bore a striking similarity to Alexandra's murder. In 1999, Larry Fisher was convicted of killing a 20-year-old nursing aide named Gail Miller. The murder itself had happened 30 years earlier in 1969, just seven years after Alexandra's death. Like Alexandra, Gail was working at Saskatoon City Hospital. And like Alexandra, she was raped, murdered, and her body abandoned partially nude. But Fisher was 19 years old when he killed Gail. He would have been just 12 when Alexandra was killed. For that reason, he seemed to have been ruled out. Farian told a local paper that age didn't prohibit Fisher from being a suspect,

but also confirmed that they hadn't tested his DNA in the case. Their resources were spread too thin. They had to make choices about which suspects to pursue, but author Sharon Batala had more flexibility when it came to following up on leads. In April of 2008, Sharon finally released her book about Alexandra. It was called The Girl in Saskatoon, a meditation on friendship, memory, and murder. Sharon told local media that she had never set out to solve the crime, but of course, she wanted to know what happened to Alexandra.

And now that she'd concluded her investigation, she thought she knew who had killed Alexandra. For legal reasons, Sharon didn't mention any names, but she remembered thinking, quote, if that's the answer, it explains absolutely everything about the gaps in the record, the mistakes, the failures, the silences, and the way that the rumors proliferated and proliferated and the police didn't seem to do anything to put a stop to them. She claimed that while she'd been investigating for the book, she was followed and her phone was

tapped. Whoever was responsible didn't want her sharing the information she knew. Sharon believed that public pressure on the police and Saskatchewan government would reveal the identity of the culprit. More people just needed to get involved, like Alexandra's own nieces, Lynn Graytricks, Patty Story, Lorraine Phillips, and Gwen Tarleson. Carlson. Sharon's book had a profound effect on them, and they decided it was finally time to take matters into their own hands. By May of 2008, Alexander Wacharek's nieces had read Sharon Batala's book, and it changed the trajectory of their lives. They'd been small children when Alexandra was murdered, but they remembered her well. She was their favorite aunt, their mother's younger sister who came over and played with them. They also remembered how devastated their families had been when Alexandra disappeared and her body was eventually found.

Now, Lynn, Patty, Lorraine, and Gwen were all grown up in their 40s and 50s with families of their own. None of them lived in Saskatoon anymore, and 46 years had passed since Alexandra's death. It wouldn't be easy to solve the case, but the nieces were determined to do something to help their family reach a resolution and get closure. So they threw themselves into a citizen's investigation. It started slowly. They had families who required their attention so they could only spend a little time here and there. But slowly, they began reaching out to people who had known Alexandra. And once they started, they couldn't stop.

Five months after they began their investigation, they decided to step it up a notch. In October of 2008, they unveiled a billboard in downtown Saskatoon at the corner of 25th Street and 2nd Avenue. They listed a toll-free number on it and asked for any tips on their aunt's murder. In the first week, they received over 40 calls. Over those first few months, the nieces interviewed more than a hundred people. They were shocked at how many folks were willing to talk to them. They figured it was because they were more approachable than the police. People were scared to come forward when Alexandra was killed. What if they said

something to authorities and then the murderer came after them? For all the new people who came forward, there still wasn't a ton of movement in the case. They needed to do more. Lynn, in particular, stepped up and took the lead in their investigation. She hounded the police to keep her updated with their progress. Lynn even took a private investigator course, where she honed her ability to find just about anybody. She passed the course with flying colors, then got to work. She started by picking up old Saskatoon phone books and searching for anyone who lived near Alexander's apartment back in the early 60s. Maybe someone would remember something. She also pored over old newspapers and wrote down the names of everyone who was charged with rape, murder, or assault in the area at the time.

After over a year, she had 160 names. Lynn made profiles for each one. She followed up with everyone she could. She later told Dateline that there were people all across Canada who were shocked she had tracked them down. Lynn became somewhat infamous in her tiny corner of the world, and the authorities certainly knew her from all the times she phoned them to ask for updates. Lynn wasn't the only formidable one. Lorraine once told an interviewer that she could wield a nasty cane if necessary, and Patty volunteered to kiss the suspects if it meant retrieving DNA samples. These were women willing to do whatever

it took. While the nieces were running their investigation, Sergeant Phil Farian was still working the case through the historical cases unit. At that point, it was just him and one other detective on staff, and they had 16 cases in addition to Alexandra's, so progress was slow. Farian appreciated the assistance from the nieces. As long as they did everything in a careful, proper, legal way, he would welcome any information they could give him, although he made it clear that he couldn't share information with them. Lynn was okay with that, as long as she knew he was working the case. When his office reached out to her and asked her what information she had gathered,

she gladly handed everything over. But unfortunately, even today, the investigation is still ongoing. There have never been any arrests related to Alexandra's murder. Alexandra's nieces are now 16 years older than they were when they first started investigating. They're still devoted to finding answers and bringing their family closure, but they've also acknowledged that in all likelihood, their nieces will have to pick up the torch and continue the work. That said, Lynn, Patty, Lorraine, and Gwen are convinced that during their 16-year search, they've likely spoken to the person or persons who murdered their aunt. They've narrowed down their suspects, and they have four possible

theories of who killed Alexandra. According to them, one of those suspects was never considered by the police. The nieces don't want to jeopardize the official investigation, so they've never shared their theories publicly. Because of that, we don't know if any of their suspects are the same person Sharon Batala thinks killed Alexandra. All they've revealed is they believe more than one person may have been responsible. They've passed their working theories down to Alexandra's great-niece, the granddaughter of Alexandra's oldest sister, who is now spearheading the investigation. Meanwhile, Patty's daughters created a Facebook page

and a website called Justice for Alexandra. They hope to keep spreading awareness and interest in Alexandra's case. As for the Saskatoon police, they haven't given up either. Every year on the anniversary of Alexandra's death, they post on their social media accounts just to remind the community of what happened to her. media accounts just to remind the community of what happened to her. To this day, Alexandra is remembered by many as the girl in Saskatoon. She's had an outsized impact on the community, not just the people who knew her back when she was alive, but on multiple generations of

Saskatoonians. Alexandra's story goes to show that anyone can play a role in searching for answers. It just comes down to determination. The Saskatoon Police urge anyone with information about the murder of Alexandra Wacharek to please contact them at 306-975-8300. Thanks so much for listening. I'm Carter Roy and this is Murder True Crime Stories. Come back next week for the story of a new murder and all the people it affected. 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, 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.