By David Lohr

advertisement

David Pickton

New Westminster, British Columbia — Last month, during the trial of accused serial killer Robert Pickton, VPD Det. Const. Mike McDonald testified that the defendant's brother, David Pickton, was still being investigated in the disappearances of missing prostitutes.  McDonald said his department had used surveillance and wiretaps and claimed that the investigation was ongoing.  Today, Sgt. Dan Almas testified that he had "no information that he [David Pickton] was involved in murders.  Perhaps Almas and McDonald did not have a chance to exchange notes prior to his testimony.  Robert Pickton is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of six women.  Following this trial, he will be tried on an additional 20 counts of murder.

Saturday, April 21, 2007

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The trial of suspected rapist and serial killer Jimmy Maketta, 42, has been postponed until May 2.  The reason for the delay has not been announced.  Maketta was arrested in 2005 on multiple criminal counts.  According to court documents, Maketta is suspected of committing 16 murders, 23 rapes, three attempted murders, five robberies, four assaults and two kidnappings.

Sunday, April 22, 2007

VICTORIA, Australia —On July 20, 1969, 12-year-old Yvonne Tuohy was abducted and murdered.  Derek Ernest Percy was arrested for the crimes, but he was later found not guilty on grounds of insanity.  Despite multiple requests for a minimum sentence, Percy has remained behind bars since his arrest, making him the longest-serving prisoner in Victoria.  Authorities now say they have found new evidence, which they believe could connect Percy, now 58, to the disappearance and murder of at least eight other children, dating back to 1965.  The investigation is ongoing.  Interestingly enough, Percy, a former sailor, has continued to receive a pension from the Australia Navy since his incarceration.  To date he has accrued nearly $200,000.

Monday, April 23, 2007

Sean Vincent Gillis

PORT ALLEN, La. — Earlier this month, the Louisiana Supreme Court halted the trial of suspected serial killer Sean Vincent Gillis.  State District Judge Bonnie Jackson has since ruled on several of the issues plaguing the trial.  She denied a defense motion to throw out a search warrant and an arrest warrant obtained for Gillis and she has also denied a motion by the defense to block the prosecution from using DNA evidence.  Gillis confessed to murdering eight women over the last 10 years.  To date, investigators have charged him in seven of those murders.

Next Page

Contact David Lohr at   crimewriter74@hughes.net

For More Daily Crime News