Approximately
one week after Mindy’s abduction I returned to Kelowna and out of curiosity
retraced my steps back to where I had followed a suspicious person on the night of
Mindy's abduction. I reached the furthest point of where I had been and then went a little
ways further just to look around the corner. I encountered a woman that I knew
from around town, a casual acquaintance. I stopped to speak with her and
mentioned that I had followed a guy with a suitcase on that night and wondered
if any one else had seen him. She said
that she knew who it was because both she and the man she lived with had also
seen him. She pointed at the house beside the one where she lived. It was
where Shannon Murrin had been staying. As we spoke she spotted the man she lived with out
in their yard and called him over. He at first did not want to talk but relaxed
after awhile as I told him my story. He told me that he was not supposed to say anything about what
he saw under instructions from the RCMP.
What they both claimed to have seen
was Shannon Murrin coming out of his back yard and cutting across theirs then
walking up the driveway on the far side of their home before crossing the street
where Gaggin met Elwyn. Shannon Murrin was carrying a large bundle of coats and
blankets which he was hugging extremely tightly to himself like bundle of
laundry. After crossing the street
he walked directly up to a vehicle where two men were waiting in a parked car and
spoke with them briefly. The car was
described as a very nice fancy vehicle, unusually fancy like a diplomats
vehicle, white but not with regular license plates. The plates were described
as being a half moon or half sun logo with expanding rays radiating out across the
top. There were no license numbers on the plates, front or rear. The man
claimed that he had later ran out onto the road attempting to get a license plate number
as the vehicle left. He
believed that the plate was to an Alberta Government vehicle, no plate
numbers.
Two men got out of the car, both dressed
in business suits and ties and together with Murrin they all went into the abandoned house
at 1305 Gaggin, right
beside where they were parked. They were only in there for a little over five
minutes before the two men in suits returned to their car and left
immediately, making a right turn back towards highway #33 only a
block or so away. Shannon Murrin stayed in the abandoned house for around
another five to ten minutes before emerging with a suitcase. He walked away in the
opposite direction from his residence. From there on, he was reported by
many other witnesses including others who knew him and at a time consistent with
and consecutive to this report. The RCMP investigation
reports later showed that this abandoned house was initially the main source of
interest to the first RCMP investigators. Both of the people supplying this
story said that they had spoken to the RCMP and had provided this same
information to them. Both of these witnesses are now feared dead.
Quote from
documents obtained through freedom of information, compliments of Kathy
MacDonald and Sheila Steele. (note the same house and mention of the white car)
Murrin's lawyer never pursued questioning?
Seversen became aware that Mindy Tran was missing
about twenty minutes after Mimi Tran reported her missing. Constables Seversen, Hoffman, and Slade had gone to a house on Gaggin or Elwyn
Road that they were interested in and had requested a uniform backup.
Constable Wlodarczak's role was to sit in front of the house in his
marked police car. A few minutes later Hoffman reported to the police
operator "negative on that possible". Wlodarczak said that the house
was in darkness and there was no answer at the door. The white vehicle
was parked there. Corporal Miller suggested that they keep an eye on
the place. When questioned by Peter Wilson about this event Constables Seversen,
Wlodarcazk, and Johnstone evaded the question. Peter Wilson
did not pursue it.
At trial defense asked about whether the abandoned
house at 1305 Gaggin Road had been searched. Fred Radke who lived at
380 Taylor Road had taken Seversen to the abandoned house the night of
the 17th. Radke stated that he used to live in that house and was
worried about whether the septic tank had a cover on it. Seversen
testified that he searched the yard of the house that night but did not
search the inside of the house.
While Shannon's trial was going on James Hubert
Holmes, a convicted pedophile allegedly confessed to murdering Mindy in
this abandoned house. In his alleged confession, which was aired by VTV
after the trial, Holmes also said that when he abducted Mindy her bike
was left in the middle of the road. Holmes allegedly said and that he
moved it onto Shannon's lawn. And in yet another strange twist this
same house was torn down ten days after Mindy disappeared.