Crime Junkie
Crime Junkie
"When all of us look back on the investigation now, we can't help but view the events through the prism of knowledge that we've since obtained. And there was, in fact, a serial killer at work. And that killer was indeed Pickton. The hindsight that we now have is similar to looking down at the landscape from above at a bird's eye view. Today we see a clear path connecting the downtown east side to the whores of the pig farm. But at the time, the investigators stood on a flat landscape with hundreds of possibilities and few landmarks to guide them." — VPD Lawyer (as paraphrased by the speaker)
This episode of Crime Junkie delves into the early life and criminal career of Robert William Pickton, a figure who would become one of Canada's most notorious serial killers. The narrative begins by establishing the context of the missing and murdered women in Vancouver's downtown east side, a population characterized by poverty, drug addiction, and sex work, whose disappearances were often dismissed or deprioritized by law enforcement. The episode highlights a pivotal encounter in 1997 where Wendy Lynn Icetatter narrowly escaped an attack by Pickton, an event that provided concrete evidence of his violent tendencies. However, despite her testimony and his subsequent arrest, charges were eventually dropped, illustrating early failures in the justice system.
The investigation into the disappearances is portrayed as a slow and arduous process, hampered by a lack of resources, inter-agency friction, and a prevailing skepticism that a serial killer could be operating in Vancouver. The episode discusses the late adoption of investigative techniques like geographic profiling and the initial reluctance of the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) to acknowledge the possibility of serial homicides. Despite mounting evidence and tips, including one from a farm employee, Bill Hiscocks, law enforcement faced significant challenges in connecting the dots, partly due to the transient nature of the victims and their use of aliases, which complicated missing person investigations.
As the episode progresses, it details the establishment of dedicated task forces and the gradual, albeit often delayed, recognition of a serial killer's presence. The narrative emphasizes the systemic issues, including the devaluation of victims from marginalized communities and the bureaucratic hurdles that impeded progress. The story sets the stage for further revelations, hinting at the eventual search of Pickton's farm and the horrors that would be uncovered, leaving listeners with a cliffhanger regarding the full extent of his crimes.