Dark Poutine - True Crime and Dark History

Episode 344: In 2002, Brandon, Manitoba, was rocked by the disappearance of Erin Chorney, a feisty and energetic teenager with her whole life ahead of her. What began as a simple outing—Erin telling her mother she'd be back in an hour—turned into a parent's worst nightmare when she never returned home. As days turned into weeks and weeks into months, the community of Brandon rallied around the Chorney family, desperately searching for answers.

The truth behind Erin's disappearance would only come to light through one of Canada's most contentious investigative techniques. You guessed it — Mister Big. The case led investigators down a dark path, culminating in a shocking confession and a grim discovery that would forever change the lives of those involved.

Join us as we explore the details of this heart-wrenching case, examining the investigation that followed, the controversial methods employed by law enforcement, and the lasting impact on a community forever changed by tragedy.

Sources:

Brandon | City, Prairie, Wheat Capital | Britannica

History of Brandon, MB

HeritageBrandon.ca

Canadian Encyclopedia | Brandon

Obituary for Erin Kristen Chorney

CHORNEY DARCY JAMES - Obituaries - Brandon Sun Passages

Fooled Into Giving A Full Confession | Dark Waters Of Crime | Real Crime

Undercover police sting ends with arrest of shocked murder suspect

Jun 18, 2005, page 4 - Nanaimo Daily News at Newspapers.com

Oct 08, 2006, page 22 - News-Press at Newspapers.com

Girlfriend-killer loses appeal

Jun 2014: Killer can't visit dying relative

Brandon man convicted of murdering Erin Chorney applying for parole under faint-hope clause

Apr 2021: Murder 'devastated' Chorney family

To the Grave: Inside a Spectacular RCMP Sting by Mike McIntyre

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Episode 343: This is our special Remembrance Day episode. Each year on November 11, Canadians pause to remember the sacrifices made by those who served in the armed forces, defending our country and our allies with incredible courage and resolve.

Last year, we shared the story of one remarkable Canadian soldier, Leo Major. Leo was a scout and sniper who, against all odds, single-handedly liberated the Dutch town of Zwolle in 1945. Moving under cover of darkness, he confused and intimidated German forces through a series of daring attacks, leading them to believe an entire Allied battalion was upon them. His incredible bravery and tactical genius not only saved the town but established him as a true legend.

This year, we’ll explore the stories of several more incredible Canadians who, like Leo, faced impossible odds with courage, ingenuity, and the unbreakable Canadian spirit. These people faced unimaginable odds, fought for our freedom and justice, and showed the world the strength of the Canadian spirit. Join us as we honour and remember these heroes—names that deserve a place in history and our hearts.

Sources:

Francis Pegahmagabow - Veterans Affairs Canada

Corporal Francis Pegahmagabow Memorial - National Inventory of Canadian Military Memorials (NICMM) - Memorials - Remembrance - Veterans Affairs Canada

PEGAHMAGABOW, FRANCIS - War Records

Francis Pegahmagabow National Historic Person (1889-1952)

Chief Francis Pegahmagabow, 1889-1952

Francis Pegahmagabow Monument - Veterans Affairs Canada

Ernest "Smokey" Smith - Record Detail | New Westminster Museum

Ernest Alvia Smith | Canada.ca

Sergeant (Ret’d) Ernest “Smokey” Smith, VC - Veterans Affairs Canada

Ernest Smith | Wikipedia

Ernest 'Smoky' Smith: 'I was never afraid to shoot' | Macleans

Tommy Prince | Legion Magazine

Prince of Death: Canada’s Indigenous war hero | Legion Magazine

Tommy Prince | Wikipedia

Tommy Prince | The Canadian Encyclopedia

Tommy Prince - Veterans Affairs Canada

NATIONAL INDIGENOUS HISTORY MONTH: Tommy Prince

Bizarre But True Facts: Canada in WWII

10 Badass Canadian War Heroes

'If you don't get us out of here, we're all going to die': Heroes Among Us

The Canadian hero whose leadership prevented countless casualties in Afghanistan

History-April 27 1945: The crazy trio who helped a starving war-torn Holland

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Episode 342: In the quiet Yukon community of Carcross, a chilling tragedy unfolded on March 1st, 1992, forever changing the lives of those involved and leaving a lasting impact on the region. Krystal Nicole Senyk, a twenty-nine-year-old with her whole life ahead of her, was found dead in the doorway of her cabin, the victim of a brutal murder.

The prime suspect in this heinous crime was Ronald Jeffrey Bax, the husband of Krystal's friend Lynn. In the hours between Krystal's murder and the discovery of her body, Bax, charged with murder in absentia, vanished without a trace, setting in motion a decades-long search for justice.

This case, which has haunted the Yukon for over 30 years, is a tale of tragedy, mystery, and the relentless pursuit of truth. Despite the passage of time, Ronald Bax has never been found, leaving authorities, Krystal's family and the community with unanswered questions and a continuing need for closure.

Sources:

Wanted by the RCMP: Ronald Jeffrey Bax | Royal Canadian Mounted Police

WhatHappenedToRonBax.com | A Yukon mystery

I Got a Name: The Murder of Krystal Senyk

Woman is shot; RCMP hunt for murder suspect

International Arm Wrestling Results 1990

May 19, 1989, page 3 - Whitehorse Daily Star at Newspapers.com

Mar 04, 1992, page 1 - Whitehorse Daily Star at Newspapers.com

Mar 05, 1992, page 1 - Whitehorse Daily Star at Newspapers.com

Mar 06, 1992, page 9 - The Standard at Newspapers.com

Mar 06, 1992, page 15 - The Province at Newspapers.com

Nov 13, 1992, page 1 - Whitehorse Daily Star at Newspapers.com

Nov 13, 1992, page 2 - Whitehorse Daily Star at Newspapers.com

Mar 02, 1993, page 3 - Whitehorse Daily Star at Newspapers.com

Nov 20, 1995, page 1 - Whitehorse Daily Star at Newspapers.com

Oct 18, 2000, page 46 - Whitehorse Daily Star at Newspapers.com

Remember Krystal, remember them all

‘A mother should never have to go through this’

Writer at Dawson City residency comes full-circle on Yukon true crime story

Author delves into the life and tragic death of Krystal Senyk | CBC News

Transcript: Crime Story, Episode 20 | CBC Radio

Krystal Nicole Senyk (1962-1992)

Ronald Bax | Unsolved Wiki

Yukon | Wikipedia

Home | Government of Yukon

Carcross | Wikipedia

https://destinationcarcross.ca/

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Episode 341: Welcome to a very special Halloween edition of Dark Poutine. This year, we’re also celebrating our seventh anniversary! Over the years, we’ve explored the darkest corners of Canadian crime and history, but tonight, we’re widening the lens to take you on a ghostly journey around the world. In the spirit of the spookiest time of year, we’ll dive into the eerie world of hauntings, ghosts and, of course, poltergeists—those noisy, mischievous spirits that have haunted homes, thrown objects, and terrified families across different cultures for centuries. Buckle up for a global tour of unsettling encounters and unexplained phenomena that have left their mark in folklore, history, and, for some, reality. Get ready to be both intrigued and chilled to the bone!

Sources:

Society for Psychical Research

Difference Between Ghost and Poltergeist

Types Of Ghosts and Spirits

Ghosts, poltergeists, and demons: What’s the difference?

The Ghost Glossary: The Difference Between Ghosts, Ghouls, Goblins, And More

Hauntings and Poltergeists | SPR

The Great Amherst Mystery, 1888

Mary Ellen Fire Spook - An Antigonish Haunting

The Hanging Cage That Held An Infamous Québec Murderess

Who is Marie-Josephte Corriveau?

The “Stone Tape Theory” of hauntings: A geological perspective

Family Ghosts: Bringing Back the Dead (Part II)

My Family Ghost Stories

Reddit Users Share Their Experiences with the Paranormal

From the Ghosts community on Reddit

The Enfield Poltergeist | Psi Encyclopedia

This House Is Haunted: The Investigation of the Enfield Poltergeist by Guy Lyon Playfair

The Enfield Poltergeist Tapes by Melvyn J Willin

Watch The Enfield Poltergeist - Apple TV⁠+ (CA)

‘The Enfield Poltergeist’: New doc explores the creepy, infamous haunting - National

The Enfield Poltergeist: BBC

Bill Wilkins — Investigation and Evidence

Enfield Poltergeist Real Voice Recordings (Bill) | YouTube

The Enfield Poltergeist RARE BBC FOOTAGE | YouTube

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Episode 340: In the early 1980s, a wave of fear with its origins in Canada, swept across North America, igniting what would become known as the Satanic Panic. This moral hysteria, fueled by sensationalized media reports and dubious claims of widespread satanic ritual abuse, had its roots in a controversial book published in 1980 titled “Michelle Remembers.”

As the panic spread, it manifested in several high-profile cases across Canada. One of the most notorious incidents occurred in Martensville, Saskatchewan, where unfounded allegations of ritual abuse at a local daycare center led to multiple arrests and a community torn apart by suspicion and fear. Other cases emerged in various provinces, each feeding into the growing narrative of a vast, underground network of satanic cults preying on innocent children.

Sources:

Michelle Remembers by Smith, Michelle | Internet Archive

Michelle Remembers — fiction disguised as fact

Devil Worship Exposing Satan's Underground [Geraldo Rivera] [1988] [VHS] | YouTube

[VHS] Law Enforcement Guide to Satanic Cults - (1994) | YouTube

Parents From McMartin Preschool Scandal Discuss Aftermath Of Child Sex Abuse Case | Oxygen Official Site

UNCOVER SEASON 6- SATANIC PANIC: Transcripts | Listen | CBC Radio

Hell to pay: Revisiting the Martensville satanic sex scandal (2003) - The Fifth Estate | YouTube

1995 CanLII 4037 (SK CA) | R. v. Sterling | CanLII

2003 SKQB 559 (CanLII) | K. v. Miazga | CanLII

2007 SKCA 57 (CanLII) | Kvello v. Miazga | CanLII

Aug 12, 1990, page 8 - The Independent at Newspapers.com

Did Satanic Panic Influence The West Memphis Three Case? | Oxygen Official Site

West Memphis Three: What You Should Know About Their Wrongful Conviction

High Magick

Satan Wants You | Film

Satan Wants You | JustWatch

The Strange Origins of the Satanic Panic | CBC Arts

Believe the Children: Re-Reading the Satanic Panic Through Michelle Remembers

How a doctor and his patient sparked a global ‘Satanic Panic’

It’s Time to Revisit the Satanic Panic | NYT

Satanic panic: Documentary takes a new look at Michelle Remembers book

America's Satanic Panic Returns — This Time Through QAnon

We Believe the Children: A Moral Panic in the 1980s | Amazon

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This bonus episode of Dark Poutine is brought to you by MasterCard. In this special episode, we’re exploring a growing threat hitting more close to home than ever—cybercrime. We’ve dived deep into all sorts of dark tales before, but this one is a bit different because it’s happening right now, affecting people and businesses across Canada.  

Sources:

Mastercard Trust Centre | Cybersecurity Solutions for Every Business

mastercard.ca/trust

webcrunchers.com | Wayback Machine

Elk Cloner

John Draper

Michael Calce

Mafiaboy’s story points to Net weaknesses

Meet Mafiaboy, The 'Bratty Kid' Who Took Down The Internet

'Mafiaboy' breaks silence, paints 'portrait of a hacker' | CNN

A Q&A with MafiaBoy

Canadian Centre for Cyber Security

Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada | FinTRAC

Cyber attacks in Canada | Konbriefing.com

Why Canada has so many cyberattacks—and why we're all at risk | MacLeans

Cyber attacks are getting easier, experts warn after 3rd federal incident | GlobalNews National

Equifax hacked: Canadians among those exposed by credit monitoring company’s data breach - National

PIPEDA Findings #2019-001: Investigation into Equifax Inc. and Equifax Canada Co.’s compliance with PIPEDA in light of the 2017 breach of personal information - Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

Am I Impacted? | LifeLabs

LifeLabs hack: What Canadians need to know about the health data breach | GlobalNews

Privacy breach alerts and information | Province of NS

Cyber Incident | ADSC

Ticketmaster Data Security Incident

Cyber security and cybercrime challenges of Canadian businesses, 2017

The Daily — Impact of cybercrime on Canadian businesses, 2021

Canadian Small Business Cybersecurity Survival Guide - Canadian Chamber of Commerce

Nearly half of small businesses have experienced random cyberattacks in the past year | CFIB

Ransomware/ Cyber Incident | Toronto Zoo

Baseline cyber threat assessment: Cybercrime - Canadian Centre for Cyber Security

Cyber Attacks in Canada 2023: A Year in Review

Criminal hackers 'very likely' to pose threat to national security, economy in near term: report | CBC News

Data Responsibility & Governance Practices | Personal Data Security

Cybercrime: an overview of incidents and issues in Canada | RCMP

Significant Cyber Incidents | Strategic Technologies Program | CSIS

National Cyber Threat Assessment 2023-2024 | Canadian Centre for Cyber Security

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On the night of September 6, 1958, Aaron “Bud’ Jenkins was stabbed to death as he slept in his barracks at the Naval base in Esquimalt on Vancouver Island here in British Columbia. A man named Leo Mantha confessed to the crime, was tried, found guilty of 1st-degree murder, and executed in 1959. He was the last person ever to be executed in British Columbia and the 3rd last to be executed in Canada. At the time, executions were rare, and most Canadian death penalty verdicts were commuted to life in prison. After revisiting the crime, the consensus among experts today is that anyone else would have been charged with manslaughter or 2nd-degree murder, and not 1st-degree murder. So why do Leo Mantha hang? The fact that Leo Mantha was gay was the only factor that made him stand out at the time of the crime. Was his a hanging by homophobia?

Sources:

https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/506263024/

https://johnhoward.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/the-death-penalty-any-nations-shame-march-2001.pdf

https://xtramagazine.com/power/leo-manthas-last-gasp-60415

https://ejusa.org/resource/wasteful-inefficient/#:~:text=Many%20people%20believe%20that%20the,making%20it%20much%20more%20expensive.

https://www.nacdl.org/Content/Race-and-the-Death-Penalty

https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/jr/lgbtq/background-contexte.html

https://www.westerncriminology.org/documents/WCR/v08n2/weinrath.pdf

https://www.statista.com/topics/2943/aboriginal-crime-and-justice-in-canada/#topicOverview

https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/jr/rrbb-bbrr/results-resultats.html#:~:text=A%20similar%20trend%20was%20observed,%2D07%20to%202015%2D16.

https://www.nathaniel.ca/2014/05/07/leo-manthas-last-gasp/

https://bcanuntoldhistory.knowledge.ca/1960/homosexuality-decriminalized

https://globalnews.ca/news/5238533/leo-mantha-last-bc-execution/

https://www.nathaniel.ca/2009/05/03/bcs-last-execution/

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Episode 338: The Great North American Ice Storm of January 1998 was a devastating natural disaster caused by five consecutive ice storms affecting eastern Ontario, southern Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, northern New York, and central Maine. Montreal and southern Quebec were hardest hit, with freezing rain from January 4th to 9th accumulating up to 100 millimetres, collapsing trees, power lines, and steel towers. Nearly 3.5 million Quebecers and 600,000 Ontarians lost power, with blackouts lasting up to 33 days. The storm claimed 34 lives and led to the largest Canadian military deployment since the Korean War. The disaster tested the resilience of residents, who endured extreme cold and isolation while demonstrating heroism and community spirit.

Sources:

Jan 07, 1998, page 1 - The Gazette at Newspapers.com

The 1998 ice storm that called for the deployment of 16,000 military personnel | Weather Network

Ice storm changes the way cities prepare for disasters

1998 Ice Storm – Operation Recuperation - Veterans Affairs Canada

Ice Storm '98 relived: A handful of Quebecers look back

Lessons learned from the ice storm of 1998

Timeline | Ice Storm 1998: Immersion in the Black and the Cold

25th Anniversary of the Devastating 1998 Ice Storm in the Northeast

The Worst Natural Disaster in Canadian History (Ice Storm 1998) | Discover Montreal

1998 ice storm led to better preparation for disasters in Quebec | Global News

Montrealers remember the ice storm of 1998, 25 years later | Global News

25th anniversary of ice storm brings back chilling memories for Quebecers | CBC News

25 years later: Quebec remembers ice storm that plunged province into darkness | CTV News

https://www.hydroquebec.com/ice-storm-1998/a-perfect-storm.html

January 1998 North American ice storm

David Pratt, "Ice Storm 1998" on Feb. 4th, 1998

Ice storm 1998: Lessons learned | Wayback Machine

2023 Canada ice storm

https://www.hydroquebec.com/ice-storm-1998/

25 years later: Quebec remembers ice storm that plunged province into darkness

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On the evening of February 14, 1985, Valentine’s Day, at around 6:00 p.m., Bryan Hart of Colborne, Ontario, came home to a quiet house after work. He looked around the house for his wife, Betty, but could not find her. The couple’s 19-year-old son had already been home for an hour and a half. Michael said he hadn’t seen his mom but had noticed a pair of glasses she wore sitting on the landing leading into the basement. Thinking his mother was out somewhere, Michael picked up the glasses and put them on top of the refrigerator in the kitchen for safekeeping.

On learning about the glasses from Michael, Bryan felt compelled to check the basement. It was the only place he hadn’t checked yet. In the cellar, Bryan discovered Betty lying on her side in a vast pool of blood. She was unresponsive. Bryan raced back upstairs and told his son to call an ambulance.

Marguerite Elizabeth (Betty) Hart, 46, was dead. Among Betty’s many injuries, her throat had been slashed. Early on, the OPP presumed Betty’s wounds to be self-inflicted, but not all was as it appeared.

Sources:

1987 CanLII 124 (ON CA) | R. v. Moran | CanLII

SCC Docket | Donald Philip John Moran v. Her Majesty the Queen

Mar 09, 1985, page 3 - The Toronto Star at Newspapers.com

Mar 12, 1985, page 2 - The Toronto Star at Newspapers.com

Mar 13, 1985, page 2 - The Kingston Whig-Standard at Newspapers.com

Mar 14, 1985, page 2 - The Toronto Star at Newspapers.com

Apr 30, 1985, page 7 - The Toronto Star at Newspapers.com

Jul 23, 1985, page 5 - The Toronto Star at Newspapers.com

Jun 06, 1985, page 2 - The Kingston Whig-Standard at Newspapers.com

Jun 28, 1985, page 6 - The Kingston Whig-Standard at Newspapers.com

Jan 08, 1986, page 7 - The Hamilton Spectator at Newspapers.com

Jan 08, 1986, page 32 - The Expositor at Newspapers.com

Jan 09, 1986, page 15 - The Expositor at Newspapers.com

Jan 16, 1986, page 62 - Waterloo Region Record at Newspapers.com

Jan 16, 1986, page 10 - The Expositor at Newspapers.com

Jan 17, 1986, page 8 - The Expositor at Newspapers.com

Jan 18, 1986, page 8 - Waterloo Region Record at Newspapers.com

http://images.ourontario.ca/Partners/CTPL/CTPL002508964pf_0156.pdf

http://images.ourontario.ca/Partners/CTPL/CTPL002508964pf_0155.pdf

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In November of 2002, friends and family of 25-year-old Fort McMurray DJ Robert LeVoir became concerned that they hadn’t heard from him in over two weeks. Although he’d been a troubled guy, struggling with drugs, cocaine in particular, it wasn’t like Robert to be out of touch for so long. They worried about his welfare and began searching for him, eventually involving the RCMP.

To Robert’s family, the RCMP appeared to be doing little to find their loved one. However, behind closed doors, investigators were working on a tip from a man claiming Robert’s roommate, Dax Richard Mack, also a DJ, had murdered Robert LeVoir and disposed of his body.

Sources:

2006 ABQB 324 (CanLII) | R. v. Mack | CanLII

2007 ABQB 182 (CanLII) | R. v. Mack | CanLII

2012 ABCA 42 (CanLII) | R. v. Mack | CanLII

SCC Appeal File No. 35093 — 2013

2014 SCC 58 (CanLII) | R. v. Mack | CanLII

Supreme Court upholds Fort McMurray murder conviction

Top court upholds Alberta conviction in boost for ‘Mr. Big’ tactics

Mr Big Operations: Innovative Investigative Technique or Threat to Justice?

Mr. Big: Undercover Sting Operations

Mr. Big: An RCMP Production

Revisiting “Mr. Big” Confessions: R v Mack

No New Friends: A Look at the Law Relating to Mr. Big in R. v. Hart : Royle Law | Criminal and DUI Lawyers Toronto

“Mr. Big” Operation: SCC constrains but doesn’t eliminate the practice.

2022 ABQB 522 (CanLII) | Mack v Warden of Grande Cache Institution | CanLII

A CRITICAL ASSESSMENT OF MR. BIG OPERATIONS BY CANADA’S POLICE by Chanel J.

Blais

Mr. Big — Brilliant police strategy, or dangerous and coercive?

Robert Cecil William LeVoir (1977-2002) - Find a Grave

Shocore - Bonecracker | YouTube

Owen Beverly Beattie

Owen Beattie

RvJeanvennebyArghavanGerami

Apr 23, 2004, page 6 - Edmonton Journal at Newspapers.com

Jul 06, 2004, page 6 - Edmonton Journal at Newspapers.com

Apr 26, 2006, page 23 - Edmonton Journal at Newspapers.com

Apr 26, 2006, page 7 - The Daily Herald-Tribune at Newspapers.com

Apr 22, 2004, page 3 - Fort McMurray Today at Newspapers.com

Apr 26, 2006, page 3 - Fort McMurray Today at Newspapers.com

May 10, 2006, page 7 - The Daily Herald-Tribune at Newspapers.com

Feb 21, 2008, page 6 - Star-Phoenix at Newspapers.com

Feb 21, 2008, page 23 - Edmonton Journal at Newspapers.com

Killer DJ appeal turfed | Edmonton Sun

High court upholds Mr. Big conviction

Shocking the Conscience: Public Responses to Police Use of the “Mr. Big” Technique

Mr. Big — Brilliant police strategy, or dangerous and coercive? | Edmonton Sun

Gangsters Out Blog | The Dirty Few MC

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