Clifford Olson
Encyclopedia
Clifford Robert Olson, Jr. (January 1, 1940 – September 30, 2011) was a convicted Canadian serial killer
who confessed to murdering two children and nine youths in the early 1980s.
was abducted on November 17, 1980. Her body was found more than a month later on Christmas Day, after having been strangled with a belt and stabbed repeatedly. On April 16, 1981, Colleen Marian Daignault, 13, vanished. It was five months before her body was found. Soon thereafter, Daryn Todd Johnsrude, 16, had also been abduct
ed and killed; on May 19, 16-year-old Sandra Wolfsteiner was murdered, and 13-year-old Ada Anita Court murdered in June.
Six victims followed in quick succession in July 1981. Simon Partington, 9, was abducted, rape
d and strangled on the second day of the month. Judy Kozma, a 14-year old from New Westminster, was raped and strangled a week later. Her body was discovered on July 25 near Weaver Lake. The next victims were: Raymond King Jr., 15, abducted on July 23, raped and bludgeoned to death; Sigrun Arnd, an 18-year old German
tourist, raped and bludgeoned the following day; Terri Lyn Carson, 15, raped and strangled; and Louise Chartrand, age 17, the last victim identified, died on July 30.
Olson was an atypical serial killer
in that he targeted both boys and girls and that his victims were of various ages.
in Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Quebec
, which houses many of the country's most dangerous criminals. Olson was a dangerous offender
, meaning it was very unlikely he would ever have been released from prison.
, for which he applied under Canada's "faint hope clause
", which allowed a parole hearing for convicts who had served at least 15 years.
Canadian law allows inmates convicted of first-degree murder to apply for parole after serving a minimum of 25 years. Olson's second parole hearing, on July 18, 2006, was also denied. Olson made many bizarre and false claims, including that the United States
had granted him clemency for providing information about the September 11 attacks and that the hearing had no jurisdiction over him because of that. Under Canadian law, Olson was then entitled to make a case for parole every two years.
Olson was once again refused parole in November, 2010.
(OAS) pension. All persons who meet residency requirements as to length of time in Canada are eligible to receive this pension at age 65, and Olson turned 70 on January 1, 2010. Olson was also eligible to receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), awarded to pensioners with low income. The monies in question were being held in trust for Olson.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation
testified before the federal standing committee for Human Resources Development to have MPs pass Bill C-31, which would terminate pension benefits for prisoners. The organization also presented the government with 46,000 petition
signatures requesting that Olson no longer receive the benefits. Prime Minister Stephen Harper
asked government officials to look into the issue; on June 1, 2010, the government moved to terminate Olson's payments, calling the fact that he had been receiving them "outrageous" and "offensive." In September, 2010, Olson sent one of his Old Age Security cheques to a Sun Media reporter, Peter Worthington, with a note asking him to forward the cheque to Prime Minister
Stephen Harper
's campaign for re-election.
. He died on September 30, 2011 at the age of 71.
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
who confessed to murdering two children and nine youths in the early 1980s.
Murders
Christine Weller, 12, from Surrey, British ColumbiaSurrey, British Columbia
Surrey is a city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is a member municipality of Metro Vancouver, the governing body of the Greater Vancouver Regional District...
was abducted on November 17, 1980. Her body was found more than a month later on Christmas Day, after having been strangled with a belt and stabbed repeatedly. On April 16, 1981, Colleen Marian Daignault, 13, vanished. It was five months before her body was found. Soon thereafter, Daryn Todd Johnsrude, 16, had also been abduct
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
ed and killed; on May 19, 16-year-old Sandra Wolfsteiner was murdered, and 13-year-old Ada Anita Court murdered in June.
Six victims followed in quick succession in July 1981. Simon Partington, 9, was abducted, rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
d and strangled on the second day of the month. Judy Kozma, a 14-year old from New Westminster, was raped and strangled a week later. Her body was discovered on July 25 near Weaver Lake. The next victims were: Raymond King Jr., 15, abducted on July 23, raped and bludgeoned to death; Sigrun Arnd, an 18-year old German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
tourist, raped and bludgeoned the following day; Terri Lyn Carson, 15, raped and strangled; and Louise Chartrand, age 17, the last victim identified, died on July 30.
Olson was an atypical serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
in that he targeted both boys and girls and that his victims were of various ages.
Arrest and plea bargain
Olson, who had an extensive criminal history, was arrested on August 12, 1981 on suspicion of attempts to abduct two girls. By August 25, Olson had been charged with the murder of Judy Kozma. He reached a controversial deal with authorities, agreeing to confess to the 11 murders and show the RCMP where the bodies of those not recovered were buried. In return, authorities agreed that $10,000 for each victim was paid into a trust for his wife, Joan, and then-infant son, Clifford Jr. His wife received $100,000 after Olson cooperated with the RCMP, the 11th body being a 'freebie'. In January 1982, Olson pleaded guilty to 11 counts of murder and was given 11 concurrent life sentences to be served in Canada's super-maximum security Special Handling UnitSpecial Handling Unit
The Special Handling Unit is Canada's highest security prison. It is co-located with the Ste-Anne-des-Plaines Institution and the Regional Reception Centre, at the Correctional Service of Canada complex at Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Quebec . As of 2008, there were 90 prisoners at the SHU...
in Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Quebec
Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Quebec
Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines is a city in southwestern Quebec, Canada, northwest of Montreal in the Regional County Municipality of Thérèse-de-Blainville. The population estimate for the city in 2011 was 13,700, up from 13,001 in the 2006 census...
, which houses many of the country's most dangerous criminals. Olson was a dangerous offender
Dangerous offender
In Canada and England and Wales, certain convicted persons may be designated as dangerous offenders and subject to a longer, or indefinite, term of preventive detention in order to protect the public.-Canada:...
, meaning it was very unlikely he would ever have been released from prison.
Parole application
In 1997, Olson was denied paroleParole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
, for which he applied under Canada's "faint hope clause
Faint hope clause
The "Faint hope clause" was the popular name for §745.6 of the Criminal Code of Canada, a statutory provision that allows prisoners who have been sentenced to life imprisonment with a parole eligibility period of greater than 15 years to apply for early parole once he or she has served 15...
", which allowed a parole hearing for convicts who had served at least 15 years.
Canadian law allows inmates convicted of first-degree murder to apply for parole after serving a minimum of 25 years. Olson's second parole hearing, on July 18, 2006, was also denied. Olson made many bizarre and false claims, including that the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
had granted him clemency for providing information about the September 11 attacks and that the hearing had no jurisdiction over him because of that. Under Canadian law, Olson was then entitled to make a case for parole every two years.
Olson was once again refused parole in November, 2010.
Old Age Security pension controversy
Controversy developed in March 2010 when it was disclosed Olson was receiving two federal government benefits from Canada while imprisoned, a total of $1,169.47 monthly. Olson was eligible to receive the Canadian Old Age SecurityOld Age Security
The Old Age Security pension is a taxable monthly social security payment available to most Canadians 65 years of age or older. As of July, 2011, the basic amount is C$533.70 per month. At tax time, recipients with 2010 incomes over C$67,668 must pay back a portion of their Old Age Security at a...
(OAS) pension. All persons who meet residency requirements as to length of time in Canada are eligible to receive this pension at age 65, and Olson turned 70 on January 1, 2010. Olson was also eligible to receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), awarded to pensioners with low income. The monies in question were being held in trust for Olson.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Canadian Taxpayers Federation
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is a Canadian federally incorporated, non-profit organization and taxpayers union that claims to have over 70,000 supporters across Canada. The organization advocates lower taxes, and a reduction of what it considers to be waste in government...
testified before the federal standing committee for Human Resources Development to have MPs pass Bill C-31, which would terminate pension benefits for prisoners. The organization also presented the government with 46,000 petition
Petition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer....
signatures requesting that Olson no longer receive the benefits. Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
asked government officials to look into the issue; on June 1, 2010, the government moved to terminate Olson's payments, calling the fact that he had been receiving them "outrageous" and "offensive." In September, 2010, Olson sent one of his Old Age Security cheques to a Sun Media reporter, Peter Worthington, with a note asking him to forward the cheque to Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
's campaign for re-election.
Illness and death
In September 2011, media reports indicated that Olson had terminal cancer and had been transferred to a hospital in Laval, QuebecLaval, Quebec
Laval is a Canadian city and a region in southwestern Quebec. It is the largest suburb of Montreal, the third largest municipality in the province of Quebec, and the 14th largest city in Canada with a population of 368,709 in 2006...
. He died on September 30, 2011 at the age of 71.
In the media
- The Investigation, a TV movie, was made in 2002, focusing on allegations that Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceRoyal Canadian Mounted PoliceThe Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
(RCMP) bureaucracy delayed the arrest of Olson. It starred Nicholas LeaNicholas LeaNicholas Lea is a Canadian actor best known for his portrayal of Alex Krycek on The X-Files and on Kyle XY playing Tom Foss.-Biography:...
, Reece DinsdaleReece DinsdaleReece Dinsdale is an English actor of stage, screen and television.-Acting career:He trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama from 1977 until 1980...
, David WarnerDavid Warner (actor)David Warner is an English actor who is known for playing both romantic leads and sinister or villainous characters, both in film and animation...
and Lochlyn MunroLochlyn MunroRichard Laughlain "Lochlyn" Munro is a Canadian actor.-Life and career:Munro was born in Lac La Hache, British Columbia. He started his acting career after a serious sports injury ended his dream of playing professional hockey. While playing music in various clubs around Vancouver, British...
. - Olson's controversial plea-bargain is referred to in a panel discussion at a serial killers' convention in the second volume of Neil GaimanNeil GaimanNeil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
's SandmanSandman (Vertigo)The Sandman is a comic book series written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics. Beginning with issue #47, it was placed under the imprint Vertigo. It chronicles the adventures of Dream , who rules over the world of dreams. It ran for 75 issues from January 1989 until March 1996...
series.
External links
- The Beast of British Columbia - Canadian Broadcasting Corporation July 19, 2006