Part of a seven-month joint investigation with CBCs The Fifth Estate, the feature delved into recently unsealed police files to try to answer a question that has obsessed detectives for nearly two decades: What happened to four seniors who went missing in Ontarios Muskoka area in the 1990s? Among Katies honors and achievements, she was a governing board member for the PA Youth Leadership Network, was named Ms. In an affidavit filed in June, the OPP investigator currently assigned to the case, Rob Matthews, repeatedly describes it being active and ongoing. He initially said he scared them in to the bush or that people fishing in the lake adjacent to the property had killed them. His son, Michael Hurley, wasn't aware his father's money was being stolen until a 2017 investigation by The Fifth Estate revealed that Kathrine, Walter, Paul and David Laan had been involved in fraud in connection with residents at the homes they operated. "There was nothing there that would send an alarm bell off into my head. Their disappearances were initially treated as missing persons investigations, but are now considered by police to be homicides. Katie lived for music and dancing and attended hundreds of concerts all over the country. They were run mostly by four members of the Laan family David, Paul, Walter and Kathrine and their uncle Ron Allen, who was a caretaker at one property. The youngest brother, Paul, teaches English at a private university in metropolitan Seoul. And there was never a time that she allowed anything to stop her from doing what she loved. Her spirit was infectious, and it was hard not to be jealous of the way she approached life. Katherine Smith Obituary With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Katherine Smith of Union Dale, Pennsylvania, who passed away on November 14, 2022 at the age of 34. She. The documents show that, on three different properties owned by the Laans near Huntsville, Ontario, many of the residents paid between $400 and $750 a month to rent shared rooms and tiny outbuildings during the 1990s. Friends and family will be received on Sunday, March 6, from 1-4 p.m. at the Snyder-Green Funeral Home; 402 E. Church St.; Ligonier, PA 15658; (724) 238-2611. Hurley made several visits to Cedar Pines to see his father and said he didn't think anything was off at the time. Members of theLaan familyrecruited people from Toronto who were on the fringes of society and promised them a quiet life in Muskoka, with activities like bowling, woodwork and singsongs at their care homes. The wide-ranging response also flags the cynical tone of Fifth Estate host Bob McKeown, the use of highly sensationalized re-enactment footage of an underwater search conducted by the Ontario Provincial Police, the observations of interview subjects with no immediate knowledge of the police investigation, and the depiction of missing persons flyers seen floating in the water. The newly released documentsinclude details about a gun found on the property from which Lawrence disappeared, along with insight into conditions of "care homes" run by the Laan family in the area and information about a forged signature on a tax cheque that police believe was the catalyst in Lawrence's disappearance. Family linked to disappearance of seniors fights release of police documents. With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Katherine Smith of Union Dale, Pennsylvania, who passed away on November 14, 2022 at the age of 34. Leave a sympathy message to the family in the guestbook on this memorial page of Katherine J. Smith to show support. That legal secretary told police that the cheque was endorsed with Lawrence's forged signature. "Every police officer, I think, if you ask them, 'Why do we do this, we do this to serve?' Would you like to offer Katherine J. Smiths loved ones a condolence message? Funeral arrangement under the care ofBaker-Hazel & Snider Funeral Home. Pleasant Area High School, where she graduated in 2003. "They were the ones that were always there when I went.". where is bob hoover buried; lloyd williams obituary; raelondo wright rae carruth son; que significa una casa sucia; altland house haunted; avengers fanfiction peter intern meets team cap Funeral Services will be 2:00PM Sunday, December 5, 2021 at Piney Grove Chapel Baptist Church, Angier. For tips about this story or any other, contact Lisa Mayor at lisa.mayor@cbc.ca or Timothy Sawa at timothy.sawa@cbc.ca. She was a graduate of Everett High School, earned an Associate in Arts and Sciences degree at Everett Junior College, and received a Bachelor of . The Ontario Provincial Policedocuments, obtained in court byThe Fifth Estateand the Walrus magazine, were part of a search warrant application filed in a homicide investigation into the disappearance of Joan Lawrence, a localwoman known as The Cat Lady who went missing in Muskoka in the late 1990s. In late 1998, a resident of one of the homes where Lawrence was living reported to his social worker that he thought she was missing. When Hurley inquired with the Canada Pension Plan about his father's survivor benefits paid to the next of kin to assist with the costs of a funeral, he was told that the payout had been made to "the other applicant.". Her coach, Jerry DeFlitch of East Huntingdon, recalled that Smith was a joy to coach and that she always worked hard. "Occasionally I would get a phone call from Kathrine or occasionally I would call her to give me the rundown on him," he said. (34 years old). Call Call. A criminal defence attorney representing the Laan siblings, as well as their uncle, Ron Allen, has responded. Claiming mistreatment and financial abuse, Lawrence approached a law firm to help her gather evidence against her landlords to bring to the OPP. About a week later, his father died. One of those people who died while being cared for by the Laanswas 76-year old John Jefferson (Jeff) Hurley. I wrote about the cold case for this magazine last fall. The Walrus uses cookies for personalization, to customize its online advertisements, and for other purposes. Joan Lawrence, a seventy-seven-year-old who lived on a Laan property, paid over $700 to rent an eight-by-ten foot shedcovered in newspaper littered with cat urine and feces, according to one of the documentswith no insulation, running water, or electricity. In a legal filing published on September 20, Jeffrey Manishen, of the Hamilton-based firm Ross & McBride, says his clients could face vigilante justice because of stories released by the two media organizations. You can contact Joe by email at jnapsha@triblive.com or via Twitter . She was a homemaker and member of South Point Baptist Church formerly Harvest Baptist . Police believed an elderly woman who disappeared in Ontario's cottage country two decades ago was killed to "prevent her from reporting frauds, thefts, mistreatment and neglect she was enduring" from her landlords, according to documents recently obtained by The Fifth Estate. Ron Allens age and whereabouts are unknown. The documents state that Kathrine bugged Lawrence to move into Cedar Pines, a residence Kathrine had purchased west of Huntsville. Katie was a member of the USA Boccia Paralympic national team, competing and training in destinations including Canada, the United Kingdom, and Brazil. Four weeks ago, I published a story in this magazine about one of Canadas most notorious cold cases. She had a true affection for all young people and amassed an impressive childrens book collection. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. By the age of 25, their sister, Kathrine Laan, had spent time in jail for drug possession, theft and extortion. Leave a sympathy message to the family in the guestbook on this memorial page of Katherine J. Smith to show support. "I didn't get suspicious, only in so far as we couldn't pay the bill to the funeral home. According to court documents obtained byThe Fifth Estate, Kathrine Laan received a nine-month conditional sentence in connection with some of those thefts. As we look at Who We Are Now in 2023, help us power the next 20 years of inspiring conversations and fact-checked journalism. 2, 2018. Walter and Paul pled guilty, and Kathrine was also convicted, though for reasons that have never been disclosed to the public, the charges against David and Karen were dropped. That same friend told police that was the last time she spoke with or heard from Lawrence, whom she normally saw three times per week. One of the first residents who spoke to police said he only had rice and pasta to eat and was paying $700 per month tolive at FernGlen. According to court records, the oldest brother, David Laan, has been convicted for breaking and entering and theft. That property, about 13 kilometres southwest of Huntsville,was owned by three members of theLaanfamily. Service map data OpenStreetMap contributors, Friends and family will be received on Sunday, March 6, from 1-4 p.m. at the Snyder-Green Funeral Home; 402 E. Church St.; Ligonier, PA 15658; (724) 238-2611. It was while attending Penn State University and studying to be a nurse when Smith was in a car accident in July 2007, causing a catastrophic spinal cord injury. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. The documents show that Lawrence told a friend she confronted a person named "Ron" about it and he at first denied he forged her signature. We know that Eric M Didocha, Steve D Didocha, and seven other persons also lived at this address, perhaps within a different time frame.The phone number (248) 273-3763 (Ameritech Michigan) is Katherine's Her son, Ryan Smith, his wife, Brianne Stepanich-Smith, their daughters, Evie and Mazie. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. Visitation will conclude with a. memorial service to celebrate Katies life, with Pastor David Clement of Trinity Lutheran Church of Latrobe officiating. Katherine "Kappy" L. Smith December 30, 1922 - February 21, 2023 Share this obituary Sign Guestbook | View Guestbook Entries | Send Sympathy Card Print Obituary Michael J Lear of Guymon February 22, 2023 Smith family, I am deeply sorry for your loss. Visitation will conclude with a memorial service to celebrate Katies life, with Pastor David Clement of Trinity Lutheran Church of Latrobe officiating. There was never an opportunity missed on a good one liner. No charges have ever been laid in the disappearance of any of the four seniors. The Trust Project is a collaboration among news organizations around the world. Another resident of Fern Glen had broken his hip and wasn't mobile. For the stories, The Walrus and The Fifth Estate have petitioned an Ontario court judge to unseal several search warrants executed in the early months of the investigation. Smith was a member of the USA Boccia Paralympic national team. "I thought to myself, if my grandfather was here, he'd be going in the truck with me right now.". The portions of the search warrants that remain under seal will be challenged by The Walrus/CBC in a hearing later this month. Learn more or change your cookie preferences. She is survived by : her children, Kathy Curtis of Vandalia, Suzanne Phillips (Kenneth) of Huber Heights and Christopher Smith of Dayton; her grandchildren, Nicole Taylor (Erik), Collin Phillips (Bridget), Lindsay Smith of Edwards, AFB and Kristopher Phillips; and her great grandchildren, Zachary, Natalie, Jaiden and Camden. She spent six months recovering from her injury at the Institute of Research and Rehabilitation at UPMC Southside in Pittsburgh. According to the unredacted documents, her landlords lied about her whereabouts. Manishens filing is in response to an application first made by The Walrus and CBC News, which hosts The Fifth Estate, to get at the warrants, which the Crown attorneys office is also opposing. National President. Obituary Katherine Marie "Katie" Leiker Katherine Marie "Katie" Leiker, 36 and Emmett James Leiker, her unborn son, of Munjor, Kansas died Friday, February 17, 2023 at their home. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. April 4, 1940 - In a previously filed legal document, Justin Safayeni, a lawyer for the Toronto-based firm Stockwoods, who is representing The Walrus/CBC, argued that unsealing the information poses no serious risk to the Laans or their uncle and that the threat of vigilante justice is entirely speculative and without foundation., In fact, Safayeni writes, numerous media reports have linked the Laans to Ms. Lawrences disappearance over the past 20 years and no charges have been laid, yet there is no evidence that the Laans (or Mr. Allen) have faced any kind of threats or violence. The possibility that that would happen now is entirely speculative.. The shed where Lawrence lived, according to police documents, "did not have toilet facilities, running water or electricity and was not insulated." Lawrence told the friend that Allen later admitted to her that he had forged her signature and cashed the cheque. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. . Celebrate the life of Katherine Smith, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information. Twitter for iPhone 3 Likes Rhymes with Pocohontas @rnrolljo Nov 3, 2019 Replying to @True_North__ and @CP24 A resident at Fern Glen Manor told police the Laans told him he was being taken from SeatonHouse,a homeless shelter in Toronto, to Richmond Hill. For two decades, Canadians have relied on our thought-provoking journalism to make sense of our world. Joe Napsha is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Wheelchair Pennsylvania and president of the Ms. Lawrence also began to indicate she was in danger. They said Lawrence told them she paid $600 per month to rent the shed. Roger van Boeyen, PhD. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. 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