Episodes
In the immediate aftermath of the original Sweetheart series, the Island Crime inbox is flooded with new leads, fresh tips and reactions from those who knew and loved Kimberly Gallup, Melissa Nicholson and Cheri Lynn Smith.
Published 05/28/24
Published 05/28/24
Experts say Investigative Genetic Genealogy, also known as IGG, is showing incredible promise in solving cold cases abroad. But the technology is not yet commonly used in Canada. Could Cheri, Melissa and Kimberly’s cases one day be solved through IGG? And what’s preventing law enforcement from using it more frequently in Canada?
Published 05/21/24
The 'teen hooker’ headlines are symbolic of the very real stigma and victim blaming involved in the cases of Cheri, Melissa and Kimberly. What role did the shaming of sexually exploited youth play in the murders, the investigations and how the media told their stories?
Published 05/14/24
When Melissa, Cheri and Kimberly were killed in Victoria, there may have been four serial killers preying on sex trade workers and sexually exploited youth on the coast. Who are these predators, and what has been done to exclude them from the cases on the island?
Published 05/07/24
The men close to Cheri, Melissa and Kimberly, at the time of their deaths, are all potential suspects. Boyfriends, pimps, and sex traffickers, could any of them have wanted the girls gone?
Published 04/30/24
Cheri, Kimberly and Melissa were all last seen on the stroll in downtown Victoria. The activities of the area starkly contrast the elegant image Victoria is trying to sell tourists. It becomes a fertile hunting ground for predators.
Published 04/23/24
Melissa Nicholson’s badly beaten body is found on the side of the road.  Newspapers at the time describe her as "teen hooker #3", but her family only remembers her big smile, sparkly personality, and honey-coloured hair. The 17-year-old is last seen on the Victoria stroll.
Published 04/16/24
Cheri Lynn Smith spends her days reading the bible and writing to her parents. Before she's killed, Cheri is lured away from her Regina home by a sex trafficker posing as her boyfriend. Not long after, a horseback rider finds her body in the underbrush outside of Victoria, B.C., Canada.
Published 04/09/24
For three decades, Rhonda has wondered why someone killed her high school friend Kimberly Gallup. Kimberly was a young girl who loved the Kansas City Chiefs and Bon Jovi. Her death has a lasting impact on all who knew her.
Published 04/02/24
The year is 1990 and within about 12 months three teenage girls will be murdered in Victoria, B.C., Canada. Before they were found dead, all three girls were lured into sex trafficking with promises of love and money. Today, it's been more than thirty years since they were killed, and their killer, or killers, have never been found.
Published 03/14/24
If you were accused of being involved in a terrible crime what would you do? William Curry is anxious to clear his name once and for all. He's tired of rumours suggesting he was involved in Lisa Marie Young's disappearance. Christopher Adair has chosen to remain silent. Now one of his relatives wants to put an end to the secrecy.
Published 11/24/23
Island Crime is committed to keeping 'cold cases' in the public eye and leaving no stone unturned. In this episode, you'll hear an update to Island Crime Seasons 1-5.
Published 10/24/23
As Amber's hometown prepares to mark the one-year anniversary of her disappearance, a forest fire severs the connection to the community. Port Alberni quietly grieves her loss, still waiting for answers. In this episode, a woman believes she may have witnessed Amber and her boyfriend together the weekend after her disappearance. And a man who never knew Amber, becomes an online antagonist, provoking a response. This episode was recorded and edited before news of Justin Hall's death became...
Published 07/06/23
As the first anniversary of Amber Manthorne's disappearance approaches, her family and friends prepare to say their goodbyes and celebrate Amber's life. Meanwhile, the search for Amber and the investigation into her case carries on. In this episode, Amber's sister Shannon speaks publicly for the first time and an avid river adventurer shares that he might have found evidence, which could be helpful to the investigation. This episode was recorded and edited before news of Justin Hall's...
Published 07/06/23
Don't poke the bear. It's a warning I heard a number of times as I worked on the story of 'Whiskey Creek'. After almost three years of silence, reverberations from the series are being felt across the island. I'll open up about the aftermath of reporting on this story and the knock-on effects on the victims' families.
Published 06/20/23
When Shawn McGrath emerged from incarceration he wound up out in the woods. What could have helped him succeed outside of prison? And how can we prevent another Whiskey Creek from happening?
Published 06/13/23
John McGrath knows his boy, Shawn, was no angel. And now, years later, he's ready to share his theory about the Whiskey Creek murders for the first time.
Published 06/06/23
Two weeks before the Whiskey Creek shootings, a young woman’s body is found on a nearby highway. The 22-year-old knew the Whiskey Creek victims and spent time there. Is her death somehow connected?
Published 05/30/23
Today, the lone survivor of the Whiskey Creek massacre lives in fear that those responsible for the slaughter are still planning to finish him off. After the attack, he fled to the mainland, warned never to return. But now he wants to come home.
Published 05/23/23
A Vancouver Island mother believes her son may have been held hostage at Whiskey Creek. In her eyes, he is an innocent victim in an act of vigilantism. But he has never been named publicly as one of the victims. What will his mom do in order to seek justice for her boy?
Published 05/23/23
Fresh out of jail and with nowhere to go, Shawn McGrath lands in a trailer in Whiskey Creek. That's when problems in the community begin. His encampment in the woods is a magnet for the young and vulnerable. How far will the community go to protect their own?
Published 05/16/23
It's Halloween Night 2020. Neighbours hear loud noises coming from the bush. They assume the sounds are fireworks marking late night festivities. The next afternoon a dirt biker stumbles across a scene straight out of a Hollywood drama. Burned out vehicles, three dead bodies, four dead dogs and, incredibly, a survivor. Thank you to CHEK News for use of audio from video archival footage.
Published 05/09/23
On Halloween night in 2020, a mass shooting took place near the resort community of Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island. Three people are found dead in a make-shift encampment deep in the woods. Beside them, four dead dogs and a burned-out trailer. Now, more than two years on, the case is at a standstill. Island Crime Season 5: Whiskey Creek explores the secrecy and fear surrounding the shootings. New episodes coming May 9.
Published 04/25/23