RCMP link American serial killer to unsolved murders in 1970s

RCMP in Alberta say a man who died in an Idaho prison in 2011 is linked to the slayings of four Calgary girls and women in the province in the 1970s.

RCMP held a news conference Friday morning in Edmonton regarding the murders, revealing that DNA recovered from two of the victims has been sent to a private company to help identify the suspect.

Mounties said genealogists at Convergence Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) were able to build a family tree from the suspect's DNA and eventually found the killer's name, which “never came up” during the original investigation.

Police said Gary Allen Sreri, who was born in 1942, was matched by DNA and had a “criminal record of sexual offenses against women” and died of natural causes in an Idaho prison in 2011.

“Based on forensic evidence, witness statements and circumstantial evidence, Alberta RCMP believe Gary Allen Sriri is responsible for the murders of Patsy McQueen, Eva Dvorak, Melissa Rehorek and Barbara McLean,” said RCMP Chief David Hall.

Eva Dvorak and Patricia McQueen

In 1976, Eva Dvorak and Patricia (Patsy) McQueen, both 14 years old, were high school students living in Calgary. The teenagers were friends who spent time together at school and outside of school. On the evening of February 14, 1976, Eva and Patsy were last seen walking together in downtown Calgary.

On February 15, 1976, at approximately 10:40 a.m., the young women were found dead under the Happy Valley overpass on Highway 1, west of Calgary.

Melissa Rehorek

In the spring of 1976, 20-year-old Melissa Rehorek moved from Ontario to Calgary. At the time of her death, she was employed as a housekeeper and lived at the YWCA in downtown Calgary. Rehorek was last seen on the evening of September 15, 1976 by a roommate. He intended to hitchhike out of town for the weekend.

On September 16, 1976, at approximately 10:50 a.m., his body was found in a ditch on what is now Township Road 252, about 22 kilometers west of Calgary.

Barbara McLean

In 1977, Barbara McLean was 19 years old. Originally from Nova Scotia, Barbara moved to Calgary six months ago to work at a local bank. On February 25, 1977, Barbara went to the Highlander Hotel bar in Calgary with friends. He was last seen on February 26, 1977, walking alone from a hotel.

Barbara's body was found by a dog walker in District 6^th Street and 80^th Avenue NE, Calgary, about six hours later.

Who was the killer?

Sreri fled the United States in 1974 after posting bail on rape charges in California and is believed to have lived in Calgary between 1975 and 1979, using at least nine different aliases.

Two known aliases that Srerey used during his time in Calgary were Willie (William) Blackman/Blackman and Rex Edward Long.

“He led a transient lifestyle and sometimes worked as an under-the-table cook and frequently changed his appearance, residence and vehicle,” said Inspector Brenn Brown, Alberta RCMP Major Crimes Officer in Charge.

As of 1979, he was believed to have lived in the Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast and Fraser Valley areas.

In 1998, he was convicted of sexual assault in New Westminster and sentenced to five years in prison. After serving his sentence, he was deported to the United States in 2003. Sreri was later convicted of sex crimes in Idaho and sentenced to life in prison, and died in prison in 2011.

“Alberta RCMP believe there will be more victims,” ​​Brown said.

“In particular, Sreri appears to have had no meaningful contact with Canadian law enforcement after entering Canada illegally in the mid-1970s until he was arrested, charged and convicted of the New Westminster attack in 1998.”

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If you know Gary Sreri, or know him by one of his many aliases, Alberta RCMP want to hear from you. For tips, contact the Alberta RCMP Historic Crime Unit (email protected) or by calling 780-509-3306.

If you believe that Srery is involved in or may be responsible for a crime in your jurisdiction, the RCMP asks that you contact a police agency in that jurisdiction to report it.