{"id":5354,"date":"2025-02-26T11:39:51","date_gmt":"2025-02-26T15:39:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/?p=5354"},"modified":"2025-02-26T11:40:05","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T15:40:05","slug":"the-most-notorious-crimes-in-ottawa-that-still-frighten-and-shock-residents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/eternal\/the-most-notorious-crimes-in-ottawa-that-still-frighten-and-shock-residents","title":{"rendered":"The Most Notorious Crimes in Ottawa That Still Frighten and Shock Residents"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In Ottawa\u2019s neighbourhoods with a moderately high socio-economic status, crime rates remain the lowest. However, this does not guarantee safety or security. <a href=\"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/uk\/\">Ottawa Yes<\/a> takes a closer look at the most notorious crimes that have taken place in Canada\u2019s capital. These are stories that remain difficult to talk about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_76 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a0c0335a36ab\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a0c0335a36ab\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/eternal\/the-most-notorious-crimes-in-ottawa-that-still-frighten-and-shock-residents\/#ByWard_Market\" >ByWard Market<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/eternal\/the-most-notorious-crimes-in-ottawa-that-still-frighten-and-shock-residents\/#Difficult_Circumstances\" >Difficult Circumstances<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/eternal\/the-most-notorious-crimes-in-ottawa-that-still-frighten-and-shock-residents\/#The_Crime_of_Claude_Bourguignon\" >The Crime of Claude Bourguignon<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/eternal\/the-most-notorious-crimes-in-ottawa-that-still-frighten-and-shock-residents\/#Maximum_Public_Outcry\" >Maximum Public Outcry<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/eternal\/the-most-notorious-crimes-in-ottawa-that-still-frighten-and-shock-residents\/#The_Disappearance_and_Murder_of_Ardeth_Wood\" >The Disappearance and Murder of Ardeth Wood<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/eternal\/the-most-notorious-crimes-in-ottawa-that-still-frighten-and-shock-residents\/#Confession_and_Conviction\" >Confession and Conviction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/eternal\/the-most-notorious-crimes-in-ottawa-that-still-frighten-and-shock-residents\/#Voices_in_the_Head\" >Voices in the Head<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/eternal\/the-most-notorious-crimes-in-ottawa-that-still-frighten-and-shock-residents\/#Remembering_Smith\" >Remembering Smith<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ByWard_Market\"><\/span>ByWard Market<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Lively, bustling, filled with people and conversations\u2014this is what comes to mind when thinking about ByWard Market. However, an event in 1990 changed everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On September 30, 1990, the body of Melinda Sh\u00e9pitt was found strangled in a parking lot on Murray Street. The news shook the public, as her killer was never caught.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A few days before the tragic event, the 16-year-old girl called her family, expressing her desire to return to Toronto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At 14, she lived with her parents, sister, and two brothers in Oakville, enjoying her teenage years. Later, her father, Peter Sh\u00e9pitt, got a job as a security guard in Ottawa, and the whole family moved to Hunt Club. In 1989, Melinda\u2019s parents separated, and her mother took the younger children back to Oakville. Melinda and her brother Michael decided to stay in Canada\u2019s capital a little longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Difficult_Circumstances\"><\/span>Difficult Circumstances<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Three weeks before her murder, Melinda Sh\u00e9pitt turned to prostitution. What led a girl from a good family to such a fate?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She was desperate and had no idea what to do next. At that time, she was two months pregnant and chose prostitution to earn at least some money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her friends later recalled that Melinda was terrified. On one side, she was under pressure from her ex-boyfriend, and on the other\u2014from a violent pimp who demanded $600 per night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The last time Melinda was seen was at the corner of Dalhousie Street and Clarence Street. A homeless man found the body of the 16-year-old girl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawayes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33\/2025\/02\/ad_4nxdd5ppg58q-2dwkfirltrglmdtbk4vwgabkyj78zaq4vxykgcvcn4u_7tbdudkosobgupc7oiw5bayaf7gjtrcbhmynhwnbm134-7wgbphdmoj-l9bvtoyrjguqrkxgztehrnzeakeynidcwckz9hjbbvcc9gp0nycx.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Crime_of_Claude_Bourguignon\"><\/span>The Crime of Claude Bourguignon<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In June 1989, Sergeant Alan Winsor, along with several officers, searched for a missing child\u2014Paul Bourguignon Jr..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the search, he noticed a suspicious box in a dumpster near the boy\u2019s house. Inside, there was a green bag bearing clear signs of violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Police first reported Paul missing at 8 a.m. on June 2, 1989. The night before, a dispute over custody had taken place. That evening, the boy\u2019s father left him with his uncle and his uncle\u2019s girlfriend. Paul was never seen alive again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Following the murder, 30 detectives arrived in the neighbourhood. The autopsy revealed a horrifying truth: the boy had been physically and sexually assaulted before being strangled with a leather belt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Three months after the tragic events and the start of the investigation, his uncle Claude was charged with murder, and two years later, he was convicted in Barrie court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawayes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33\/2025\/02\/ad_4nxdve2erhxav_hdbwegrobhymgvdkdh03fqqscq9mlfuknx5hac9rjq8pp9scleyx_bfbvy-w9cmyatnugz7bn3qol0qq0rdtpc8t5u7opziwqa66jxqysazfdtatlwd-n8mkhp9awkeynidcwckz9hjbbvcc9gp0nycx.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Maximum_Public_Outcry\"><\/span>Maximum Public Outcry<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Due to intense public attention, the trial was postponed multiple times. This was one of Ottawa\u2019s first high-profile cases where DNA evidence was used. Paul\u2019s bed contained his uncle\u2019s semen, which became a crucial piece of evidence in court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Claude Bourguignon was sentenced to life in prison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawayes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33\/2025\/02\/ad_4nxcmxg8ymbf_u1siq-ggp-4gumvchmymxiaa8on7sjzl40u-tqwzx2ezwobnqrwagrp2qenmuwtzdl5xl1zgw5tomukvsivbjlmerl4b7tiqf8cjfwl_zueyrgnmv5qtaofuonwqkeynidcwckz9hjbbvcc9gp0nycx.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Disappearance_and_Murder_of_Ardeth_Wood\"><\/span>The Disappearance and Murder of Ardeth Wood<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The parents of Ardeth Wood still remember August 6, 2003, when their daughter went for a bike ride in the afternoon and never returned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Living in Orleans (a suburb of Ottawa), she chose a route along Rockcliffe Parkway. Unfortunately, she encountered a killer along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her disappearance became one of the most shocking cases in Ottawa\u2019s history. For five days, she was considered missing, until an extensive search led to the discovery of her body in a dense forest near Green Creek\u2019s shore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After this event, locals became afraid to walk or cycle alone, and police increased patrols on trails to reassure residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Confession_and_Conviction\"><\/span>Confession and Conviction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2008, Chris Myers confessed to the crime. He sexually assaulted and drowned Ardeth, committing several other crimes against women. He was sentenced to life in prison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawayes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33\/2025\/02\/ad_4nxdgzaeuutrfnp0pfdtexdioupzwzhskiz96wmg8evybxv4okxy1ezcz-ev_pea-f9qkf0dkzbzsgmpo4p0nslu9jra3fay2uwrtltu-1drzoq7kyd35pttlszzafkdcqsy4llqs9qkeynidcwckz9hjbbvcc9gp0nycx.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Voices_in_the_Head\"><\/span>Voices in the Head<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This story sent shock and fear through the local community. In August 1995, 54-year-old Brian Smith was on his way to a public event. Well-known and beloved in Ottawa, he was the familiar face who regularly appeared at sports events and was widely recognized in the city. However, that day in a parking lot, he was confronted by Jeff Arenburg, a paranoid schizophrenic, who fatally shot him. Arenburg claimed he heard <em>&#8220;voices in his head&#8221;<\/em> that wouldn&#8217;t stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Smith was a public figure who tragically found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Brian Ford, who served as Ottawa\u2019s police chief at the time, stated that it was impossible to predict or prevent such an attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At Smith\u2019s funeral, over 2,000 people gathered inside St. Patrick\u2019s Basilica, with hundreds more standing outside on Kent Street. Flags at the Lynx Stadium in Lansdowne Park were lowered to half-mast as the city mourned his loss. Residents of Ottawa and Smith\u2019s friends contributed to a memorial fund through the Boys and Girls Club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Remembering_Smith\"><\/span>Remembering Smith<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks to the efforts of local senators, a media hall was named Smitty\u2019s Place in his honour. They donated $20,000 to create a scholarship fund for young people pursuing careers in journalism and athletics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Brian Smith Fund was established to raise money and help children attend summer camps. However, the fund was eventually dissolved, and all remaining donations were transferred to the Ottawa Boys and Girls Club. Since then, the club has operated under the name Camp Smitty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Arenburg was found <em>not criminally responsible<\/em> for Smith\u2019s murder due to his mental illness and was committed to a high-security psychiatric hospital in Penetanguishene, Ontario. After completing his treatment, he was released and returned to Ottawa in 2014.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, this list of crimes could go on. Some perpetrators were brought to justice, while others were never held accountable. These incidents gained widespread public attention and left a lasting impact on the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ottawayes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33\/2025\/02\/ad_4nxdlcmlrilydeoamjsrqqehcapm4yaegxpztrhtu0ylyrda-dwsnjgewrj0b-ndhokjoyde77ndms_vcxhqeuov72jcvk76il-p24nfld2uxzuas14bxfgbunnxppntcyavdjka5ywkeynidcwckz9hjbbvcc9gp0nycx.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In Ottawa\u2019s neighbourhoods with a moderately high socio-economic status, crime rates remain the lowest. However, this does not guarantee safety or security. Ottawa Yes takes a closer look at the most notorious crimes that have taken place in Canada\u2019s capital. These are stories that remain difficult to talk about. ByWard Market Lively, bustling, filled with [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":419,"featured_media":5371,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[497],"tags":[2274,2279,2272,2278,2266,2268,2273,2270,2277,2271,2269,2174,2276,2267,2265,2275],"motype":[491],"moformat":[99],"moimportance":[100,101,104],"class_list":{"0":"post-5354","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-about-the-mayor","8":"tag-ardeth-wood-disappearance-and-murder","9":"tag-brian-smith-foundation","10":"tag-byward-market-and-murders","11":"tag-camp-smitty","12":"tag-court-verdict","13":"tag-crime-rates-in-ottawas-neighborhoods","14":"tag-crimes-and-punishments","15":"tag-crimes-that-scare-and-shock-the-city","16":"tag-melinda-sheppit-strangulation","17":"tag-nicholas-battersby-and-the-random-shooting","18":"tag-ottawa-crime-pages","19":"tag-ottawa-history","20":"tag-ottawas-most-high-profile-crimes","21":"tag-smith-murder","22":"tag-smittys-place-media-room","23":"tag-stories-that-shook-the-public","24":"motype-eternal","25":"moformat-spysok-korotka","26":"moimportance-aktualna-bilshe-roku","27":"moimportance-golovna-novyna","28":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5354","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/419"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5354"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5354\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5370,"href":"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5354\/revisions\/5370"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5371"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5354"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5354"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5354"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=5354"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=5354"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ottawayes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=5354"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}