True North True Crime

On December 18, 2022, a mass shooting event inside Bellaria Tower II in Vaughan, Ontario left five people dead.

Francesco Villi, a 73-year-old resident of the Bellaria condominium at 9235 Jane Street, carried out the attack after years of escalating legal disputes with the condo board. Within minutes, five residents were killed: Rita Camilleri, Vittorio Panza, Russell Manock, Helen “Lorraine” Manock, and Naveed Dada. Doreen Di Nino survived her injuries.

In this episode, we examine the timeline of the Vaughan condo shooting, Villi’s documented grievances, his final video, the police response, and the Ontario Special Investigations Unit findings.

Content warning: This episode discusses violence and a mass shooting event.

PLEASE READ: Some TNTC+ episodes may be released publicly in the future. TNTC+ subscribers will always get first access.
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Music Composed by: Sayer Roberts - https://soundcloud.com/user-135673977 // shorturl.at/mFPZ0

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In this episode, we examine the 1984 murder of 13-year-old Candace Derksen in Winnipeg. Candace vanished on her way home from school in November of that year. Weeks later, her body was discovered in a storage shed, bound and left in the cold.

We trace the investigation, the arrest and trial, and the acquittal that continues to shape how this case is remembered. Along the way, we look at how the murder impacted the Derksen family, the Winnipeg community, and the broader conversation around evidence, justice, and accountability.

Episode Update (January 2026):
In January 2026, Mark Edward Grant — who was acquitted in Candace Derksen’s murder — appeared briefly in a Vancouver courtroom facing new charges that are unrelated to Candace Derksen’s case. The charges include unlawful confinement, sexual assault, assault with a weapon, and uttering threats. Grant has consented to remain in custody while a bail plan is discussed. Details of the matter are currently under a publication ban, and he is subject to a no-contact order with the alleged victim.

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Music Composed by: Sayer Roberts - https://soundcloud.com/user-135673977 // shorturl.at/mFPZ0
Subscribe to TNTC+ on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/TNTC
Join our Patreon: www.patreon.com/tntcpod
Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/true-north-true-crime?ref_id=24376
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In the summer of 2020, 20-year-old Shane Eric James Smith vanished in Calgary. He was last seen on June 6, and within days police believed he had been shot and killed by a friend at a southeast Calgary residence.

In the weeks that followed, the Calgary Police Service charged Ian Charles Abercrombie with homicide, and two others with offences related to the handling of Shane’s body, which has never been recovered.

Abercrombie later pleaded guilty to criminal negligence causing death and indignity to a human body in connection with Shane’s death — a conviction that left many feeling the sentence didn’t match the loss.

Shane’s family, friends, and volunteers have spent years searching the Bow River and surrounding areas, desperate for answers and for the chance to lay Shane to rest.
In this episode, we speak with Shane’s sister, Cassandra, about who Shane was, the painful search for his remains, and the emotional toll of a case that still leaves far more questions than closure.

PLEASE READ: Some TNTC+ episodes may be released publicly in the future. TNTC+ subscribers will always get first access.
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Music Composed by: Sayer Roberts - https://soundcloud.com/user-135673977 // shorturl.at/mFPZ0
Subscribe to TNTC+ on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/TNTC
Join our Patreon: www.patreon.com/tntcpod
Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/true-north-true-crime?ref_id=24376
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tntcpod/
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/truenorthtruecrime
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this previously TNTC+ episode, we sit down with Gillian Millam, former Metropolitan Police officer from the U.K. and current Executive Director of British Columbia Crime Stoppers. Gillian began working with Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers in 2015 and went on to coordinate one of the province’s most successful programs before stepping into her current provincial role.

We discuss how the program operates, how it has changed over time, and how it fits into community safety across British Columbia, Canada. Gillian also shares her perspective on crime trends in Canada, the realities of tip management, and the key elements that make a tip truly valuable.

A clear, candid look at Crime Stoppers from someone who has been shaping the program for many years. Thank you for joining us to celebrate CrimeStoppers month!
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Music Composed by: Sayer Roberts - https://soundcloud.com/user-135673977 // shorturl.at/mFPZ0
Subscribe to TNTC+ on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/TNTC
Join our Patreon: www.patreon.com/tntcpod
Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/true-north-true-crime?ref_id=24376
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tntcpod/
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In July 1976, a young gas station attendant named Michael Carmen was shot and killed during a late-night robbery in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His death seemed destined to become another unsolved case in a city struggling with rising crime and few witnesses willing to speak.

But one Canadian-born detective, Greg MacAleese, refused to let it fade away. What began as his search for answers would lead to the creation of Crime Stoppers, an idea that would change community policing around the world.

In recognition of Crime Stoppers Month, this episode looks back at the murder that started it all and the innovation born from tragedy that continues to help solve cases to this day.

If you’d like to support the work of your local Crime Stoppers program, consider donating, volunteering, or sharing their message. Community involvement still makes a difference.

PLEASE READ: Some TNTC+ episodes may be released publicly in the future. TNTC+ subscribers will always get first access.
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Music Composed by: Sayer Roberts - https://soundcloud.com/user-135673977 // shorturl.at/mFPZ0
Subscribe to TNTC+ on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/TNTC
Join our Patreon: www.patreon.com/tntcpod
Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/true-north-true-crime?ref_id=24376
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tntcpod/
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/truenorthtruecrime
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.