Robert "B.J." Raymond: The Unsolved Murder of a Modern-Day Martyr

In the back lot of the Border Club in Sarnia, Ontario, a fight broke out in the early morning of December 28, 2001. The driver of a red 1989 Chevrolet pick-up truck became involved in a verbal dispute with the driver of a white, four-door car parked next to him, leading to an unsolved conflict. The conflict escalated when two other occupants of the white car attacked the man from the truck. Witnesses described them as three white males, two wearing baseball caps and jeans, and one being tall and thin. The third was described as 'pudgy', wearing jeans and black boots. The three attacking white males used weapons against the driver of the truck. They struck him with a large Corbet Canyon wine bottle, whipped him with the buckles of their belts, and slammed him against a glass window. Coats and gloves were observed to be tossed to the ground in preparation for the fight. As the fight escalated, a small crowd gathered to witness the unsolved altercation.

A photo of Robert Raymond. Credit: CBC News

Robert "B.J." Raymond who had arrived at the bar in the aforementioned red Chevy pickup, was returning from picking up a bite to eat at a local hot dog vendor. Around 2:30 am B.J. made his way to the front fender where he witnessed his friend who was now outnumbered. Attempting to help his friend he became involved in the fight. Within moments, one of the men stabbed 22-year-old Robert with a 13-inch long kitchen knife. Police are uncertain of how such a weapon was concealed. The blade punctured the young man's heart and severed his pulmonary artery, killing him nearly instantly. As the fight dissolved his friend noticed B.J. lying face down in his own blood. He was unresponsive and attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. Witnesses reported that the attackers fled the scene cursing at the victim and his friend. B.J. was officially pronounced dead after his friend had him transported to the hospital.

The only evidence police recovered from the scene was the 13-inch long, black-handled kitchen blade, model 'M-100', believed to be the murder weapon, as well as a silver chain made in Italy. The suspects were likely between 19-24 at the time, likely college students and/or holiday travellers. Despite interviewing nearly 1,000 potential witnesses from the area, and some as far as Australia who had been visiting at the time, the police have yet to announce any leads in the case and it remains unsolved.

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