CIRCUMSTANCES

Susan Cadieux was only six year-old when she was abducted, raped and left to die behind a construction business building in London, Ontario, on Friday, January 6, 1956.

Susan had been playing with her older brothers and another friend at the St Mary’s School playground. Her family home was located not far from the school.

Around 7:45 p.m., a man approached Susan and told her he had something to give her. The man then told the other children that he was meeting with a priest at the St. Mary’s church and that he lived on York Street, although he pointed towards King Street.

One of the children slipped and fell on the ice which distracted the kids from the man as he walked away with Susan.

When Susan had not returned by 8 p.m., her brothers ran home and told their parents. By 9:30 p.m. London police began searching for Susan and were joined by 300 citizens by 1:30 a.m. the next morning.

Susan’s body was found around 10 a.m. on Jan. 7, 1956 behind Roy James Construction at 609 William St. alongside the CPR spur line.  Her underwear had been ripped and the jeans underneath her snowsuit pants were missing. Although she had an army boot lace tied tightly around her neck, her cause of death was exposure. Tears were frozen on her face.

SUSPECTS

The man who led Susan away was described as :

• White
• 30-40 years-old
  
• Tall, thin, and unshaven
• Wearing a light brown unbuttoned overcoat
• Unbuckled black galoshes that flapped openly
• Dark Russian style or army Melton hat with ear flaps

Alexander Kalichuk

According to a Fifth Estate episode on the Steven Truscott case named Sergeant Alexander Kalichuk as an over-looked suspect in the murder of Lynn Harper and Susan Cadieux.

Police have said that Kalichuk is a suspect in the murder of another young girl.

Kalichuck had a criminal history of sex offences dating back to 1950 and had been stationed at army bases throughout southwestern Ontario.

He died in 1975.

LEFT: Alexander Kalichuk, MIDDLE: Lynne Harper, 12, went missing on June 9, 1959. Her dead body was found two days later. RIGHT: Sketch of suspect in Susan Cadieax’s murder

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