CBC Digital Archives

Cold Cases: Christine Jessop, Queensville, Ont. (1984)

They are the heartwrenching stories that shock whole communities, bringing waves of fear and sorrow that can linger for years. Disappearances and unsolved murders devastate Canadian families in all parts of the country, creating anger and suspicions that may never be put to rest. In collaboration with the CBC News series Canadian Cold Case, the CBC Digital Archives presents a collection of stories from unsolved crimes in Canada.

It is New Year's Eve day, almost three months since Christine Jessop went missing from her hometown of Queensville, Ont., north of Newmarket. In this 1984 CBC-TV News report, Jessop's family and community face the dreaded news that, after months of agonizing uncertainty, the body of the child has been found in a wooded area 56 kilometres away. 
• Some time after school on Oct. 3, 1984, nine-year-old Christine Jessop was dropped off at home by her school bus. She went to a local variety store and bought some bubble gum, but never showed up at the park where she had arranged to meet a friend. Almost three months later, on Dec. 31, her body was found. She had been sexually assaulted and murdered soon after her abduction.
  • In an article in McLean's magazine, Jessop was described as "pretty" and "outgoing".

• Jessop's neighbour, Guy Paul Morin, was arrested for her murder in April, 1985, on his way to band practice. After two trials - the first ended in an acquittal - Morin was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. He was exonerated by DNA testing in 1995 and later received an apology and a $1.25-million settlement from the Ontario Attorney General.

• A 1997 inquiry found that prosecutors had relied heavily on jailhouse informants and weak fibre evidence. 

• Jessop's brother, Ken, who was 14 at the time of his sister's murder, admitted at the enquiry to having lied about Morin in order to bring about his conviction. He apologized directly to Morin.

• As of 2012 there were no suspects or leads in the case of Christine Jessop's murder.

Medium: Television
Program: The National
Broadcast Date: Jan. 1, 1985
Reporter: Claude Adams
Duration: 1:44

Last updated: October 4, 2012

Page consulted on March 27, 2013

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