MURDERED: Helen Betty Osborne
The discovery of 19-year-old Helen Betty Osborne’s body should have outraged the residents of The Pas, Manitoba. Yet, the truth of what happened to her, and who killed her, would remain an open secret for years. But, like all secrets, what happened that night eventually came to light – and upended over a decade of sinister silence.
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There is a memorial fund in Betty’s name through the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. The goal of the scholarship is to provide financial support to full-time post-secondary Indigenous students living in Manitoba. These students are recognized for their commitment to dismantling “the barriers of racism, sexism, violence, and indifference in society including those impacted by the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People genocide and/or Survivors of gender-based violence.”
- If you would like to join audiochuck in making a donation to the fund, please click here, and direct your donation to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.
- If you have any questions, please contact The Winnipeg Foundation at 204-944-8474, email them at [email protected].
Timeline
6pm
Betty has dinner with the Benson family, then goes to visit a friend at the hospital.
10-10:30pm
Betty and her friend, George, head downtown to meet up with friends after hanging out at the Benson home.
11pm
Betty sees her boyfriend, Cornelius, with another girl at a hotel. She and her friends head back to the Benson’s.
12am
Betty’s friends all head home, except George. They go back downtown.
12:30am
George decides to go home, leaving Betty.
12:45am
Betty is seen back at the hotel.
2am
Betty is seen at a local Legion dance.
2:15am
Betty leaves the Legion dance, and is never seen alive again.
11:30am
Kenneth discovers Betty’s body in the woods near Clearwater Lake.
Police receive an anonymous letter naming Jim Houghton, Norm Manger, and Lee Colgan in connection with the murder.
Dwayne Johnston and Jim Houghton stand trial for Betty’s murder. Jim is acquitted, and Dwayne is found guilty of second-degree murder, and sentenced to life in prison.
Dwayne Johnston is released on parole.
Clearwater Lake, Manitoba
Where Betty’s body was found.
The Pas, Manitoba
Where Betty lived and hung around.
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Episode Source Material
- Report of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry of Manitoba, November 1999. https://www.ajic.mb.ca/volume.html
- Government of Manitoba: MANITOBA GOVERNMENT RECEIVES ABORIGINAL JUSTICE REPORT (news release). April 17, 2000. https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/print,index.html?item=24453&posted=2000-04-17
- Conspiracy of Silence, by Lisa Priest. McClelland & Stewart. 1989.
- Whitehorse Daily Star (Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada): Man arrested in 15-year-old murder case (CP). Published Fri, Oct 3, 1986. Downloaded on Oct 29, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/578709238/
- The Vancouver Sun (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada): Slaying probers turn attention to BC. No byline. Published Oct 4, 1986. Downloaded on Oct 29, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/495278873/
- Edmonton Journal (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada): Ex-Albertan charged in 15 years old slaying. No byline. Published Oct 4, 1986. Downloaded on Oct 29, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/472843864/
- The Winnipeg Sun (Winnipeg, Manitoba): Arrest made in 1971 rape-murder. Published Oct 5, 1986. Downloaded on Oct 29, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/736728979/
- Calgary Herald (Calgary, Alberta): Police seek help, by Lisa Church. Published Oct 10, 1986. Downloaded on Oct 29, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/484639890/
- The Leader-Post (Regina, Saskatchewan): Second man held. Published Oct 28, 1986. Downloaded on Oct 29, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/496984869/
- Red Deer Advocate (Red Deer, Alberta): Two men arrested for old murder. Published Mar 17, 1987. Downloaded Oct 29, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/558358931/
- The Winnipeg Sun (Winnipeg, Manitoba): Long-delayed ed trial begins, by Bill MacDonald. Published Nov 25, 1987. Downloaded on Oct 29, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/736872315/
- The Winnipeg Sun (Winnipeg, Manitoba): Pas officials demand public inquiry, By HEIDI GRAHAM. Published Dec 6, 1987. Downloaded on Oct 30, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/736872244/
- Star-Phoenix (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan): Trial didn’t answer all questions about killing. Published Dec 7, 1987. Downloaded on Oct 30, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/511582782/
- Star-Phoenix (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan): Jury told suspect bragged about killing. Published Nov 28, 1987. Downloaded on Oct 29, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/511198050/
- The Hamilton Spectator (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada): Sheriff demoted for holding back evidence. Published Feb 25, 1988. Downloaded Oct 30, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/1011042847/
- The Winnipeg Sun (Winnipeg, Manitoba): Woman stabbed fifty times in northern slaying, by Bill MacDonald. Published Nov 29, 1987. Downloaded on Oct 29, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-winnipeg-sun/158632196
- The Winnipeg Sun (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada): Mounties want clean record, by Heidi Graham. Published Dec 17, 1987. Downloaded on Oct 30, 2024. https://www.newspapers.com/image/736870510/
- Macleans: Unhealed wounds, by Nora Underwood. Published July 10 1989. Accessed October 30, 2024 via Web Archive. https://web.archive.org/web/20200301220804/https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1989/7/10/unhealed-wounds
- CBC News: Friend, cousin reflect on life, death and legacy of Helen Betty Osborne, 50 years after her murder, by Donna Carreiro. Published November 10, 2021. Updated November 11, 2021. Accessed October 29, 2024. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/helen-betty-osborne-50-years-1.6242973
- Winnipeg Free Press: Murder after murder, Can the tragic cycle for aboriginal women be broken? By Mia Rabson. Published Oct. 4, 2009. Accessed October 29, 2024. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2009/10/04/murder-after-murder
- CBC News: Osborne family receives official government apology. No byline. Published Jul 14, 2000. Accessed October 29, 2024. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/osborne-family-receives-official-government-apology-1.210700
- CBC News: Justice denied, By Donna Carreiro. Published November 18, 2021. Accessed October 30, 2024. https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/longform/justice-denied/
- The Citizen (Thompson, Alberta): Indigenous women still live in fear 50 years after murder of Helen Betty Osborne, by Shari Narine. Published Nov 15, 2021. Accessed October 29, 2024. https://www.thompsoncitizen.net/local-news/indigenous-women-still-live-in-fear-50-years-after-murder-of-helen-betty-osborne-4759210
- The Nation Archives: Native Girl’s Killer Freed, by The Nation. Published October 24, 1997. Accessed December 2, 2024. http://www.nationnewsarchives.ca/article/native-girls-killer-freed/
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