The torso murder
He’d been killed, mutilated. Could the stunning Evelyn Dick really be responsible for her husband’s death?
THE crime
O n 16 March 1946, four children were out walking near Albion Falls in Ontario, Canada, when they discovered a headless and limbless torso. It belonged to 39-year-old John Dick. Evelyn, his wife of five months, soon became the prime suspect...
THE STORY
Evelyn Maclean was born on 13 October 1920 in Ontario, Canada. She moved to the port city of Hamilton as a child.
Desperate to improve their status, her parents sent Evelyn to an exclusive private school.
However, she ended up becoming a high-class escort.
Evelyn was always smartly turned out, never short of cash. Dressed in lavish fur coats, with her signature pearls and red lipstick, she was a looker. There’s no doubt she cut an impressive image on her wedding day on 4 October 1945. She married John Dick, 15 years older. He worked with her father at the Hamilton Street Railway. But Evelyn’s parents Donald and Alexandra weren’t happy about it. And the newlyweds were known to row over dalliances with other people, as well as money. Indeed, within days of marrying, Evelyn had slept with her boyfriend Bill Bohozuk. Three months on, John and Evelyn separated. Afterwards, John went to stay with his cousins. He was last seen on 6 March in a restaurant in Hamilton, then he disappeared.
On 16 March, a group of children were out hiking when they stumbled upon a torso. It was John’s. He had two superficial gunshots to the chest, but it was later suggested the cause of death was a bullet in the head.
Soon, Evelyn became the prime suspect.
Her house was searched and, there, police made another shocking discovery.
In the loft, they found a baby’s body encased in concrete in a suitcase. He’d been strangled.
It emerged that Evelyn had given birth to a daughter in 1942, prior to meeting John. The baby was cared for by Evelyn’s mother.
Evelyn had subsequently given birth to a stillborn baby.
Then, in 1944, she’d had a son, Peter, who she said she gave up for adoption.
It was discovered the body in the loft was Peter’s. He’d died when he was a couple of weeks old.
During the police search, humanbone remnants were also found in ashes in Evelyn’s family home, plus fragments of a Hamilton Street Railway uniform.
Police also discovered
At her house, police made a shocking discovery...
bloodstains on a car Evelyn had borrowed.
Evelyn Dick, 26, her father Donald Maclean, and her boyfriend Bill Bohozuk were all charged with murder.
A murder that shocked, terrified and intrigued the city of Hamilton – and the world.
Evelyn and Bohozuk were also charged with infanticide.
In October 1946, Evelyn’s murder trial began.
Her own mother testified against her daughter.
She said Evelyn was out of the house on 6 March – the last day John had been seen. She also said Evelyn later told her he wouldn’t be coming round any more.
Evelyn’s character was brought into question. There was talk of her wild sexual antics with men.
Her father Donald was described as an alcoholic, and it was revealed he’d been ripping off the Hamilton Street Railway.
Had Evelyn killed John because he wasn’t as wealthy as she’d thought?
Or had her dad done it because he was worried John would inform on him at work? The jury found Evelyn guilty of murdering John Dick and she was sentenced to death. But her lawyer appealed on a technicality, and a retrial was ordered. This time, her lawyer claimed Donald Maclean had killed John. And Evelyn was found not guilty. Donald Maclean was convicted of being an accessory to murder, and sentenced to five years in prison, plus another five years for theft. Bohozuk was cleared. But Evelyn now faced a trial for murdering her baby. Again, Evelyn’s mum testified. She said Evelyn had told her she’d given Peter away to the Children’s Aid Society.
Had Evelyn killed him because her father didn’t want another illegitimate child in the house? If so, why had she kept the body?
Evelyn was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to life in prison.
In 1958, she was released on parole with a new identity.
Since then, there have been rumours about her location.
If she’s still alive today, she’d be 96.
Whether she is remains a mystery – as does what really happened to John Dick...
Her lawyer appealed and a retrial was ordered