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Shawn
Cameron LAMB
Classification: Murderer
Characteristics:
Chronic drug addict and career criminal
Number of victims: 2 - 3
Date of murders: September 2011 /
December 18, 2011 / January 11, 2012
Serial killer Shawn Cameron Lamb, 54, has been
sentenced to 20 years for killing two vulnerable city women while in
the fog of a months-long drug binge.
Court of Queen's Bench Justice Rick Saull endorsed
a deal reached between prosecutors and Lamb's lawyers that would see
him serve at least another nine years behind bars before becoming
eligible for parole. The judge recommended Lamb serve his time outside
the Prairie region.
Lamb pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter
in connection to the deaths of Carolyn Sinclair, 25, on Dec. 18, 2011
and Lorna Blacksmith, 18, on Jan. 11, 2012.
Both women had been declared missing by their
families around the time they died.
The entire case against Lamb for the killings —
police had alleged he murdered them — was based on an in-depth series
of statements he made to investigators when he found himself in
custody on June 22, 2012 on an unrelated matter.
That reality forced the Crown to make a deal with
Lamb, a chronic drug addict and career criminal, out of fear his
admissions would be tossed out of court at trial.
"But for the admission of (Lamb's) statement, the
Crown's case would fail," senior Crown attorney Shiela Leinburd told
Saull. There was a real possibility it would never be admitted as
evidence and Lamb could walk free.
Women killed over drug-related disputes
Lamb killed Sinclair after they met and purchased
crack cocaine together and returned to smoke it at his apartment at
822 Notre Dame Ave., according to an agreed statement of facts.
Sinclair was beaten by Lamb with an axe handle
after she took what was left of the drugs and locked herself in the
bathroom.
In Lamb's statement, "he said that she remained
conscious so he proceeded to choke her with his hands until she lost
consciousness and died."
He left her body in the bathroom for several days
until he wrapped her in plastic, put her into a duffle bag and dropped
her near a garbage bin in a Notre Dame Avenue garbage can.
Her remains weren't located until March 31, 2012.
An autopsy found the cause of the pregnant woman's death was blunt
force trauma. DNA evidence that Sinclair had been in Lamb's suite was
obtained, but hinged on the successful admission of his statement to
stand up as corroborating evidence against him.
Blacksmith also died at Lamb's hands inside his
apartment, and also over a drug-related dispute when she grabbed his
phone to call her supplier to obtain more crack. He threw her to the
floor and choked her with a telephone cord. He did attempt to revive
her but couldn't, the statement of facts state.
Lamb then stole some plastic sheeting from a nearby
construction site and used it to wrap up Blacksmith's body and dumped
it in the back lane of an abandoned home at 797 Simcoe St.
Her remains weren't found for about six months.
When forensic investigators found her, she was in an "advanced state
of decomposition" and an autopsy couldn't definitively show a medical
cause of death other than a belief she died of "unspecified homicidal
violence."
It was Lamb, in June 2012, who told police where to
find Blacksmith, suddenly telling them, "he knew where a body could be
located."
"There were no eyewitnesses to the killings and
despite the best efforts of the police, only limited forensic evidence
is available to be put before the court," Leinburd said. "Consequently
the killing of both women is taken solely from the accused Lamb's
statement," she said.
Future of Nepinak case unclear
At the time of his arrest, Lamb was also accused of
killing a third missing woman, Tanya Nepinak, in September 2011. That
case did not form part of Thursday's proceedings and it remained
unclear what would happen to it.
The Crown stayed the murder charges Lamb faced
after he pleaded to the manslaughter counts for the two deaths.
Lamb's criminal history dates back to the
mid-1970's and contains more than 100 convictions. While he had
several convictions for violence — including a sexual assault for
which he served four years in prison in 1992 — most of his crimes were
committed to fuel his long-standing drug addiction.
He began using hard drugs at age 12 in Ontario and
around this time ran away from his adoptive and abusive home to take
up life on the street, court heard.
A doctor's report presented to Saull described Lamb
as "egocentric, callous, ruthless and reckless," and that he suffers
from an anti-social personality disorder.
Requests to withdraw plea, retracts request
Offered a chance to speak, Lamb began by requesting
to withdraw his guilty pleas because the word "sociopath" had been
used by a doctor in a report referenced in court, but wasn't tabled as
evidence.
The move drew gasps from relatives of the victims
who at times cried and shook as they heard the facts of how their
family members died.
Lamb ultimately retracted his request and the
hearing continued on.
Both Lamb and defence lawyer Martin Glazer said his
conduct was clearly influenced by Lamb's long-standing drug problem.
"Shawn is the first to admit he's wasted most of
his life abusing substances," Glazer said.
"With treatment, he can become law-abiding… there
is light at the end of the tunnel for Mr. Lamb," Glazer said. Glazer
continually pointed out how it was Lamb's confession — and resolve to
own up to what he did — that led to the women's killer being found.
"The police were faced with a windfall because they
had no clue he was involved," Glazer said. "'I told the police I did
it, I'm not taking it back,'" was what Lamb told him, said Glazer.
"How many people in his shoes would do that?"
"I have remorse. I have empathy," Lamb said. "I
understand there's a lot of anger, disgust, hate — they want
vengeance," he said.
Saull has not signalled whether he will endorse the
recommended sentence for Lamb, but said several times during the
course of the hearing that the protection of the public was his
primary concern.
Shawn Lamb going to jail for killings of Lorna
Blacksmith, Carolyn Sinclair
Plea deal for 20 years, manslaugher charges
outrages victims’ families
By Dean Pritchard - Winnipeg Sun
November 14, 2013
A judge Thursday endorsed a 20-year prison sentence
for Shawn Lamb, who pleaded guilty earlier in the day to the
drug-fuelled killings of two young aboriginal women.
Lamb, 54, was originally set to stand trial on two
counts of second-degree murder but agreed to a deal with the Crown to
plead guilty to reduced counts of manslaughter.
Lamb’s sentence includes a provision he not be
allowed to apply for parole before serving another nine years in
custody.
Carolyn Sinclair, 25, was killed Dec. 18, 2011.
Lorna Blacksmith, 18, was killed Jan. 11, 2012. Both women were killed
after smoking drugs with Lamb in his West End apartment.
Justice Rick Saull, acknowledging the high profile
nature of the case, said a “honestly informed public” would accept the
sentence as appropriate, given the particular circumstances before the
court.
“I am confined to consideration of what was put
before me today” and nothing else, Saull said, noting the sentence is
not far removed from those handed down for second-degree murder.
“The Crown has achieved a responsible result,”
Saull said. “Mr. Lamb will be incarcerated for a very, very long time
... and may never see the street again.”
Court heard Lamb provided a full confession to
police after being arrested and questioned on an unrelated matter in
June 2012.
There was little chance of conviction were it not
for Lamb’s confession, said Crown attorney Sheila Leinburd, and there
was a strong likelihood the confession would not have been admitted at
trial, sinking any hope of conviction.
“There were no eyewitnesses to the killings, and
despite the best efforts of police, only limited forensic evidence is
available to put before the court,” Leinburd said. “Consequently the
description of the killing of both women is taken solely from the
accused Lamb’s statement.”
Defence lawyer Martin Glazer told court police paid
Lamb for his confession, further compromising its veracity. Leinburd
did not dispute the allegation and no further details were provided to
court.
Court heard Lamb met Sinclair on Sargent Avenue the
same day he killed her and the two went to an area crack house to buy
drugs. They returned to Lamb’s apartment and smoked the drugs
together. Lamb told police Sinclair grabbed two remaining rocks of
crack, ran into a bathroom, locked the door, and began smoking the
drugs.
Sinclair exited the bathroom when Lamb threatened
to break the door down. That’s when Lamb took a wooden axe handle and
beat Sinclair in the head. Lamb then choked Sinclair until she lost
consciousness and died.
Sinclair smoked the rest of the drugs then left the
apartment to buy a case of beer. Several days later Lamb wrapped
Sinclair’s body in plastic and twine, placed her in a duffle bag and
dumped it in a Notre Dame Avenue back lane.
Just weeks later, Lamb and Blacksmith were smoking
drugs in his apartment when Blacksmith said she would call her
supplier for a delivery. An argument ensued, Lamb grabbed the phone
from Blacksmith’s hands and threw her to the floor. Lamb grabbed a
television cord and strangled Blacksmith to death. Lamb told police he
attempted to resuscitate Blacksmith to no avail.
Lamb left the apartment to buy more drugs, then
wrapped Blacksmith’s naked body in plastic and left her in the back
lane of Simcoe Street.
Police did not discover Sinclair’s body until March
31, 2012, after passersby noticed a package “that was leaking what
appeared to be blood into the back lane,” Leinburd told court.
Lamb led police to Blacksmith’s body in June 2012.
“There is no question Shawn Lamb caused the death
of these two women,” Glazer said. “In this case, he did the right
thing by confessing and pleading guilty ... Without his confession the
Crown would have no case against him.”
Lamb has a long criminal record, including 16
convictions for assault alone. Court heard he has been addicted to
drugs since he was a youth and was in the midst of a months-long drug
bender at the time of the killings.
“Nothing I can say can make (people) understand the
life of a drug addict,” Lamb told court. “I hate what I have become.”
Lamb threatened to derail the sentencing when, late
in the morning proceedings, he told court he wanted to rescind his
guilty pleas, due to a reference in a doctor’s report suggesting he
was a psychopath.
Lamb withdrew his request after Saull told him he
would put no weight on the reference.
Family members of the victims cried in court and
some could not contain their anger.
“You’re a f------ monster ... Take f------
responsibility,” one man yelled before Sheriff’s officers led him out
of court.
Amanda Sinclair said the sentencing hearing was the
first time she heard details how her sister died.
“It was like reliving it all again from when she
was found,” Sinclair said outside court.
Sinclair said she was unhappy with the sentence. “I
was hoping he would get what he deserved,” she said. “That’s not much
for taking two lives ... I think he would do it all over again if he
could.”
Lamb is also charged with second-degree murder in
connection with the death of 31-year-old Tanya Jane Nepinak. Her body
has never been found. That case remains before the court.
Shawn Lamb sentenced to 20 years for two
slayings
Gasps, tears filled Winnipeg courtroom as killer
recalled slayings
CBC News
November 14, 2013
A Manitoba judge has sentenced Shawn Lamb to 20
years behind bars after he pleaded guilty to killing two women in
Winnipeg.
Court of Queen's Bench Justice Rick Saull accepted
a joint sentencing recommendation that was presented on Thursday,
after Lamb pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter.
Lamb has received two years of credit for time
served, meaning he will serve 18 years in prison. He will be eligible
for parole in nine years, court was told.
Lamb, 54, was charged in June 2012 with three
counts of second-degree murder in connection with the deaths of
Carolyn Sinclair, 25, Lorna Blacksmith, 18, and Tanya Jane Nepinak,
31.
On Thursday morning, Lamb pleaded guilty to
manslaughter in the cases of Sinclair and Blacksmith. He has denied
killing Nepinak.
Saull said the sentence being jointly recommended
is similar to a "life sentence" and similar to what he would have
received if he was found guilty of second-degree murder.
The judge added that Lamb will likely have to spend
part of his sentence in solitary confinement.
Lamb left the courtroom after the sentence was
announced, showing no emotion as he looked at the victims' families.
Tried to retract guilty plea
Lamb's plea was part of a deal to have the charges
reduced from second-degree murder to manslaughter.
The deal calls for two consecutive 10-year
sentences for a total of 20 years in jail.
Earlier on Thursday, the court heard submissions
for the joint sentence from Crown prosecutor Sheila Leinburd and
Lamb’s defence lawyer, Martin Glazer.
But moments after hearing those submissions, the
courtroom erupted in gasps and tears when Lamb stood and rescinded his
guilty plea.
As Lamb told the court he wanted a trial instead, a
man yelled from the gallery, calling Lamb a monster and telling him to
take responsibility.
The man, who was sitting with Blacksmith's mother,
was escorted out by a sheriff. Shortly after that, a woman left the
room in tears.
Lamb then began addressing the court, giving
details about the killings and saying he's been a drug addict since
age 12 and people wouldn't understand what he's been through.
As he spoke, some members of the victims' families
got up and left the room.
Lamb said he was sorry, has remorse and empathy —
and understands the feelings of victim's families. He also said he
hated what he has become.
"Basically, I turn into a monster at times. That is
not me," he said.
After a brief discussion with his lawyer, Lamb
re-entered his guilty plea and spoke more about his childhood — being
taken from his mother and put into foster care — before wrapping up.
The judge then adjourned court until 2:45 p.m. CT
for a decision on the joint submission.
Sinclair struck with axe handle
Sinclair's body was found in March 2012 near a
dumpster behind an apartment complex in the 700 block of Notre Dame
Avenue, between Toronto and Victor streets, in Winnipeg's West End.
On Thursday morning, court heard during submissions
from the Crown that Lamb and Sinclair had been smoking crack cocaine
in Lamb's bathroom when Lamb hit her in the head with an axe handle
three or four times.
When he realized she was still alive, Lamb then
choked her with his hands.
Lamb then smoked the rest of the crack and left
Sinclair's body in the bathroom for several days before placing her in
a bag and dumping her, court was told.
Blacksmith's body was found in the backyard of a
home in the 700 block of Simcoe Street, also in the city's West End,
in June 2012.
Court was told Thursday Blacksmith was strangled
with a TV cord. Lamb then went to buy drugs and dumped her body later
that day.
Lack of evidence
The Crown prosecutor told court the investigation
was challenging because there were no witnesses and little forensic
evidence, which is why the charges were reduced to manslaughter.
The Crown said public safety was the primary
concern in making the deal with Lamb.
In his submission, Glazer said the judge should
consider that his client confessed in June 2012 while in custody on an
unrelated matter.
Lamb then helped police fill in the blanks about
those homicides, Glazer said, also noting police had no idea Lamb was
involved until he came forward.
"How many people in his shoes would confess?"
Glazer said outside court.
"You commit two homicides, you're getting away with
it, no one knows you did it, and then while in police custody he tells
them the truth."
Glazer also told the court that police paid Lamb
$600 to give a confession on the location of Blacksmith's body.
"He was paid by the police for confessing," Glazer
said outside court, adding that he even has the receipts.
"First time that I've ever seen such a case in
Canada, and I've been a criminal lawyer for 31 years."
Glazer said the payment made Crown prosecutors
nervous, resulting in the plea deal that reduced the charges from
second-degree murder to manslaughter.
"The problem with the Crown's case was if the
statement was thrown out of court, the Crown would have no case," he
told reporters.
During his submission to the court, Glazer
recommended the judge consider that Lamb's guilty plea has spared the
victims' families from having to endure a trial.
He then read letters written to the victims'
families by Lamb, who called Blacksmith a beautiful spirit and said he
was "truly sorry."
Part of the joint recommendation was for Lamb to
serve his sentence outside the Prairie provinces for his own safety,
Glazer said, adding his client feels he will be a target by other
prisoners because his high-profile case.
Sinclair family outraged
Amanda Sinclair, Carolyn Sinclair's sister, said
outside court Thursday morning Lamb's plea deal was unfair.
"My sister [Carolyn] is never going to return.
Lorna is never going to return," she said. "These girls are not going
to come home for Christmas. They're not going to come home for
Mother's Day. They're not going to come home for any kind of holidays.
"But you know," she said, her voice breaking, "he
gets his three meals a day, you know, for how many years? And they're
asking for less?
Sinclair said there will be no justice for her
sister.
"In nine years, he's eligible for parole. In nine
years, do I get to see my sister? Does she get to come back to me?
That's not fair at all, but you know, that's our justice system.
Where's the justice in this? There's no justice system for my family.
I'm never going to get her back."
Nepinak's case 'slips through cracks'
Nepinak's body has never been found, but police
have declared her as a homicide victim and charged Lamb with
second-degree murder.
Lamb has denied killing Nepinak.
Police have said they believe her body was placed
in a garbage bin in the city's West End, and the bin was emptied at
the Brady Road landfill. However, a week-long search of the area in
October 2012 turned up no evidence.
Vernon Mann, the father of Nepinak's two children,
says he's concerned her murder will be forgotten.
Mann said Lamb's plea deal, which made no reference
to Nepinak's case, means Lamb is getting "a slap on the wrist."
"It almost feels like they're letting her case slip
through the cracks," Mann told CBC News.
When asked outside court what will happen to the
charge Lamb faces in Nepinak's case, all Glazer would say was, "Stay
tuned."
Criminal record
Lamb, who is originally from Ontario, has an
extensive criminal record extending across four provinces.
Since 1979, he has had 109 convictions in Ontario,
Alberta, B.C. and Manitoba. In the latter, Lamb has 45 convictions
since 2002 for everything from robbery to forgery, fraud, and uttering
threats.
Most recently he was charged with sexual assault in
May 2012 and June 2012.
It was when Lamb was picked up on June 21 that
police learned of his alleged connection to the three homicides.
Cops pay serial killer Lamb $1,500 for
information on killings
By Mike McIntyre
- Winnipegfreepress.com
November 15, 2013
Winnipeg police admit they paid $1,500 to accused
serial killer Shawn Lamb in a desperate bid to get information about
missing and murdered Manitoba women.
Vague revelations of a payoff were first disclosed
on Thursday at Lamb’s sentencing hearing by defence lawyer Martin
Glazer, who said police had crossed the line and essentially bought a
confession from his client which likely would have been thrown out at
trial.
Full details of the move were revealed at a Friday
morning news conference. Supt. Danny Smyth of the Criminal
Investigations Unit said it was an extremely rare decision aimed at
bringing closure to as many grieving families as possible.
"The Winnipeg Police Service is sensitive to the
fact there are many missing and murdered women in Manitoba and in
Canada. These investigations are a priority for us. In this case, the
investigators explored all available options in the interest of
justice and public safety," said Smyth. "I would say this is very
unusual. In my time this is the first time I can recall us going to
that kind of a measure."
Lamb, 54, struck a plea bargain with the Crown to
plead guilty Thursday to two counts of manslaughter and receive a
20-year sentence, with no chance of parole for at least 10 years. The
Crown dropped more serious murder charges and the mandatory life
sentence they carry.
"This was a difficult and challenging case. We
accept this fact and respect the authority by which this decision was
made," said Smyth.
Money paid into 'canteen fund'
Police outlined in detail how their contact and
payment to Lamb came about. Lamb was initially arrested on a sexual
assault charge nearly two years ago unrelated to any homicide. While
being processed, "Mr. Lamb indicated he knew where a body was. This
statement triggered a homicide investigation," said Smyth.
Police were then led to the body of Carolyn
Sinclair, 25. Her remains were found March 31, 2012, wrapped in
plastic inside a duffle bag near a garbage can on Notre Dame Avenue.
Lamb refused to co-operate further and did not give
a formal statement. He was not charged with Sinclair’s killing and the
investigation remained ongoing.
Lamb then broke his silence several months later
when he contacted police, looking to broker a deal.
"He indicated he had more information to relate
about the homicide and other crimes he committed," said Smyth.
Police consulted with the Crown about how to
proceed and set up a special "canteen fund" at the Remand Centre for
Lamb. An initial $600 was deposited, which Lamb could use to buy
cigarettes, snacks and other items in custody.
Police then sat down with Lamb, who upheld his end
of the deal by not only confessing to killing Sinclair, but also Lorna
Blacksmith. At the time, Blacksmith was still listed as a missing
person. Lamb led investigators to her body, just as he’d done with
Sinclair.
Paid $1,500 total for information
Lamb was charged with two counts of second-degree
murder, but told police he wanted to keep talking – for a price.
"He continued to contact investigators, indicating
he would provide more information about other homicides he was
involved in," said Smyth.
Police met with Lamb on two further occasions,
depositing another $600 and then $300 into his account. But never
proved to be fruitful.
"Neither provided investigators with any additional
evidence," said Smyth.
He said police were put in a difficult position
here, knowing there would be no case without the co-operation of Lamb.
"This brought closure to the families of Carolyn
Sinclair and Lorna Blacksmith," said Smyth. "It was hoped subsequent
information would be forthcoming to bring closure to the families of
other victims that Mr. Lamb may have been involved in."
And while they may come under criticism –
especially from Lamb’s lawyer – police say this is a tactic they felt
they had to utilize.
"This is an extraordinary measure that we
considered. Put into the context of missing and murdered women and the
sensitivityy around that and trying to get to the bottom of some of
those things," said Smyth. "I think every case would be weighed
individually. This wouldn’t be something we’d do routinely."
Forced to make a deal with the devil
Killer proves a cunning manipulator
By Mike McIntyre
- Winnipegfreepress.com
November 15, 2013
He is a master manipulator, a sociopath who craves
attention and takes pleasure in the pain of others.
So you can imagine the disgust among senior
Manitoba justice officials who took a long, hard look at the case
against accused serial killer Shawn Lamb and realized one alarming
fact.
Lamb, 54, held all the cards. They would be forced
to play the game by his rules.
As we saw Thursday, the result was a so-called deal
with the devil. Lamb cops to reduced charges and is able to apply for
parole by his 63rd birthday. He's guaranteed freedom by 72.
A "light at the end of the tunnel" is how defence
lawyer Martin Glazer described it.
Social media lit up with outrage. Families of the
victims erupted in anger. Even those involved in the prosecution held
their noses.
"We're not happy at all. But you have to look at
the big picture," a veteran source connected to the case told the Free
Press.
That big picture isn't pretty. Lamb, a man with
more than 100 convictions on his record dating back to the 1970s, had
a very good chance of being back on the streets in the next few months
if the Crown didn't agree to his terms.
"There was a very real possibility of an
acquittal," Queen's Bench Justice Rick Saull said in summarizing the
difficult position facing the Crown.
No forensics, no witnesses: Only Lamb's lengthy,
detailed confession which may have been illegally obtained by Winnipeg
police.
That left the Crown with no choice but to cut their
losses and salvage whatever they could. They would have to drop the
murder charges, and the mandatory life sentence they carry. And they
could no longer even think about a dangerous-offender application and
the indefinite prison term that comes with it.
No doubt their uneasiness was magnified Thursday,
when Lamb tried to hijack his own sentencing hearing. It was a
pathetic, but not entirely surprising, performance by a man who does
the "woe-is-me" act better than anyone.
Sit quietly as lawyers go over every grisly detail
of your crimes, then jump up at the last minute and claim you want to
withdraw your guilty pleas and set the matter down for trial.
Fortunately sanity prevailed and the hearing
continued. But you could tell Lamb loved being in the position of
power.
"You're a f --g monster, take some responsibility,"
screamed one of the victims' family members in court. He was promptly
ushered out by sheriffs, clearly at his wit's end being forced to
watch Lamb relish the spotlight.
I've seen this tired act play out many times over
the past couple years, as Lamb routinely called me to chat about his
case and hinted he had information about as many as five unsolved
murders. He's routinely played the same cat-and-mouse game with
homicide detectives.
Lamb also took great pleasure in calling my
national Sunday-night radio show a few months ago so he could ask my
guest, Manitoba provincial court Judge Ray Wyant, a question about the
criminal justice system. It wasn't until he was on-air that we
recognized the voice. Obviously an accused serial killer asking a
sitting judge questions on live radio isn't an everyday scenario. But
Lamb relished it.
Those Sunday-night calls from the Remand Centre and
Headingley became a regular feature. Once, Lamb wanted to tell
listeners how a Quebec filmmaker making videos of models pretending to
be raped and murdered was "cool."
Another time he told me how he thought Col. Russell
Williams, convicted of brutally murdering two Ontario women and raping
several others, "looked good" in pictures tendered in court of him
wearing the panties of his victims.
There was no reason for him to be making these
outlandish statements short of the "look-at-me" attitude he clearly
possesses.
Lamb demonstrated this again Thursday, as he made
an impressive speech about how his tragic, troubled upbringing and
years of chronic drug and alcohol addiction, which began at the tender
age of 12, contributed to his criminal ways.
"I grew up damaged and lost," he said. "I turn into
a monster at times. I think all addicts will relate to that."
It was the type of insight you rarely see from
offenders, and typically not expressed as eloquently as Lamb did. And
on the surface you may wish to applaud him for his candour.
Problem is, Lamb has pulled out this same spiel
countless times. His comments Thursday were eerily similar to ones
he's impressed many other judges with, convincing them this poor, lost
soul is worthy of yet another chance at redemption and freedom.
"Once upon a time there was born a baby boy, a
little Indian boy as sweet and fat-cheeked and gifted by the creator
as any baby anywhere. He was born innocent, as innocent as a puppy,"
Lamb told a judge during a 2010 sentencing hearing. "Throughout all a
dim light, glimmer of hope, a feeling of worth. Ask for help, unload
the shame. I'm wanting and worthy of a better life,"
It would be less than two years later that Lamb,
now a free man, would brutally kill Carolyn Sinclair and Lorna
Blacksmith.
The master manipulator had struck again.
Lamb a manipulator: police
But retired officer says cops must 'dance with the
devil'
By Mike McIntyre - Winnipegfreepress.com
February 27, 2013
They are locked in a high-stakes battle of wills --
two sides staring each other down, waiting for the other to blink.
But the stalemate between Winnipeg police and
accused serial killer Shawn Lamb is anything but a game to the
families of Manitoba's missing and slain women.
Lamb, 52, has told police he has specific
information that could help solve at least five additional cases. He
says police haven't acted on his claims quickly enough and aren't
taking him seriously.
Lamb has made similar statements to the Free Press
in a series of interviews and recorded conversations, even providing
the names of five women and details about evidence he claims he can
lead officers to.
"I'm not saying I had anything to do with these
five. I'm saying I have information," Lamb said Tuesday in his latest
phone interview from the Winnipeg Remand Centre. "I'm denying any
involvement with anything."
Lamb called the Free Press to say he didn't want
the public to think of him as a "media whore" who craves the
spotlight. He conducted a series of interviews with local TV reporters
later in the day.
Police say they are proceeding with caution because
Lamb is a highly intelligent manipulator. Homicide investigators have
spoken with Lamb several times in recent weeks and plan to continue
doing so. But sources say those meetings have provided more
frustration than results.
"He's very much... a chronic BSer. However he does
come through when the timing is right," a veteran justice source said
Tuesday. "And sifting through the BS is what it's all about with these
types, I guess."
A recently retired city homicide investigator said
police have dropped the ball in their investigation. James Jewell said
Tuesday it's a "travesty" police haven't acted with more urgency since
their initial arrest and interrogation of Lamb last summer.
"Inexperience, lack of direction, lack of courage
or combinations of all the above created significant delays for
investigators who so desperately wanted to cut the red tape and get
down to the business of a second interrogation," Jewell said in a
public blog post. "It seems to me, incompetence of this magnitude
should come with some sort of consequence(s)."
Jewell said police owe it to the public and
victims' families to quickly get to the truth.
"Sins of the past aside, the time has come for the
police service to realize that a thorough debrief of alleged serial
killer Shawn Lamb is in order. It's time to cut the red tape and end
the debate regarding process and protocol. Sometimes, you just have to
dance with the devil," he said.
Lamb is charged with three counts of second-degree
murder for the deaths of Lorna Blacksmith, 18, Tanya Nepinak, 31, and
Carolyn Sinclair, 25. He remains in custody without bail. He has not
entered a plea. None of the allegations has been proven and he is
presumed innocent.
Lamb repeated his claim Tuesday that two missing
rolls of film and a box of keepsakes hold the key to solving at least
five additional cases. He refused to answer specific questions,
including the whereabouts of the items he claims are essential to the
ongoing investigation.
"If I say anything about that I'll say it to a
police officer," Lamb said Tuesday. But police say that's precisely
the problem -- he's made many similar promises to open up, only to
stay quiet at the last minute.
Lamb claims he is interested in bringing "closure"
to as many families as possible, including the ones of the five names
he's provided to police and the Free Press. Lamb has threatened to go
public to local aboriginal leaders and even begin calling families
personally, while in custody, if immediate action isn't taken. Lamb
has complicated matters by recently dismissing his lawyer, Evan
Roitenberg, and then briefly representing himself.
Defence lawyer Martin Glazer has now gone on record
for Lamb and has cautioned his new client to stay silent -- something
Lamb hasn't done.
Lamb denied he is trying to "bargain" with police,
saying he expects nothing in return.
Sources say justice officials plan to seek a
dangerous-offender designation against Lamb if he is convicted. That
would give him an indefinite prison term. If convicted of
second-degree murder, he would face a mandatory life sentence with no
chance of parole for between 10 and 25 years.
Police discovered the body of Blacksmith in a yard
on Simcoe Street last June. She was allegedly killed in January 2012.
Lamb has also been charged with the December 2011
killing of Carolyn Sinclair, whose body was discovered in March 2012.
The third victim, Tanya Nepinak, was reportedly
killed in September 2011. Her remains haven't been found.
