(ctvbc.ca) - More than a week after someone killed three children in Merritt, a man who was once an inspector with the RCMP says the police could have done more to catch their prime suspect.
Police didn’t employ basic tools such as a roadblock to catch fugitive Allan Schoenborn, said Bill Majcher, a retired RCMP officer.
“I mean we do this if there’s a robbery at a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Merritt,” he told CTV News. “They would have set up roadblocks whether they knew a person escaped in a car or not.”
“This investigation isn’t batting 1.000… for what it could have done or should have done,” Majcher said.
When Kaitlyn, Max and Cordon Schoenborn were discovered dead inside their Merritt home on April 6, officers said they had no suspect and no one was in custody.
But more than 20 hours later, they announced they had launched a manhunt for their prime suspect — the father of the children, 40-year-old Allan Schoenborn.
“Honestly I don’t know why it took so long to put out that kind of general alert,” said Majcher.
Majcher was an RCMP detective for 22 years, who rose to inspector. Then he retired from the force after being suspended with pay after an internal investigation.
There was never any suggestion of criminal conduct nor any suggestion that Majcher wasn’t an expert investigator, at least in white collar crime.
Majcher also was concerned about a tip that two store employees near Lumby had forwarded to police on Wednesday — but it wasn’t followed up until days later.
RCMP Assistant Commissioner Al Macintyre conceded that he was concerned about the speed at which police followed up on the tip.
But Macintyre says he’s satisfied and is receiving regular updates.
2 responses so far ↓
1 Old Horseman // Apr 15, 2008 at 19:28
This Majcher character has waded in on a couple of contract policing related issues of late; ie: Serious Crime cases. I stand to be corrected, but deduce that most of his service was in a “non-contract” Division where he would have no experience investigating any kind of serious crime; rather he was a commercial crime investigator. This being the case, he wouldn’t know the ins and outs of a serious crime investigation if one hit him square in the face! His lack of background, experience and knowledge are blatantly obvious by virtue of the fact that he offers opinions and criticism of the police actions at Merritt [and elsewhere], based on media reports. Obviously Majcher is suffering from dillusions of grandeur and has an immense agenda in terms of criticising the RCMP. I wonder what he did to be suspended as a Commissioned Officer just prior to his leaving the Force. Obviously something that he is not particularly proud of since it remains a deep dark secret that he has chosen not to comment upon. I question his credibility!!
2 GetReal // Apr 16, 2008 at 13:39
Denigrating the authorities is a spectator sport these days. Persons who have a little bit of knowledge feel competent to broad brush complicated issues either to make themselves feel good or attract some attention.
They key to this individual was the word “roadblocks”. Obviously out of touch with modern criminal investigative techniques as they are affected by area, resources, and the pesky Charter.
Pretty easy to sit back and pick out some possible valuable tip in hindsight and say that it should have been followed up sooner. No regard for resources, time, volume, veracity or even the fact that crystal balls do not exist.
It does not matter whether this lame individual has credibility or not. If he offers a contrary opinion or anything to the negative side of the equation, it will be seized upon, reported, and given time, no matter how ridiculous. This under the guise of investigative reporting, where the “talking head” is king.
What you do no hear is the disgusting antics of the press such as the reporter caught rifling through the flowers and well wishes at the site, looking for a tidbit. Reprehensible behavior from that quarter, but responsibly reported by the Merritt press in an editorial.
You must log in to post a comment.