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VANCOUVER EASTSIDE MISSING WOMEN |
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Police flooded by calls in probe into prostitutes slayings By Peter Smith, Calgary Sun, April 28, 2000 As Barry Niedermier made his first court appearance in Vancouver yesterday, phones were ringing off the hooks for vice cops across Western Canada. Women in Calgary and Vancouver were calling in claiming they were also victims of a man already facing 14 offences for allegedly attacking seven prostitutes in Vancouver. Other callers phoned information into police, who are looking for possible links between the suspect and a string of unsolved prostitute murders in Alberta--and even more missing women in B.C. "Our investigators have taken information from six new complainants who are alleging they are among his victims," said Anne Drennan of the Vancouver Police. "Investigations into these complaints are now under way." Calgary vice unit detectives have taken more than a dozen calls, including similar complaints from women claiming they were victims. ""We've also taken calls from people giving us information about this man's movements and dealings they've had with him," said Det. John Fulton of the Calgary vice unit. Wearing a grey T-shirt, sporting long hair and a salt-and-pepper beard, Niedermier, 43, appeared at ease in his first appearance on 14 counts of assault, sexual assault, kidnapping, unlawful confinement and administering a noxious substance. He smiled at friends in court and will remain in custody prior to a bail hearing Thursday. Charges against the convicted pimp from Lethbridge involve seven prostitutes dating from 1995-97. Officers from the Vancouver missing women task force are continuing their probe into possible links between the suspect and the disappearance of 27 prostitutes from the city's red light district streets, but none of the charges involve the missing prostitutes. Calgary RCMP are sending DNA samples to Vancouver for comparison in eight unsolved homicides, and Calgary city police are looking at possible links between the suspect and the unsolved homicides of two women. --with files from CP |
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Updated: January 01, 2007 |