The Slasher Killings: A Canadian Sex-Crime Panic, 1945-1946

by Patrick Brode

As the city of Windsor, Ontario, celebrated the end of World War II and the return of its troops with parades and public revelry, the industrial city in the south of Canada was shaken by a series of brutal stabbings. The failure of the police to catch the murderer, a "blood lusting maniac" as the local newspaper described him, the turbulence of the times, and the seemingly random nature of the killings plunged the city into a panic. In The Slasher Killings Patrick Brode tells the dramatic story of the Windsor slasher, the social frenzy that his attacks created, and the surprising results that this hysteria generated.

By July and August of 1945, Windsor residents knew there was a serial killer living among them and that, despite numerous police roundups, no credible suspect had been found. The following summer the panic escalated when the stabbings began again and, this time, focused on "sex deviants" whom the public and police had decided were at the heart of the problem. Brode examines the vicious press campaign that arose out of the paranoia that vilified drifters, the unemployed, racial minorities, and, finally, sexual outsiders, only further fanning the flames of the growing panic. Brode reveals how the authorities used this hysteria to support their efforts to monitor and control the actions of gay men, a campaign that would be part of the process that led to Canada’s 1948 "criminal sexual psychopath" law but would ultimately bring them no closer to the identity of the killer.

The Slasher Killings draws heavily on the records of the murder investigations maintained by the Windsor Police Department, bringing firsthand evidence and documents to light in this dramatic mystery and informative historical study. Local history buffs, true-crime enthusiasts, and readers interested in the role of the media in shaping public discourse will appreciate The Slasher Killings.

240 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2009

Reviews

[Mike Barat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before reading this book I have heard about this crime in Windsor where I live. I was looking foreword to reading this book and I wasn't disappointed. The book moves a long at a good pace and gives enough details to make the story interesting without boring you. It was interesting to get a look at what social norms in the 1940's Windsor looked like. There's even a funny story where this women called police to tell the police that her son attacked by the slasher, only one problem she didn't have a son. If your interested in Canadian social norms of past as well as true crime read this book.

[Fishface · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting read about a puzzling series of crimes, and the even more puzzling reactions to those crimes. The author does a good job of interpreting the events for us without being overly opinionated about the whole mess.

[HalimaH · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glad I read it, I learned a lot about Canada's Criminal Justice history compared to the United States. There are some similarities like police unprofessional before standards were increased and laws were passed to protect due process rights. Further, rights of victims and their privacy (thinking of some of the victims in Sear's case being exposed here). Additionally, a lot of insight into societal perceptions and crime. The case of the Windsor killings and Ronald Sears was psychologically complex, but the evidence overall proved Sears had a part in the stabbings.

On the negatives. The author has strong defendant oriented bias. I definitely will do more research about if the panic of not only this string of murders and assaults connected to Sears but the assaults of women and girls was warranted. Any case is important to note, maybe statistically it was a small occurrence, but Patrick doesn't take into account the nature of people women and girls reporting such a traumatic event. He is strangely dismissive of certain topics, but of course I will do my own research.

[Beccas Bookclub · Rating 3 out of 5]

A true crime book will always fascinate me, but with the book so close to home, I was hooked.

Patrick Brode takes you to the heart of the killings without giving opinions or becoming judgmental of historical tendencies.

The writing style allows you to be able to really appreciate the Canadian Criminal Justice System, and historical examples. The book takes you into the details of 1945-1946 where you learn of Windsors dances at Jackson park; the local meet ups of same-sex couples down by the riverfront; and the horrific stabbings carried out by the Slasher.

This was a good audio book, but you do miss the pictures included in the printed book.

[Dorothy Mahoney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thorough account of a series of stabbings that began July 14, 1945 in Windsor, with photographs
and maps of the crimes and subsequent trial procedures. Brode recreates the politics of the times
and explains the role the newspaper had in shaping public opinion, including the jury members.
The erroneous suggestion that homosexuality and pedophilia are the same is still evident given Kevin Spacey's recent apology. Not much has changed.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brode shows how the Slasher case reflected the historical trends of the times more than how the case informed them, but he summarizes those trends and incorporates them into the narrative well. His subject is interesting, well-researched, and he's a solid writer. Bottom line: a good read for "true crime" afificanados.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent account of a bizarre moment in my hometown's history, when a serial killer targeted closeted gay men just after the Second World War. Brode is excellent at contextualizing the crime narrative and its effects on judicial conventions as he also explores the often paradoxical moral beliefs and quiet bigotry that informed the public's reaction to these awful crimes.