deadmonton 2006 - other police matters
peter robert joseph whitmore

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Ongoing developments | latest update

The standoff | Whitmore's background & recent travels
Stanley Bullard | Larry Marchand | Public and political reaction | The Amber Alert

Notes about this page



On July 30th, 2006 Saskatchewan RCMP issued an Amber Alert for ten-year-old Stanley Bullard.


Bullard was last seen shortly after noon on the 30th in Whitewood, Saskatchewan, 165 kilometres east of Regina.


Peter Robert Joseph Whitmore

On July 31st, RCMP issued a Canada-wide warrant for Peter Robert Joseph Whitmore, a 35-year-old convicted pedophile with a 13-year-long record.


Whitmore was charged with abduction in connection with Bullard's disappearance.


It soon emerged that Whitmore was also the last person seen with 14-year-old Larry Marchand.


Larry's stepfather, Dave Talbot, last saw Marchand with Whitmore at a bus depot in Brandon, Manitoba on July 22nd.


Whitmore said he would drive Larry back to the family home in Winnipeg.


Instead, Larry and Whitmore ended up in Whitewood, Saskatchewan where the man introduced the boy to townsfolk as his son.


He told a car dealership owner he was just passing through town and was heading back to work in the oil fields in St. Albert, near Edmonton.


He told others he was looking to buy property in the Whitewood area. Late in the week he was in town, Whitmore befriended the family of Stanley Bullard.


By Sunday morning on the last lazy weekend of July, Larry and Stanley had become instant friends, riding their bikes together around Whitewood – a tight-knit prairie town of about a thousand people.


By 1:30 Stanley's mom couldn't find the boys. She went looking and after an hour she found their bikes at an abandoned farm about a mile away from the Bullard family home.


The boys were nowhere to be seen. Neighbours were called to help look but they too couldn't find any sign of the new-found mates.


At 3:30, the RCMP were called. By the end of the day, Saskatchewan issued its first-ever Amber Alert.


More about Whitmore's encounters in Whitewood can be found here. More about Whitmore's encounters with Larry Marchand can be found here.



The disappearance of Stanley Bullard became front page news across the country when it was learned that Peter Whitmore had a long history of crimes against children.


Whitmore quickly became the subject of an intense manhunt covering three provinces. Hundreds of tips poured into RCMP detachments across western Canada.


The media made much of Whitmore's extensive criminal background and the judicial system's inability to keep a short leash on his activities. Stories emerged of Whitmore's ability to hoodwink all who crossed his path and his knack for travelling across Canada under many guises.


Saskatchewan RCMP, still reeling from the deaths of two of their own, once again drew upon resources from across several provinces.


Around one hundred officers, several canine units and two planes joined in a search of the thinly-populated countryside dotted by farm fields, small lakes and generous stands of trees.


Given Whitmore's gift of swift travel, Mounties admitted he and the boys could be anywhere.



On the third day of the Amber Alert, police took the unusual measure of making a direct appeal to Peter Whitmore.


The appeal, carried over radio, television and the internet, was voiced by Chilliwack RCMP Corp. Laural Mathew, the officer Whitmore dealt with in British Columbia after his last release from jail.


While Mathew's words were being broadcast (read the transcript here) events were unfolding in the rolling prairie hills nearby.



News of the 'big-city going-ons' in Whitewood spread across the region like wildfire. Soon every farmer and landowner in the area started looking at their property with a sharper eye.


On the first day of August, 47-year-old Pat Beaujot, a farmer with land 17 kilometres east of Kipling, Saskatchewan – 25 kilometres south of Whitewood – noticed fresh tire tracks in the 3-foot-tall grass near an abandoned farmhouse by his land.


Kipling Saskatchewan

That particular corner of the unused farm was heavily treed. Beaujot followed the tracks through the woods until he came within sight of the garage beside the old home.


He noticed trampled grass around the house and one of the doors ajar.


Leaving his pickup truck running fearing he had come upon an active crime scene, Beaujot got out and timidly pulled open one of the garage doors.


Inside was an old minivan, just like the one he heard police were looking for.


"I pulled the garage door open and at first I didn't see the van, but I saw some Kentucky Fried Chicken boxes and some bones," Beaujot said.


"Then I looked around the corner and I saw the van with the wood-grained siding. I knew I was onto it, so I just got out of there and jumped into my truck."


Beaujot drove back to his house about a mile away. He told his wife Judy to phone police to tell them what he saw. Judy also called Vernon Varjassy, the Beaujot's neighbour.


Returning to the abandoned farmhouse, Beaujot watched to see if anybody was around.


“I didn’t want them to leave,” he said. “I didn’t want to confront them. I left that to the experts.”


Beaujot was soon joined on his vigil by Varjassy. Within 15 minutes an RCMP cruiser arrived.


It was then that Stanley Bullard appeared.


“I was about a quarter-mile away and there was a little boy walking through the trees and out through the pasture. He wasn’t running,” Beaujot recalled.


RCMP Constable Tim Schwartz called out to the boy before pulling closer with his vehicle. The boy jumped in and as he was being driven away he told the officer Peter Whitmore and Larry Marchand were inside the house.


Beaujot farmhouse Near Beaujot farmhouse

Moments later nearly two dozen police vehicles swarmed Beaujot's old homestead. An emergency response team arrived, sending in a robot to deliver a cellphone to the wanted man. Overhead, the drone of police aircraft hid the usual prairie quiet.


With memories of Mayerthorpe at the forefront of their thoughts, police took it easy, calling in an expert negotiator.


The standoff lasted ten hours. By the time most Canadians had called it a night, Marchand emerged from the house. Whitmore followed ten minutes later and was taken into custody.


The RCMP quickly held a press conference.


"I'm here to advise that both of the individuals are in the care and custody of the RCMP at this time," said Sgt. Tammy Patterson.


"Larry Marchand exited the house on his own accord shortly before 11:00 p.m. and Mr. Whitmore was guided through the process by the negotiators shortly thereafter."


"He (Whitmore) exited on his own accord and we have the resolution to this whole investigation that we were hoping for and that is everybody is safe and sound at this time and being looked after," Patterson said, adding police had no information on whether weapons were found at the scene.


Marchand was taken to Regina General Hospital where, like Bullard nearly a half-day before him, he was examined and released.


Bullard was re-united with family. Marchand spent the night and most of the next day at the RCMP detachment in Broadview.



Ongoing Developments




August 2nd, 2006


The RCMP Detachment in Broadview, Saskatchewan was the setting for an emotional news conference that saw Richard Bullard give thanks to searchers, police, child welfare agencies and others for helping with the safe return of his son.


At one point Richard broke down, overcome with grief, and ran back into the detachment building.


"Stan's doing as well as can be expected," Bullard told reporters, his voice frequently breaking. "He is a very strong little boy and he will get better."


"My son had done everything that I knew he would to get away – and he did."


“Stan is going to be okay; Stan is doing as well as can be expected,” said Bullard with his older brother at his side in the bright afternoon sun.


“We have been very humbled by the love and support from our family and our communities here in Saskatchewan and in Alberta, and from across Canada.”


“We know that you have all spent countless hours in efforts and resources in helping us resolve this tragedy. Thank you. We know that you will allow us the time we need as a family to heal.”


Later in the day, Larry Marchand was reunited with his mother, Jackie Anderson. He had been in the care of the RCMP waiting for family to arrive.


Marchand's grandmother said the family was relieved. "The way we feel right now, we're happy, we're elated that he's out of the clutches of that man. But we're also very drained. We're drained," Angela Marchand said.



While Stanley's father was confident his son would bounce back from the ordeal, a psychologist said Stanley may experience nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety and intrusive memories of the events.


"When a person is faced with a life-threatening situation they go into shock or survival mode ..." said Rod Rossmo, a registered psychologist in Regina.


"They have to deal with survival so they repress or deny memories and the feeling associated with the trauma gets stuffed away ... and that stuff will start to percolate when the person is ready."


For some people, this may emerge as post-traumatic stress disorder while other people may experience the trauma in different ways depending on their upbringing, personality and how they perceived the threat against them.


Another psychologist, Darrell Davis, said "The road to recovery would be long and enduring," adding a traumatic experience "leaves its mark" on a child.


"The body has a tremendous ability to heal," Rossmo said. "And the psyche, the mind, has that same strong propensity. Trauma requires healing."


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August 3rd, 2006


Whitmore enroute to court

Peter Whitmore appeared in a provincial courtroom in Regina.


At the time of his arrest two days before, he faced a single charge of abduction.


In a brief court appearance that lasted barely two minutes, Whitmore heard Crown prosecutors file two charges of abduction, two charges of sexual assault causing bodily harm and a charge of forcible confinement of a person under 14 years of age.


The abduction charges carry the most severe penalty Whitmore has ever faced in his run-ins with the law: life in prison.


Kipling bedroom

Police documents filed with the court alleged Whitmore committed "numerous sexual assaults" on the boys.


At left, the Kipling farmhouse bedroom.


As they were still investigating the case, RCMP did not rule out laying additional charges.


Whitmore stood in the prisoner's box, cuffed and behind glass, wearing a grey sweatshirt with a matching deep scowl.


He simply stared straight ahead avoiding eye contact with any of the media or onlookers that packed the courtroom.


He was remanded in custody until his next court appearance on August 10th.


The court also imposed a publication ban, preventing further identification of the boys Whitmore was accused of assaulting.


Daniel Brodsky

Toronto-based lawyer Daniel Brodsky, who earlier represented Whitmore, agreed to act on his behalf as long as funding could be secured from the Saskatchewan government. Whitmore had called Brodsky as he was surrending to police.


The Globe and Mail newspaper reported that a source close to the investigation said "certain written promises" were made to Whitmore before the standoff ended peacefully.


Brodsky told the Winnipeg Free Press he hoped police and Crown prosecutors would honour the commitments. Brodsky refused to elaborate.


An RCMP spokesman told reporters she had no information about any promises, a statement echoed by Saskatchewan Justice Minister Frank Quennell.


"I can't tell you what caused Mr. Whitmore to leave the house at the end of the day," Quennell said.


"All I can say is that whatever comfort he sought for and perhaps thought he received from the RCMP, that there is no agreement that binds the Crown in my view and this matter can be prosecuted to the extent that the Crown prosecutors believe it appropriate to protect the public."


Quennell later modified his statement.


Brodsky also said that in addition to the promises there were “many odd things” about the case, including police conduct at the standoff.


The current charges put to rest speculation that Larry Marchand, the Winnipeg youth, might have been charged as an accomplice. Some pointed to the time it took RCMP to release him to his family.


As events were unfolding immediately after Bullard was abducted, Marchand had only been considered "missing," and police did not call his case a kidnapping. There was an early suggestion that Whitmore had permission from Marchand's family to travel with the 14-year-old which would have complicated anticipated charges at the time.


Of interest to media watchers is that the word 'victim' was never associated with Marchand in early reports other than by his family. It was noted that Larry had ample opportunities to escape. The charges laid against Whitmore indicated his ability to strongly influence those near him.


It was later learned RCMP waited for Marchand's family to make the five-hour drive from Winnipeg so they could be present when questioning began.


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August 3rd, 2006


In a parallel investigation, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary is looking into a complaint of sexual assault against a young boy from Topsail, Newfoundland.


Peter Whitmore was in Canada's eastern-most province from June 28th to July 5th, 2006 after leaving Morinville, Alberta.


Police confirmed his presence there when they saw him in home video of a neighborhood party held on a small cul-de-sac in Topsail, a community of 20,000 about a 20-minute drive from St. John's.


Police were called after residents saw his picture on television in connection with the Canada-wide hunt. Some residents said Whitmore spent a lot of time around children.


An RNC inspector said they are investigating an official complaint of sexual assault stating, "We have spoken to one young boy in particular whose parents had some concerns and came forward."


The inspector said the boy is from Topsail and under the age of 12.


"It is a potential that we will be speaking to others, but that will be determined by the information that we gather.


"We currently have one investigation that may lead to charges," added the inspector.


Whitmore had used his middle name to rent an apartment and mixed with his new neighbours at a Canada Day party. He told residents his wife had passed away in B.C. and he was "looking for a new start."


Whitmore left the province on July 5th, saying he had children on the West Coast to whom he had to return.


Police later found a vehicle registered to a relative of Whitmore's at the St. John's airport.



August 4th, 2006


Frank Quennell

Saskatchewan Justice Minister Frank Quennell told CBC News he didn't authorize a deal with Whitmore to give himself up, and said the Crown isn't bound by a letter to that effect.


Quennell had earlier said "that there is no agreement that binds the Crown" in its dealings with Whitmore.


Quennell told the CBC he is aware a letter exists that dealt with "recommendations" to the Crown but added, "We're not bound by it."


Despite Quennell's comments, Whitmore's lawyer insisted a deal was struck that the Crown wouldn't seek a life sentence and wouldn't seek dangerous offender status.


Daniel Brodsky said his client agreed to sparing the boys from testifying by immediately pleading guilty to sexually assaulting the boys in exchange for not being declared a dangerous offender.


Brodsky said he has been read the letter over the phone, a letter he called an "initial position" that was the basis of negotiations between Whitmore and the RCMP.


Brodsky said the letter was signed by the police and a Crown prosecutor.


"This was a contract," Brodsky said.


While Quennell said he doesn't know what discussions took place between police and Whitmore, he approved of police doing what they had to do to capture him.


"I wouldn't be critical of the police for doing what is appropriate and legitimate to bring that situation to an end," he said.



August 5th, 2006


The letter used by police to effect the surrender of Peter Whitmore continued to make news as more details behind the offer were made public.


Daniel Brodsky

"This whole fiasco could be resolved in two weeks," Daniel Brodsky, Whitmore's lawyer, said in an interview.


“We can have this whole thing wrapped up in two weeks and Mr. Whitmore will probably spend a long time in jail and then be supervised until he’s collecting old age security or longer,” he added.


Brodsky said he had a copy of the letter, handwritten on RCMP stationery, which he said was signed by both Insp. Len Del Pino and Saskatchewan prosecutor Jeff Kalmakoff during the course of surrender negotiations.


"This is about much more than Peter Whitmore. It's about the integrity of the police," Brodsky said.


"Police can't do their jobs if the message that comes out of Mr. Whitmore's case is that when you speak to a police officer, all you're speaking to is liars and cheats."


However, Saskatchewan’s attorney general, Frank Quennell, said the RCMP can’t dictate what prosecutors do.


“We are all aware that there were hours and hours of negotiation and discussion between the RCMP and Mr. Whitmore to attempt to bring this situation to a conclusion, which they successfully did,” Quennell said.


“But whatever they might have had to say to Mr. Whitmore to resolve the situation, they were not in a position to bind Crown prosecutors about how a case is going to be prosecuted,” he said. “This case will be prosecuted in away that protects the public.”


Brodsky believes the entire negotiation was taped and is seeking a transcript of what was said and promised by police.


The Toronto Star published excerpts of the letter.


Insp. Del Pino addressed the letter to “whom it may concern,” and wrote that he “will recommend to Sask. Justice that the Crown prosecutor will not seek a dangerous offender designation for Mr. Whitmore, nor a life sentence.” The letter also notes: “Mr. Whitmore has agreed to plead guilty to any offences he has committed in the past 24-48 hours.”


“Mr. Whitmore has requested to be housed in a single cell under complete segregation,” Del Pino added, “and I do not oppose that request.”


In the letter, the officer also said he spoke with Kalmakoff, and Brodsky said because the prosecutor's signature is on the document, the agreement should be binding on justice officials.


Brodsky urged Quennell to consider the deal, “even if you don’t want to make admissions about what was or what wasn’t agreed to on the night.”


“Even if police did not have the authority to make the offer and this is all just a big sham, I think the minister should think about the offer and the terms because he, like me, may understand that in the end this may be the best for everybody,” Brodsky said.


He said the country would be spared an expensive trial, keep the boys from having to testify and prevent “parading an army of people and psychiatrists and psychologists through the courts so it kind of looks like a circus like the Bernardo trial.”


Brodsky also insisted the RCMP letter was not the end of negotiations, and a subsequent verbal agreement went even further — offering Whitmore an “ordinary sentence” on the crimes and a long-term offender designation, instead of a dangerous offender designation, in exchange for his guilty plea.


“It’s almost a matter of certainty he would get (a long-term designation). He could sit in the penitentiary for decades if he’s not willing to comply,” he said. “I don’t believe the Crown is giving up very much here,” Brodsky further argued.


Kalmakoff was reported to have been on holidays when the matter surfaced and could not be reached for comment. The RCMP said it was not providing a statement since the case was now before the courts.


Rosalind Prober, president of Beyond Borders, said Whitmore's deal with police may save him from being declared a dangerous offender.


However, she added that because Whitmore’s crimes may have been committed in multiple jurisdictions, the deal may not cover him completely.


“If in fact this deal is upheld, because [the RCMP] were absolutely blackmailed into making it in order to save a child’s life, or to get this child out of harm’s way as soon as possible, it will be a very, very difficult notion for the Canadian public to swallow,” she said.


“Often, in situations where children are in danger, the RCMP are blackmailed into making a deal with the devil,” she said. “To save a child’s life, to make a deal ... of course it’s worth it.”


For more about the designation at the heart of the matter, read the Dangerous Offender FAQ as prepared for the CBC by Michael Weinrath, associate professor of sociology and co-ordinator of the criminal justice program at the University of Winnipeg.


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August 8th, 2006


Peter Whitmore's lawyer, Daniel Brodsky, seemed to have taken a page out of the RCMP book and made an offer of his own.


"Here's a proposal," he said. "As long as Peter's not putting anyone's children at risk, no one should care where he lives. So he should be put in a psychiatric hospital."


What Brodksy proposed was that Whitmore be treated as a person with a mental illness and be committed to a psychiatric hospital.


Whitmore's lawyer compared the concept of pedophilia to other "incurable" illnesses like bulimia and anorexia.


"We know that pedophilia is a sickness. Well, you're not supposed to put sick people in jail, or criminalise the mentally ill," Brodsky said.


"If you accept as a premise that this guy is sick in the head, why shouldn't he have a better quality of life than a criminal in prison?"


"People pay lip service to the concept of illness. If you really believe he has an illness, then put him in a (hospital)... don't play games."


Brodsky said his client is ready to fight the dangerous offender label up to the Supreme Court of Canada if required. They said they would be ready to agree to a finding of not criminally responsible, or NCR.


If Whitmore is found NCR, Brodsky said his time in a psychiatric hospital would not be shorter than his time behind bars if declared a dangerous offender. He added that patients aren't allowed to leave until the doctors deem that they're no longer a risk to the public.


"There is no end date," Brodsky said. "I have clients who've been in hospital for 35 years."


Brodsky's plan to defend his client using pedophilia as an illness would be the first of its kind in Canada.


Jeff Pfiefer, a psychologist and police consultant in Regina, said, "I don't think anybody has pushed pedophilia into that level yet that it is considered to be a mental disorder which fits under the definition of insanity. That's the novel element of this."


"The previous pleas of insanity or mental incompetence revolve around schizophrenia, for instance or multiple personality: 'It wasn't me who killed him, it was my other personality.' "


Those illnesses have been successfully used in Canada and the United States for over a decade. A key issue in Whitmore's case is whether pedophiles know the difference between right and wrong.


Sanjeev Anand, who teaches criminal law at the University of Alberta, said that's where Whitmore's defence may have difficulties.


"It's only those individuals who have mental illnesses that are so extreme as to render them incapable of appreciating the nature and quality of the act or knowing the act was wrong," he said.


"That doesn't sound like Mr. Whitmore. A great deal of planning went into what he was doing, he tried to elude police."


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August 9th, 2006


Peter Whitmores older brother

"If I had been able to get inside (the farmhouse) I would have taken care of business. I would have finished it off one way or another."


Those were the words of Peter Whitmore's older brother in an exclusive interview with the Toronto Sun.


The 43-year-old electrician, who asked to remain anonymous, moved to the the northeastern United States six years ago to escape the spectre raised by his brother.


Despite a shared childhood that saw them apart and together in a series of foster home placements, there appeared to have been no love lost between the two siblings.


The brothers were separated by children's aid when Peter Whitmore was about two years old. Peter was paired with his older sister, while the two older brothers were put in a different foster home.


Peter and his sister were shuffled to two foster homes. When Peter was eight years old, the two brothers joined their younger siblings in the second home for about four years.


When Peter was about 18, his older brother took him in. After about five months Peter moved out and the two went their own ways.


When Peter turned 22, he was convicted of abducting and sexually assaulting four young boys in Toronto. Nine days after his release from a 16-month jail sentence, he abducted an eight-year-old girl and attacked a nine-year-old boy.


When he was released the second time, the older brother took Peter to a remote northern Ontario town.


"I decided to take him in to straighten him out ... we moved to get away from everything."


After the brother and a former brother-in-law unsuccessfully tried to get Whitmore jobs, but again Peter moved on. By the fall of 2000, Whitmore was found with a 13-year-old boy in a Toronto motel.


It was then the older Whitmore moved to the U.S.


"It's not just the victims who were victimised, but his family has also been victimised. There are more eyes, people looking at you, pointing fingers - it really upsets me," he said adding he's often joked about getting plastic surgery .


Speaking of the recent attention his younger sibling recently received, the brother said, "The courts aren't doing their jobs. How many (chances) are they going to give a person? It's always been three times and you're out."


Peter's brother feels he will never be rehabilitated and pleaded in the interview to have him slapped with a dangerous offender label.



Also on August 9th, 2006 the Saskatoon Star Phoenix obtained a copy of the letter offering Whitmore a deal and confirmed a Crown prosecutor's claim he didn't sign it.


“Interesting that my signature somehow got on a letter I’ve never seen,” Regina prosecutor Jeff Kalmakoff said. “If anybody has told you my signature was on that, that’s inaccurate.”


Kalmakoff said he was on holidays when he received a phone call from the RCMP.


“My involvement was limited to taking a phone call from the police when they had him in negotiations there. I simply took a phone call,” he said.


Previously, Daniel Brodsky, Whitmore's lawyer, said Kalmakoff had signed the letter and that the agreement should be binding on justice officials because the prosecutor’s signature was on the document.


Brodsky did not return calls to the Star Phoenix.


Glen Luther, a criminal law professor at the University of Saskatchewan, said there’s nothing in the RCMP’s letter that would prevent the Attorney General from pursuing a life sentence or a dangerous offender designation for Whitmore if he pleads guilty or is convicted.


“[Prosecutors are] not bound by agreements with the police,” Luther said. “The police don’t have the authority to bind the Crown in terms of plea decisions. At most, all [Inspector Del Pino] has agreed to is to recommend those things.”


Prosecutors could ignore that advice, Luther said. “It doesn’t even suggest that Mr. Kalmakoff agrees with the recommendation. There’s no deal for the Crown to renege on because they haven’t made any deal.”


Even if prosecutors don’t ask a judge for a life sentence, a judge can hand one down if the Criminal Code allows it, Luther said.


In the eyes of the Supreme Court of Canada, police are also “entitled to a certain amount of latitude” when negotiating with the accused, Luther said, saying trickery to capture a suspect is not out of the question.


“I expect that the courts would be very sympathetic with the police in this situation,” he said. “I mean, they’re trying to rescue a child.”


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August 10th, 2006


Peter Whitmore - Regina Leader Post photograph

Peter Whitmore made his second appearance in a Regina provincial courtroom to answer to five charges of abduction and sexual assault.


Instead of Daniel Brodsky, a Toronto lawyer who had been speaking on Whitmore's behalf, Legal Aid lawyer Tony Orlowski appeared with the accused and asked the matter be adjourned until August 24th so that Whitmore can formally hire a lawyer.


Brodsky said Whitmore has applied for Legal Aid.


Brodsky said he had written a letter to the Saskatchewan Crown prosecutors office requesting disclosure, stating he is acting on Whitmore's behalf even though he has not yet been formally retained.


Brodsky expects to know more about his future role in the case by the next court date.


Outside court Saskatchewan Crown prosecutor Anthony Gerein announced his office's intentions regarding the RCMP letter and what it contained.


Anthony Gerein - Regina Leader Post photograph

"At this time there is a reasonable likelihood that, upon conviction, Mr. Whitmore would be designated a dangerous offender and so we anticipate proceeding with that application and see no reason to compromise," Gerein said.


Gerein said the Crown was not accepting an RCMP recommendation, promised during Whitmore's standoff, that the designation not be sought.


"You will see that the RCMP honoured the terms of that letter and kept their half of the bargain. In fact, they are to be commended for the sterling service they gave the people of Saskatchewan and the wonderful end they brought to this matter. To this point, the Crown sees no basis to accept the recommendation."


"The Crown, public prosecutions, has never made a deal," said Gerein. "There is no deal with Mr. Whitmore."


Regarding Brodsky's recent assertions his client should be committed to a psychiatric institution, Gerein said the Crown sees no basis at this time to accept that Whitmore was suffering from mental illness at the time of the offences.



Also on August 10th, 2006 the Saskatoon Star Phoenix published the transcript of a letter RCMP used to effect the surrender of Peter Whitmore.


The Star Phoenix said it was provided with a copy of the letter by Saskatchewan Justice officials. A transcript can be read here and an image of the letter can be seen here.


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August 11th, 2006


Mike McIntyre

Reporter Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press obtained an exclusive interview with the Bullard family whose ten-year-old son was the subject of an Amber Alert that brought Peter Whitmore to national attention.


The interview took place at the Bullard's 320-acre Whitewood, Saskatchewan farm, and is the only one the family intends to give.


“I told police that very first night he would try to run, that he wouldn’t fall prey to that scum,” the father said.


The 10-year-old said he was given dog food, water and crackers to eat during the 48 hours he was with Whitmore.


When asked to summarise his ordeal, Stanley replied in one word: “Devastating.”


Stanley was located when Kipling-area resident Pat Beaujot came across Whitmore’s minivan by an abandoned farmhouse.


Beaujot recognised the van, called police, and watched in shock as the young boy came running toward them.


“He’s a hero, and we are very, very grateful for Mr. Beaujot,” the father said.


The family has spoken with Beaujot and plan to have dinner with him soon.


Stanley and Larry Marchand, who Whitmore introduced as a nephew, disappeared while riding their bikes on the Bullard farm.


The family said police quickly identified Whitmore through his minivan but didn’t tell them about his background.


“We stayed up all night, crying and praying and wondering who this guy was that had our son,” said the mother. “And then we turned on the television in the morning to see on Canada AM that Whitmore is a convicted pedophile. That’s how we found out.”


The entire family is now undergoing counselling.


“I’m like a mother bear now,” said the mother. “I don’t want this to change the way we are, but we haven’t been sleeping well. If I get my chores done, it’s a good day.”


Her son is looking forward to starting Grade 5 in a couple weeks. “I want to be a scientist,” Stanley said.


The father said they will eventually give up their right to anonymity and fight publicly for better monitoring and stiffer punishment of sex offenders.


They also want justice for their boy and have urged the Crown prosecutor to go to trial and seek the maximum penalty, even if it means a long, drawn-out legal battle.


“We want to fight this. It doesn’t matter if (the boy) has to testify. He’s already faced the worse he’s going to,” the father said.


“We’re not scared of Mr. Whitmore. My boy is very strong. Much stronger than we are. He has no idea who he’s dealing with.”


The entire Winnipeg Free Press article appears on Mike McIntyre's blog and in a more easily readable version on this page.


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August 16th, 2006


The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary announced they would not lay charges against Peter Whitmore.


The RNC said the child abuse sexual assault unit looked into Whitmore's activities in the area from June 28th to July 5th and decided not to lay charges.


"Due to the sensitive nature of these matters, the RNC will not be providing further details of the investigation," the RNC said in a news release.


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August 24th, 2006


Peter Whitmore

Peter Whitmore appeared briefly in a Regina courtroom wearing the same gray ‘Canada’ sweatshirt he has worn at all his previous court appearances.


He said nothing during the brief appearance, and was segregated from other prisoners.


Legal Aid lawyer Jennifer Calderbank told court she was asked to adjourn the case on behalf of Toronto lawyer Daniel Brodsky.


Brodsky represented Whitmore on previous occasions and is seeking to represent him on the new charges. He was not in court for the appearance.


Calderbank noted Brodsky has not yet been retained, and Judge Linton Smith adjourned the matter for one week.


Whitmore was denied Legal Aid services and is currently appealing the decision. If Legal Aid decides not to represent him, Whitmore can ask for court-appointed counsel and Brodsky could apply to take the case.


Brodsky is likely put forward a "Fisher application" – named for Saskatchewan's Larry Fisher case – where lawyers can argue for “reasonable” compensation for their role in high-profile and often costly cases.


In Fisher’s case, following the application, the court agreed to appoint Brian Beresh at Fisher’s request, even though the lawyer was not a resident of Saskatchewan. Beresh was also granted a fee above the usual legal aid tariff.


“I can’t do that until legal aid finally (refuses Whitmore),” Brodsky said. “I can’t go to a court and say, ‘Please appoint me (as) counsel. Have the attorney general pay for me,’ if (Whitmore) has not exhausted all of his other remedies.”


Richard Bullard, the father of the Saskatchewan boy, was in court but declined to speak with reporters afterward. He earlier met with Crown prosecutor Tony Gerein in private and said he will be making a statement in the future.


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August 25th, 2006


Daniel Brodsky, the Toronto lawyer who wanted to act as Whitmore's legal counsel, told reporter Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press that his client's rights were being violated.


Brodsky accused Saskatchewan justice officials of trying to gain a "tactical" advantage by refusing to disclose specific details to Whitmore.


Whitmore was advised by Brodsky to ask a judge to throw out his kidnapping and sex assault charges if the Crown doesn't immediately hand over evidence gathered against him.


"If this situation persists I will bring an application on Peter Whitmore's behalf to stay the proceedings," said Brodsky, who is seeking items such as statements from victims, forensic analysis and witness statements.


"I've written the Crown and he wrote me back saying he will not release disclosure to me and he did not give it to Peter. I'm very disappointed."


Brodsky said he had been officially retained by Whitmore and was working "pro bono" while his client appealed Legal Aid funding


In a letter to Crown attorney Anthony Gerein, Brodsky said Whitmore's legal funding issues shouldn't play a role in his denial of disclosure.


"In Canada the Crown's obligation to provide timely disclosure is not dependent upon the affluence of its citizens. The Crown cannot withhold disclosure from one lawyer in the hope that another, perhaps more deserving, comes along. Similarly, you cannot discriminate against the poor or the unrepresented by suppressing disclosure," Brodsky wrote.


"At this juncture the funding of Mr. Whitmore's defence is simply not your concern. Indeed, your duty to Mr. Whitmore would remain the same even if he discharged me and chose to defend himself. Crown disclosure should be provided with dispatch. If you will not send material to me, then give it directly to Peter Whitmore. He has a fair trial interest and your delay certainly impacts upon it."


Gerein said the Crown is waiting for Whitmore to sort out his legal issues before proceeding or commenting further.


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August 31st, 2006


Confusion over Peter Whitmore's legal representation prompted another delay of his proceedings.


Whitmore appeared before Saskatchewan judge Dennis Fenwick in a Regina courtroom and asked in his own voice to put the case over for another week "until I can figure out what's going on."


Judge Fenwick agreed and Whitmore is due back in court September 7th, 2006 with a decision as to who he wants to represent him.


Whitmore had originally been denied Legal Aid but his application was accepted after an appeal.


Saskatchewan Legal Aid lawyer James Struthers appeared in court on the matter but he is not yet acting as Whitmore's lawyer. His previous Legal Aid lawyer, Jennifer Calderbank, was also in attendance.


Toronto lawyer Daniel Brodsky, who was not in court, had been lobbying to represent Whitmore and was expected to make an application to that effect in the first week of September.


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September 3rd, 2006


Pat Beaujot, who helped catch Peter Whitmore, was honoured by the RCMP.


The force presented Beaujot with a certificate that recognised his role: "Your actions led to the safe return of two children and the successful apprehension of the suspect."


Beaujot received a standing ovation from a crowd in Kipling that came out for the presentation. He said the award should be shared by all who helped.


"There were many other people doing the same thing I was doing, so I just hope everyone else that worked on this could feel a bit of the gratitude I was feeling that day," he said.


Beaujot also thanked his wife, who showed him the example of someone always trying to help others.


"I also thanked her for teaching me to trust my instincts and that's probably what led me to that farmyard in the first place," he said.


Beaujot said he'd hang the framed certificate in his office as a reminder of why it's important to go out of your way to help people.


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September 7th, 2006


Whitmore appeared in Regina provincial court and told Judge Linton Smith he would like to represent himself.


Reading from a sheet of paper while in the prisoner's box, Whitmore asked that a date for a bail hearing and a preliminary hearing be set.


"I'll be acting on my own behalf," Whitmore said.


Smith responded with a standard warning given to accused who make that choice.


"You understand that's unwise?" Smith asked.


"Yes," Whitmore replied.


Whitmore had rejected the two Legal Aid laywers that were appointed to his case. Despite being granted the services of the lawyers, he never instructed them on how to proceed.


At the start of the brief court appearance, lawyer Tony Orlowski told court legal aid hasn't received instructions from Whitmore.


"Am I allowed to speak at this hearing?" Whitmore interrupted, earning a quick, "You be quiet" from Smith.


Whitmore had been without Saskatchewan legal representation since he was arrested August 1st.


On August 31st, the Saskatchewan Legal Aid commission said it would pay for a local lawyer, but not "out-of-towners" like Daniel Brodsky.


Brodsky has said Whitmore wanted him on the case, and had been representing Whitmore pro bono while seeking a funding arrangement with the province before he agrees to travel to Saskatchewan to take on the case full time.


Brodsky said he was willing to be paid the same fee as a legal-aid lawyer, but that offer was refused by Legal Aid.


"Here's what it's about. Client phones, 'Will you act for me?' I say to the client, 'Go see if you can find funding,' " Brodsky said.


"The guy looked at one place - legal aid. That didn't work. He'll go look to the judge later, but it's premature to bring that application right now until he knows more about the case."


Judge Smith adjourned the matter for a day so that conditions can be placed on how the evidence against Whitmore is disclosed to him as he prepares his defence.


Anthony Gerein - Canada.com photograph

Outside court, Crown prosecutor Anthony Gerein told the media there is case law in Saskatchewan that allows for certain restrictions to be put on how defendants receive disclosure of evidence while acting on their own behalf.


"Of course, anyone in Canada has the right to represent themselves if they so choose. But when it's disclosure in a sensitive case, it's open to the court to put certain controls on how that disclosure will be used," Gerein said.


September 11th, 2006 was forwarded as a possible date for a bail hearing.


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September 8th, 2006


After a combative half-hour session, Saskatchewan Judge Dennis Fenwick ruled that even though Daniel Brodsky was not the lawyer of record on Whitmore's case, it would be easier if he were to receive disclosure evidence directly from the Crown.


The hearing began with the Crown proposing a series of restrictions, such as giving Whitmore only 9-to-5 access to a private room to view the evidence, with any notes he makes to stay there (which could then be viewed by police and used as evidence against him).


Another condition required Whitmore not to discuss the evidence with others, preventing him from talking to Brodsky or potential witnesses.


Whitmore raised objection to the conditions and suggested it would easier if evidence was instead turned over to Brodsky directly as he was helping him out on a pro-bono basis.


Justice Fenwick agreed.


Crown Prosecutor Anthony Gerein announced dates had been proposed for a Fisher hearing to decide if Brodsky will be appointed as counsel by the province.


The case was adjourned until September 14th, 2006 with no dates set for bail or preliminary hearings.


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September 14th, 2006


Whitmore appeared briefly in court and Judge Dennis Fenwick adjourned his case for two weeks so that Daniel Brodsky could have time to review the Crown's evidence against his client.


Crown prosecutor Anthony Gerein said Brodsky had agreed to certain conditions – none of which Gerein would discuss – allowing him to receive the information.


From the prisoner's box, Whitmore asked if he would be the subject of a psychiatric assessment.


To date, the Crown had not asked for one, and Judge Fenwick advised Whitmore that he should talk to Brodsky before he requested such a step.


Brodsky had said he intended to argue Whitmore, as a pedophile, suffers from an illness.


Gerein had said that was not the Crown’s position, restating outside court "An accused person is assumed sane unless and until it’s established otherwise."


"And so in this instance, if Mr. Whitmore wishes to question that, there are procedures under the Criminal Code that he can follow to induce evidence in that regard. We will just wait and see. That’s for him to do."


The case was set over to September 28th, 2006.


In the meantime, the town of Whitewood – where Whitmore kidnapped Stanley Bullard – started a petition asking Ottawa for changes to legislation that would include mandatory electronic or other form of monitoring for pedophiles released from custody.


Malcolm Green - Whitewood Herald photograph

"I think it's time that we can make it safe for our young people to be able to live normal lives," Whitewood Mayor Malcolm Green (left) said.


"We're asking to put stiffer penalties and better protection and more information in peoples hands than is available today."


Green's opinion was echoed by the man who alerted police to Peter Whitmore's hideout.


"I will also be active in circulating it," said Pat Beaujot. "I think we should have better information on pedophiles and their whereabouts – I can't think of a worse thing that one human can do to another."


The petition was developed with Ed Komarnicki, the Conservative MP for Souris-Moose Mountain, who planned to deliver the petition after Parliament resumes sitting.


The petition was launched online on the Whitewood town website at www.townofwhitewood.ca.


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September 28th, 2006


Whitmore again appeared in Regina provincial court and was told the Crown has amended its case against him to add more charges to the original five he faced.


Whitmore now stands charged with one count of kidnapping, one count of abducting a child under 14, three counts of sexual assault causing bodily harm, one count of assault and three counts of uttering death threats.


A charge of kidnapping the Manitoba teen was amended to unlawful confinement and there are two weapons-related charges involving a knife and a pellet gun.


Whitmore was also charged with possessing child pornography and two charges that it was shown to the boys.


Whitmore, who again represented himself, waived reading of the charges during the proceedings.


Provincial court Judge Eugene Lewchuk adjourned the case to October 12th, 2006 so that Whitmore can consult with Toronto lawyer Daniel Brodsky before entering a plea.


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October 12th, 2006


Dates for Whitmore's preliminary hearing were set.


While the Crown had asked for a start date of December 4th, 2006, Whitmore stated a preference for January 8th, 2007.


Whitmore said he needed the later date claiming his lawyer still had not received full disclosure of evidence from the Crown.


Judge Eugene Lewchuk ruled in favour of Whitmore. Whitmore also elected trial in Court of Queen's Bench by judge and jury. Representing himself, he didn't enter a plea.


Crown prosecutor Anthony Gerein anticipated it would take four days to hear evidence and witness testimony at the preliminary hearing.


Gerein contested Whitmore's claim that all the Crown's evidence against him had not been turned over to his defence.


"Everything that we have has been released, but of course an investigation is an ongoing thing. As material comes to light it is provided. If anymore comes to light, it will be provided."


Gerein said further charges have not been ruled out. The prosecutor explained to reporters outside court the impact of Whitmore's trial election.


"Because he elected Queen's Bench with a jury, therefore he doesn't have to plead now. You plead when you go to Queen's Bench. This sets the pattern though and the path for the preliminary inquiry."


Because Whitmore is without representation, there were questions about whether he would be allowed to cross-examine witnesses.


"There are provisions in the Criminal Code that will address those things," said Gerein. "We will cross that bridge when we come to it."


Court heard that Toronto lawyer Daniel Brodsky was continuing to help Whitmore in an unofficial capacity.


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Whitmore's Background


Peter Robert Joseph Whitmore

When details of Peter Whitmore's criminal record first came to light, comparisons were soon drawn to Mountie-killers James Roszko and Curtis Alfred Dagenais.


Like Roszko and Dagenais, Whitmore had extensive dealings with a judicial system unable to respond to ample warning signs that further harm to the public was not only possible – it was probable.


While Roszko and Dagenais had histories of violence towards authority, Whitmore's speciality was pedophilia – crimes involving children.


In a 2003 interview with the Chilliwack Times newspaper, Whitmore's aunt, Lynn Hopkins, said Whitmore's father left him and his developmentally disabled mother when he was born.


Hopkins said Whitmore had a Grade 7 education when he first went to prison and since earned his Grade 12 equivalency. However, she said, he has the emotional maturity of someone half his age.


In 1993, Whitmore was convicted of abduction and five sexual offences involving four young boys in the Toronto area.


One of the cases involved a boy Whitmore lured from a swimming pool to an apartment building rooftop boiler room where he sexually assaulted him over several hours. Three other boys came forward with their experiences, and Whitmore was sentenced to 16 months in jail.


"Upon his arrest, (Whitmore) admitted a strong desire for sexual contact with young boys and expressed fear that if he did not stop, more serious harm was likely to occur," court documents read.


After his release, Whitmore established a professional babysitting service and forced one of his young charges, an eight-year-old girl, to perform oral sex on him after taking her from Guelph to Toronto.


The assault occurred nine days after Whitmore stepped out of jail. He was arrested in Shelburne, Nova Scotia after a motel owner phoned police.


Publicity stemming from the case uncovered a sexual assault Whitmore committed in 1992, when he paid a young boy for oral sex.


Diagnosed as a homosexual pedophile with an anti-social personality, Whitmore was held in prison for his entire 56-month sentence for the assault against the eight-year-old.


The court imposed a rare, lifetime prohibition against his being alone with children under the age of 14.


In January 2000 Whitmore fled to Mexico where he cultivated relationships with other children. He was arrested and extradited back to Canada.



Residents of a Toronto neighbourhood wanted to run Whitmore out of town. Whitmore then made a startling appeal on CTV's Canada AM television program in October 2000.


Whitmore on CTV

"I want to take treatment," he said, "It's going to be very hard to take treatment if I'm moving from town to town."


The full 8 1/2 minute interview between Valerie Pringle, Peter Whitmore and his lawyer Daniel Brodsky can be viewed here.


Less than a month later, Whitmore was found with a 13-year-old boy in a Toronto motel. He was sentenced to one year in jail.


In 2002, a judge in Toronto sentenced Whitmore to three years in jail for probation violations after he was found in the company of a five-year-old boy in Scarborough and had fled to British Columbia.


When arrested, Whitmore was carrying what police termed a rape kit: latex gloves, duct tape, pictures of young children, tubes of jelly lubricant, a sleeping bag and plastic zip ties that could be used as handcuffs. Also found were binoculars, a passport application and a list of child web site addresses.


Whitmore agreed to return to Ontario in exchange for having the B.C. charges dropped.


Whitmore was released on June 16th, 2005 after serving his entire three-year sentence and took up residence in Chilliwack with his aunt.



Peter Robert Joseph Whitmore

On June 2nd, 2006 RCMP in Alberta issued a public warning about a dangerous offender with a long history of molesting children who was expected to visit St. Albert and Morinville over the weekend.


Whitmore was coming to town and police said he posed a "significant risk to offend against both boys and girls."


He arrived at his brother Dave's rundown unit in the Morinville Estates trailer park in an old car neighbours noted had B.C. plates.


At the time of the visit, Whitmore was supposed to stay in contact with local police, and was not allowed to have a weapon or be within 300 metres of any place children under 18 might be found.


When he announced that he was seeking permanent residency in Morinville, Whitmore was asked to attend a Section 810 peace bond court hearing to set protocols for his activities and movements. The date was set for June 29th, two weeks and a year after his last release from jail.


Whitmore's previous peace bond, which allows courts to impose limits on persons who have served their full sentence, had expired on June 12th.


A probation officer with B.C. Corrections had made a recommendation to the Crown in early June to renew the recognizance order. It wasn’t acted on because Whitmore told Chilliwack RCMP he was moving to Alberta, meaning they no longer had jurisdiction.


Whitmore was not legally compelled to attend the June 29th hearing ... and he didn't.


He had total freedom for the first time in more than a decade.


The RCMP then lost track of Whitmore. A Canada-wide warrant was issued by Morinville RCMP on July 14th.


An RCMP spokesman said the delay was due to the small nature of the court office in the town of 6,000 – July 14th was the earliest court date available.


Meanwhile, Whitmore put as much distance possible between himself and Morinville, making it all the way to Topsail, Newfoundland by the end of June.


Located 20-minutes from St. John's, residents of Topsail heard how Whitmore had lost his wife to cancer and that he was looking to bring his two young children to the area.


After celebrating Canada Day in the community located on the most eastern tip of the country, Whitmore disappeared only to re-surface in Winnipeg a week later where he met the Marchand family.


With confirmation of his activity in Winnipeg, RCMP now know Whitmore made it across six provinces twice in three weeks before ending up in Whitewood, Saskatchewan. How he afforded the travel isn't known.


“Our search is the western provinces right now,” an RCMP spokesman said at the time of Stanley Bullard's disappearance on July 30th.


“We certainly don’t know what the direction of travel would have been from the Whitewood area, so we’ve have fanned this out to both the Alberta and Manitoba sides of Saskatchewan. We've notified the border and there's also a plane up helping with the search."


On August 1st, 2006 Whitmore was discovered 25 kilometres away from his most recent abduction.


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Stanley Bullard


Stanley Bullard

Late on July 30th, 2006 Saskatchewan RCMP issued an Amber Alert for ten-year-old Stanley Bullard.


Bullard was last seen at about noon on the 30th in Whitewood, Saskatchewan, 165 kilometres east of Regina.


At the time, police believed Bullard was taken by Peter Whitmore. A Canada-wide warrant was issued July 31st charging Whitmore with abduction.


"The suspect has been seen in the Whitewood area over the last few days. The suspect has also been in contact with the victim's family in the last few days, as well," said an RCMP spokesman.


It was the first time the Amber Alert system had been activated in Saskatchewan since its inception.


“The level of concern is extremely grave at this time. We believe that the victim may come to harm and that is the purpose for putting out the Amber Alert,” the spokesman added.


1988 Blue Dodge Minivan

RCMP also said that Whitmore may have been accompanied by an aboriginal youth, Larry Marchand, last seen in a bus depot in Brandon, Manitoba on July 22nd.


Police also advised that Whitmore was driving a 1988 Dodge Caravan, possibly with wood panelling, displaying Alberta plates CUS 532.


They later revised the alert saying that while the van had Alberta plates, the numbers were not valid.



In the days after the standoff near Kipling, tales of local encounters with Peter Whitmore were shared over cups of coffee in cafes and on the front porches of Whitewood. Taken together they weave a web of convincing deception, one of Whitmore's more practiced pathological skills.


The day after Whitmore left Manitoba with Larry Marchand in tow (and a week before Stanley was abducted), Mike and Michelle Koch heard a knock at their door.


The young married couple lived across the road from Stanley and his family.


Whitmore told Mike and Michelle that he and Larry, introduced as his nephew, had just come from Winnipeg and were staying at a local campground where they had all their money stolen.


Whitmore offered to sell them a portable DVD player for $60 to cover gas expenses. They declined the stranger.


The couple thought nothing of their meeting with Whitmore other than it was odd he asked them how far Whitewood was from Winnipeg and how long it took to make the trip.


"Since he said he just came from there, you'd think he'd know," said Mike.


Mike said that Marchand was quiet, no more and no less than any other shy teenager he knew. Michelle added he didn't make any movements indicating he wanted to leave or that he was being held against his will.


As soon as they heard Stanley was missing, Mike and Michelle Koch told their story to police.



On the Thursday before Stanley disappeared, Whitmore's van was spotted late in the evening on the lot of the Whitewood Service Centre, the town's Chrysler dealership on Railway Street.


Whitewood Service Centre

Inside the van, Whitmore and Larry were sleeping.


The next morning, Kevin White, owner of the family-run business, found himself listening to an elaborate tale spun by Whitmore before he even had a chance to open the showroom doors.


Whitmore introduced himself as Robert Summer, and Larry as his son.


Whitmore told White he was just passing through town after visiting his wife in nearby Moosomin. He said he worked in the oil fields in St. Albert, near Edmonton, "making the big bucks."


White noted that Whitmore mis-pronounced "Moosomin." What White probably didn't know was that St. Albert is an upper-tier suburban bedroom community best described as the antithesis of the petro-chemical industry.


A tire on Whitmore's van had gone flat.


At the Whitewood Service Centre web site, the dealership boasts its business "is based on small town morals, where customers are treated as friends, not numbers."


No wonder Kevin White must have thought it didn't add up when he later found himself in an argument with Whitmore/Summer over the $113 repair bill.


Odder still was that Whitmore, who said he was strapped for cash despite his lucrative oil-field income, then suddenly was making offers on used cars in the lot.


All the while, Larry stood silently by Whitmore's side and was even briefly alone with White and other staff.


"There wasn't a peep from him. But he didn't look hurt, or bruised. He was just kind of there," White said.



On Saturday afternoon, 17-year-old Daniel Loffler met Whitmore and Marchand at a garage sale in the nearby Glenavon area.


Whitmore was trying to buy just the mattress from a single bed. He argued with the owner who did not want to sell it unless the bed frame was sold with it. Whitmore then bought some cassette tapes from the man.


Loffler said he tried to talk to the boy who was with Whitmore.


"He just looked like he was real scared. So I talked to him. I went up and asked him, "How’s it going?" and he didn’t even look at me. He just kept looking at the ground. So he didn’t really say anything. I asked him what his name was and he didn’t say anything."


Loffler continued, "And then the guy came and stood between me and him so I couldn’t talk to him, and then he started talking to me. He said his name was Robbie or something like that, and he said it was his kid that was named Larry. He was actually a pretty nice guy. Like he seemed all right."



In 2002, Richard and Debbie Bullard moved with their three children to Whitewood from Rockyford, Alberta. Neighbours and community residents described them as solid, hard-working and friendly people.


Richard, a farmer who also works as a truck driver, was described by his uncle, Jim Bullard, as "the kind of guy who helps everyone."


On Saturday evening, Whitmore and Larry arrived in their van on the driveway of the Bullard home. The new tire had gone flat again after Whitmore claimed he ran over something.


Richard took Whitmore to a local tire repair shop where owner Willy Cowan fixed it around 7:00 p.m.


"He told me he'd bought a house in the area and was looking for work. He said he had a native son who was going to a school up on the highway (near a reserve)," Cowan later said.


Cowan heard Whitmore call Bullard by his first name even though the men had just met. He had left Larry back home at the Bullard's, where he began playing with their son, Stanley.


The boys played again on Sunday while Bullard took Whitmore around the area looking for job prospects.


Larry and Stanley went out bike riding together. Hours later, only two empty bikes were found.


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Larry Marchand


Larry Marchand

As the Amber Alert issued for Stanley Bullard became national news, the plight of Larry Marchand, 14, received widespread attention.


Larry Marchand was last seen by Dave Talbot, Larry's stepfather, with Whitmore on July 22nd at about 6:45 p.m. at a bus depot in Brandon, Manitoba.


Whitmore, who had worked a few odd construction jobs with Talbot, was representing himself as "Robert Summer."


A missing person's report was issued for Larry, but Winnipeg police did not treat his case as a kidnapping.


Larry's mother, Jackie Anderson, said Whitmore had become a co-worker and friend to her husband in early July.


Anderson said she recognised Whitmore's picture on TV: "There's no doubt in my mind that that's him."


She said Whitmore and her husband had gone to Brandon on July 22nd to pick up a new truck.


Whitmore's vehicle "broke down" and he told Talbot he had $2,000 in Winnipeg that he could use to pay for repairs. Whitmore convinced Talbot to go to Winnipeg alone by bus to retrieve the money.


Anderson said Whitmore pledged "I'll bring Larry home."


When Whitmore phoned the next day, he repeated his promise but never followed through, she said.


She was able to speak to Larry who kept saying "Mom, I don't know where I am."


Larry's grandmother, Angela Marchand, wondered why an Amber Alert was not issued at the time.


"When we knew that my grandson was with a stranger, I don't think everybody should have assumed it's OK," she said. "I think right away there should have been proper authorities trying to know where he is."


Winnipeg police said specific criteria must be met before an Amber Alert can be issued. They said those guidelines were not met in the Marchand case.


Whitmore then drove with Larry to Whitewood, Saskatchewn where he introduced the boy to townsfolk as his son. Then they met the Bullard family and their son, Stanley.


The story of Whitmore and Larry in Whitewood continues here.



After the harsh truth of Peter Whitmore's history became common knowledge, Larry Marchand's mother and stepfather, Jackie Anderson and Dave Talbot, faced public criticism that they left their son in the care of a convicted pedophile.


Coming to the couple's defense, Lianna McDonald, executive director of Child Find Manitoba said, "This individual was extremely manipulative and calculated. This was not a sporadic event. This is what he's consistently done and it appears this is what he's done here."


"People don't necessarily assume that an adult who befriends a family is looking to harm their children," said McDonald.


"He duped the family. He provided a false name, he befriended the family, and we're convinced (Talbot) would never have left him if he had any concerns for his safety," said Const. Jacquie Chaput, a spokeswoman for Winnipeg police. "It's not a matter of woulda, coulda, shoulda. The focus should be on their safe return."


Chaput said Winnipeg police took the case "very seriously" from the outset but didn't issue an Amber Alert for Marchand because they didn't know the man he was with was Whitmore.


"We did check the name that was provided to the family and nothing came up," she said.


Jackie Anderson later said through a family spokesman, "I'm not talking to any more reporters."


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Public and Political Reaction


Response to Whitmore's actions in Saskatchewan was almost universal in condeming the legal system's current ability to deal with offenders who show strong likelihoods to repeat their crimes.


Steve Sullivan of the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime said, "When Whitmore was released in 2005... the experts at Correctional Services said he had a 100 per cent chance of re-offending."


After the latest abductions "we no longer have to wonder when he's going to do it, or where, or to whom."


"People should be calling their MPs and saying, 'What is the new government going to do about it? What are we going to do with Peter Whitmore and what are we going to do with people like him?' "


The resource centre is seeking revisions to the Criminal Code allowing courts to deem chronic pedophiles as dangerous offenders.


Dangerous offender applications can only be made during sentencing and only for crimes resulting in prison terms of 10 years or more – none of Whitmore's crimes commanded such a sentence.


A dangerous offender can be jailed indefinitely after their prison terms expire.


Court orders prohibiting pedophiles from contacting children and public warnings from police only go so far, said Sullivan.


"If that's the best we can do, then we have to do a lot more."



Generic report image

The National Parole Board documents Sullivan quoted also said Whitmore believed his past victims were "willing participants."


Whitmore was twice denied early release as the board feared he would prey on more children. They noted he had done little to change his behaviour despite taking part in treatment sessions.


"While participating in the High Intensity Sex Offender Treatment Program, you refused to participate in arousal conditioning because you did not want to stop the fantasies toward male children," said the March 2004 report.


The document indicated Whitmore's attraction to young boys was unchecked and noted clinicians agreed he had a "100% probability of recidivism."



Toronto lawyer Daniel Brodsky, who represented Whitmore until recently, said he was "blown away" that his peace bond had been allowed to expire.


"I was absolutely blown away by the idea that he was just left unsupervised. The people charged with the responsibility for protecting the community have to actually do their job."


Brodsky said he last spoke with his former client in May when Whitmore called him from Chilliwack, B.C.


"He reported to me that he didn't like being on the peace bond, but he was complying with the conditions and everything was fine."


Brodsky said Whitmore told him he didn't want to be in trouble with the law again.


"I don't think Peter is a criminal. I think Peter has an illness. So if he needs to be somewhere, he needs to be in a hospital, not a penitentiary or a jail."



University of Alberta criminologist Keith Spencer said Whitmore's behaviour followed a common pattern of many sex offenders and pedophiles.


"They're just in another category where deterring them is difficult," he said.


Spencer said it's not known why people become pedophiles. He said most – if not all – were sexually abused themselves as children.



"Why was there not a dangerous offender hearing for this guy a long time ago?" asked Ben Doyle, the chairman of the victims' advocacy group CAVEAT. "He's a time bomb. No one should be surprised that he's done this."


"He has multiple victims, multiple offences, and he keeps getting out. And everyone involved in this case – judges, lawyers, police, everyone – knew that he would re-offend."



John Muise of the Canadian Centre for Abuse Awareness said the Section 810 court orders need to be extended for longer than a year.


"The bottom line is those post sentence orders need to be fixed. They're too short. They're a year. They need to be five years. They're very difficult to obtain. And quite frankly, we've taken a cookie-cutter approach to responding to criminals."



There were those who urged restraint when labelling accused offenders.



Steven Skurka, a Toronto lawyer who also once had Whitmore for a client, said there is some room for improvement in the criminal justice system but he urged caution.


"The concern I have is that we not use one case and draw sweeping conclusions."


"This whole notion that we should have the kind of registries for example they have in the States where the public would have complete access to them rather than the police monitoring them, that's led to actual deaths in the state of Maine."


In April 2006 Stephen A. Marshall killed two convicted sex offenders before killing himself in a Boston bus station after he was cornered by police.


The Maine Sex Offender Registry web site, which Marshall used to compile a map of where 34 offenders lived, was taken off-line.



EPS Detective Wil Tonowski

Detective Wil Tonowski of the Edmonton Police Service high-risk offender unit also offered a different perspeective.


"Prior to this latest incident, my understanding is Whitmore had gone an entire year with no breaches of the 810."


"So it would have been a real challenge, maybe impossible, to get any court to agree to renewing the bond. These 810 orders, let's face it, have a huge impact on basic human rights. You're putting conditions on someone who's served his complete sentence. So courts are very leery of them."



Saskatchewan Justice Minister Frank Quennell believes that the orders that restrict an offender's post-sentence movements should be longer.


Art Hangar, a Conservative MP from Calgary and a former police officer, also called for tougher prison terms for those convicted of sex offences involving children.


"There's only one way to keep a pedophile away from our children and that's to lock them up for longer periods of time and if in fact they're really serious abusers, put them away for life," he said.


In June 2006 Hangar introduced a private members' bill calling for tougher sentences.


Vic Toews

Federal Justice Minister Vic Toews said he is examining ways to expand the use of the dangerous offender designation.


Toews said he's consulting with his provincial counterparts about how to make it easier for them to pursue the dangerous offender label.


"Some of these sexual offenders are just hard-wired: they are simply not going to be reformed. Obviously, some sort of measures need to be taken to protect the public from these people."



A 630 CHED Radio news poll asked Edmontonians if convicted pedophiles should get a life sentence.


91.4% responded "Yes," 4.02% responded "No," and 4.56% responded "Don't know."


There was no indication of how many voted on the August 2nd, 2006 one-day voluntary poll which allowed only one response per computer.


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The Amber Alert


Amber Alerts were created following the abduction and murder of nine-year-old Amber Hagerman of Texas on January 17th, 1996.


Police issue the alerts through the media and place them on electronic highway signs if they believe there’s a risk an abducted child could be hurt.


The alert system was founded on statistical evidence that children kidnapped by sex offenders or other strangers are often killed within hours of their disappearance.


The Amber Alert issued for Stanley Bullard was the first in Saskatchewan's history.


A government infrastructure spokesman for Alberta, where Whitmore had recently resided, said that province did not activate its Amber Alert system as they did not have a formal request from police.


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RCMP Appeal


On August 1st, 2006 police took the unusual measure of making a direct appeal to Peter Whitmore.


The appeal, carried over radio, television and the internet on the RCMP web site, was voiced by Chilliwack RCMP Corp. Laural Mathew, the officer Whitmore dealt with in British Columbia after his last release from jail.


In a relaxed and friendly manner, Mathew reminded Whitmore of their previous working relationship.


Peter, I worked with you for a year here in Chilliwack and I got to know you pretty well.


You were doing so well while you were here and I know that you have been going through some stress lately and you’ve obviously been put on edge, but Peter this needs to come to an end.


The best thing for you to do - right now - is to find a way to do what you’ve always done before and release the children. It’s time to do that now Peter. All you have to do is drop them off at any safe place where they can be found.


If you need someone to help you, call a lawyer or a family member or me. I gave your aunt all of my contact information - you can call her and either she or you can get in touch with me any time, day or night.


What we want for you and the kids is to be OK. Peter, you’ve got to do this now.


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RCMP Letter


On August 10th, 2006 the Saskatoon Star Phoenix published the transcript of a letter RCMP used to effect the surrender of Peter Whitmore.


The Star Phoenix said it was provided with a copy of the letter by Saskatchewan Justice officials. An image of the letter can be seen here.


Transcript of RCMP letter to Peter Whitmore, dated Aug. 1, 2006.


To Whom It May Concern,


Re: Peter Robert Joseph Whitmore


I will recommend to Sask. Justice that the Crown Prosecutor will not seek a dangerous offender designation for Mr. Whitmore. Nor a life sentence (LRCD).*


Mr. Whitmore has agreed to plead guilty to any offenses he has committed in the last 24-48 hours.


Mr. Whitmore has requested he be housed in a single cell under complete segregation and I do not oppose that request.


I have discussed this with Mr. Jeff Kalmakoff, Crown Prosecutor, Sask. Justice, Regina.


- Inspector Len Del Pino, Incident Commander.


*Note: LRCD are Inspector Del Pino's initials added after he amended the document.


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Notes About This Page


On August 3rd, 2006 a Regina court imposed a publication ban which prevented the further naming of the two young boys central to the story that brought Peter Whitmore to national attention.


The narrative aspect of their part of the Whitmore story has been retained on this web site; however, fictional names have been applied to the boys and their families.


While the Last Link is reluctant to employ this journalistic device, it prefers to reflect the wishes of the courts. The actual names of all those involved are available by searching old newspapers readily found at local libraries and in household recycling bins, or by using Google.


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