S02E18: THE MUSKOKA MURDERS

The Muskoka region of Ontario is usually a beautiful summer destination for cottage owners in Canada, but this week we tell you the story of its dark underside: a side of the community that centers around one family whom many suspect to be responsible for a string of murders from the 1990's.

After 77-year-old Joan Lawrence went missing in the fall of 1998, the Laan family was at the center of rumors and speculation about what could have happened to her. The police investigation that follows unveils what was going on behind closed doors of the Laan family's business dealings- specifically those related to a series of retirement homes they owned in the Muskoka region. In this story, the alleged mistreatment of the residents and their missing pension checks are only the beginning. Could the Laan family also be responsible for this series of suspected murders? Or is there another explanation about what really happened to the seniors?

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EPISODE RESOURCES:

'The Fifth Estate' Episode

CBC News: Joan Lawrence's family seeks justice:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/cat-lady-joan-lawrence-family-muskoka-mystery-missing-seniors-1.5386819

The Walrus- Investigative Report:
https://thewalrus.ca/muskoka-mystery-police-suspected-murder-in-the-case-of-missing-senior/

Updates on the Case (2019):
https://www.toronto.com/news-story/9518900-opp-give-update-into-1998-99-disappearance-of-4-seniors-in-muskoka/

'Murder in Cottage Country' (The Fifth Estate):
https://youtu.be/b2BAieMXRxc

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