Photo gallery: Alta. RCMP link four historical homicides to deceased serial killer
Edmonton – Alberta RCMP have linked four historical homicides of young women from the 1970’s to Gary Allen Srery, a now deceased serial sexual offender. The Alberta RCMP Historical Homicide Unit (HHU) believe there may be more unsolved homicides in Western Canada related to this individual.
Eva Dvorak (14) and Patricia McQueen (14)
In 1976, Eva Dvorak and Patricia (Patsy) McQueen, both 14-years-old, were junior high school students residing in Calgary. The teenagers were friends who spent time together in and outside of school. On the evening of Feb. 14, 1976, Eva and Patsy were last seen walking together in downtown Calgary.
On Feb. 15, 1976, at approximately 10:40 a.m., the young women were found deceased under the Happy Valley Overpass on Highway 1, west of Calgary.
Melissa Rehorek (20)
In the spring of 1976, 20-year-old Melissa Rehorek relocated to Calgary from Ontario. At the time of her death, Rehorek was employed as a housekeeper and living at the YWCA in downtown Calgary. Rehorek was last seen on the evening of Sept. 15, 1976, by a roommate. She had intended on hitchhiking out of the city during her days off.
On Sept. 16, 1976, at approximately 10:50 am, her body was located in the ditch on what is now known as Township Road 252, approximately 22 kilometres west of Calgary.
Barbara MacLean (19)
In 1977, Barbara MacLean was 19-years-old. Originating from Nova Scotia, Barbara had moved to Calgary six months prior and was employed at a local bank. On Feb. 25, 1977, Barbara attended the Highlander Hotel bar in Calgary with friends. She was last seen walking alone from the hotel in the early hours of Feb. 26, 1977.
Barbara’s body was discovered by a dog walker in the area of 6th Street and 80th Avenue NE, Calgary, approximately six hours later.
Autopsies were conducted on all four victims. The Medical Examiner was unable to determine the cause of death for Eva Dvorak and Patsy McQueen. Consequently, their deaths were not ruled homicides, but rather investigated as sudden deaths. Melissa Rehorek and Barbara MacLean’s cause of death was asphyxiation due to manual strangulation.
Exhibits seized from all four victims were submitted to the RCMP’s National Forensic Lab Services for testing. Although seminal fluid was discovered at all three crime scenes, the technology did not exist to develop a DNA profile at the time.
From the onset, similarities between Melissa Rehorek and Barbara MacLean’s deaths led investigators to believe the same suspect was responsible for both homicides.
Over the past 40 years, the Alberta RCMP exhausted investigational means in an attempt to identify the person(s) responsible for these tragic deaths. These files were never closed and were continually being reassessed under the microscope of new information, advancement in technology, and evolution of police techniques.
In 2003, with the advancement of enhanced DNA analysis, police were able to confirm the same suspect was linked to both Melissa Rehorek and Barbara MacLean’s murders through DNA. At that time, the suspect’s DNA was compared against the National DNA Databank without a match. The profile was uploaded into the Databank and went without a hit for over 20 years.
When the tool known as Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) became available, the Alberta RCMP were hopeful they could identify the unknown DNA contributor linked to the Melissa Rehorek and Barbara MacLean homicides.
In 2021, the RCMP and CPS formed a true partnership to use IGG to successfully identify the suspect.
RCMP investigators re-examined the exhibits that they had seized over 45 years ago. They worked with the RCMP lab and Parabon NanoLabs to develop a single nucleotide polymorphisms profile that was in turn uploaded to GEDMatch and FamilyTreeDNA.
Genealogists from Convergence IGG were able to start building a family tree based on the SNP profile while CPS consulted with them and completed target testing to help drive the genealogy portion forward. When target testing was complete, Convergence IGG was able to provide a suspect hypothesis.
Analytical queries confirmed the suspect’s connection to Canada and that he had a criminal record of committing violent acts on women.
The resulting investigation, which took RCMP investigators throughout Alberta, British Columbia and several US states confirmed this hypothesis.
During this same time, crime scene evidence was resubmitted to the lab from the Dvorak and McQueen investigation. The same unknown male DNA profile was identified on both victims that matched the unknown male DNA profile from the Rehorek and MacLean murders. In light of this new information, the RCMP believed that the same male offender was responsible for the deaths of all four victims.
The RCMP, utilizing the information provided through IGG, began a cross border investigation into United States citizen, Gary Allen Srery (born 1942). Srery died of natural causes in an Idaho State prison in 2011 while serving a sentence for rape. With assistance from Interpol and Idaho State Police Forensic Services, Srery’s DNA was confirmed as a match to the unknown male DNA profile present on all four Calgary victims.
The Alberta RCMP believe Gary Allen Srery is responsible for the murders of Patsy McQueen, Eva Dvorak, Melissa Rehorek and Barbara MacLean.
Through the background investigation into Srery, members of the Alberta RCMP HHU were able to establish the following:
- Gary Allen Srery was a US citizen who was residing illegally in Canada at the time of the murders;
- Prior to coming to Calgary, Srery had an extensive criminal record in the United States for sex related offences including forcible rape, kidnapping, burglary and sexual perversion;
- Srery appeared to flee the US sometime during 1974 after posting bail for a rape charge in California;
- Srery lived under aliases in Calgary in 1976 and 1977 that included, but were not limited to, Willy Blackman and Rex Long;
- Srery lived a transient lifestyle and worked occasionally under the table as a cook;
- Srery was adept at frequently changing his appearance, place of residence and vehicles; and
- Srery lived in Alberta and British Columbia from the mid to late 1970s up until 2003 when he was deported.
Srery’s criminality spanned decades, over multiple jurisdictions, under numerous aliases, and the Alberta RCMP believe there may be more victims.
RCMP are asking the public to assist in further establishing Srery’s timeline in Canada. If you recognize Gary Srery or knew him by one of his many aliases the Alberta RCMP want to hear from you. For tips, please contact the Alberta RCMP Historical Crime Unit via K-IDEOLOGY@rcmp-grc.gc.ca or by phone at 780-509-3306.
If you believe Srery may be associated to or responsible for a crime in your jurisdiction, Alberta RCMP ask that you reach out to the policing agency within that jurisdiction to report.
“For over forty years, investigators did not give up in their pursuit to identify those responsible for these murders,” said Superintendent David Hall, Officer in Charge of the Alberta RCMP’s Serious Crimes Branch. “Identifying the perpetrator does not bring Eva, Patsy, Melissa or Barbara back. It is our hope however, that the families are finally able to have some answers as to what happened to their loved ones all of those years ago.”
“Regardless of how much time has passed, we remain relentless in pursuing justice for all Calgarians,” said Insp. Kevin Forsen of the CPS Major Crimes Section. “In this case, our investigators dedicated countless hours lending their Investigative Genetic Genealogy expertise to the RCMP and are grateful to have played a part in finding answers for the family.”
To the families and friends of other unsolved homicide victims – the Alberta RCMP would like to assure you that no case is ever closed and that investigators are tirelessly invested in pushing files forward through the use of new technology, partnerships, and new information.
The RCMP would like to thank the Calgary Police Service and Convergence Investigative Genetic Genealogy for their assistance and support throughout the course of this investigation.
Family statements
McQueen Family Statement
We would like to thank from the bottom of our hearts the team of individuals who worked so many days
and countless hours on solving this cold case … without them we would still not know today what
happened to our sister Patsy (Patricia) and her friend Eva. We will be forever grateful and thankful that
they never gave up on the girls.
Special thank you to Constable Denis Halvadzija, Constable Lindsay Blair and Sergeant Melanie Riopel on how they handled presenting the details to our families of the events leading up to their deaths. They
were extremely professional, caring & compassionate. Thank you aain from the bottom of our hearts.
It has been 48 years since our Sister Patsy (Patricia) was taken from us. As the years went on we thought we would never in our lifetime find out what happened on that dreadful day but never gave up hope that one day we would know the answers and finally have some comfort and closure.
Our sister Patsy was born September 2, 1961 to our loving parents Allistair and Sarah McQueen. Patsy
(Patricia) was one of 11 children (6 sisters and 4 brothers). Patsy was suddenly and tragically taken from
us on February 15, 1976, at the age 14 years old. Patsy would be 62 years old today.
Patsy was your typical teenager, full of life, adventure and curiosity. She loved her sports, baseball was
her favorite. She also loved music and would sing and dance to her hearts content. She also loved to
joke around and play pranks on you. She made all of us laugh in one way or the other at ourselves or at
each other. She was so strong and independent at fourteen years old. She could not wait till she was old
enough to be able to travel and see the world but an evil monster took every hope and dream of hers
away.
We always wonder what Patsy’s life would have been like… what career path she would have chosen,
would she have gotten married and had children and been blessed with the joy of being a grandma?
In closing, we would like to extend our deepest condolences to the other families who are also involved
in this case and hope that you find some sort of comfort and closure after all these years. This evil
monster has caused so much pain and suffering for countless families. He took a piece of everyone of us when he took our loved ones. We thank god that he is no longer alive and can never harm anyone else again.
Patsy… We love and miss you and you will forever be in our hearts. Rest in peace now our beautiful
Sister.
Dvorak Family Statement
Eva’s family would like to thank the Alberta RCMP Historical Homicide Unit for their time and dedication
on solving this cold case. It does help in providing us with some answers to our long unknown questions
and giving us some closure.
Eva was loved and cherished by her family and all who knew her. Her bright smile and bubbly
personality were contagious and lit up any room. When Eva was around there was no sitting still, always
dancing and singing any time of day. She enjoyed spending time with her sisters and cousins while
swimming, roller skating and ice skating.
She is truly loved and missed dearly.
Rehorek Family Statement
First, we would like to thank the team of investigators who have worked to find the person responsible
for these crimes.
Our message is one about Melissa being a fun loving, adventurous and hard-working person. She was an honest positive person who trusted people. She enjoyed travelling to Banff for her love of nature but
also to travel for her curiosity about seeing Canada.
Our family appreciates all of your help.
MacLean Family Statement
Today marks a significant moment in the long journey of seeking justice for our daughter, sister, aunt,
cousin, and niece, Barbara Jean MacLean-one that began nearly 50 years ago. The pain of losing Barbara so tragically has been a constant presence in our lives, but recent developments have finally brought us answers to questions that we’ve had to live with all these years.
Our family would like to express our deepest condolences to the Rehorek, Dvorak, and McQueen
families. We are four families who share a connection of the worst kind-one of pain, grief, and suffering
over many years. It is our hope that we all may find a measure of peace in the days ahead. It is thanks to
the relentless pursuit of justice by police agencies and the remarkable advances in forensic genetic
genealogy that a resolution to these four historic cases has been reached.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated detectives, forensic scientists, and everyone involved
who never gave up on these cases. Their commitment not only honours Barbara Jean MacLean’s
memory, but also serves as a beacon of hope for other families still yearning for answers. This
breakthrough reaffirms our belief in the power of perseverance and the importance of embracing
scientific advancements in law enforcement. In particular, we wish to acknowledge the RCMP K-Division
Historical Homicide Unit and the Cold Case Homicide Unit of Calgary Police Service.
We know these officers are working diligently every day on many historic cases like ours. To say thank
you seems so inadequate. Our family feels an immeasurable amount of gratitude for their dedication,
professionalism, and not least of all, their kindness. It is not an easy or always comfortable field of
service. They are true heroes.
As we take this time to reflect on our journey, and remember Barbara, we ask for privacy and respect.
We are grateful for the compassionate approach taken by the authorities in involving us in this process
and for allowing us the space to contribute this statement.
