Loose Lips

The apartment on Adanac Street was photographed and dusted by the R.C.M.P. (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and a part roll of toilet tissue was seized so it could be compared with tissue found on the body.

Kathleen McKenzie, the victim if you remember from Monday's post, worked as a topless dancer at the Gulf Club. The Gulf Club was a seedy night-spot on Hastings Street, which was involved in prostitution and narcotics. Kathleen herself was arrested three times in 1972 for possession of marijuana and police suspected the young woman of trafficking drugs on a street level.

Police located an ex-boyfriend of McKenzie's, Douglas Stewart, on February 8. Stewart told them he last saw Kathy on the evening of January 18. He, Kathy, Horvat and Irish drank beer together at the Dominion Hotel beer parlour. Another girl, known as "Momma Sonny" was also there. They were having a party in Kathy's honour because she was leaving for Toronto the next day.

When the bar closed, the group continued the party at the Adanac apartment. There, they drank beer, did some marijuana and mescaline and played cards. Stewart left around 4:30 am but the party was still going strong.

Stewart informed the police that Horvat was heavily involved with heroin dealing, had recently obtained three ounces of the narcotic from a man known as "Screwie Louie" at the Penthouse Cabaret on Seymour Street. Horvat was dealing the stuff with a man named Jake.

According to Kathy's ex, Douglas last saw Horvat and Irish on January 31. They were driving to Calgary.

A week later, on February 15, the police brought Douglas Stewart in for further questioning. They had received information that Stewart knew more about the murder than he was saying.

Stewart cracked. He told the police that two days after the party, Horvat told him that he and Irish dumped Kathy's body in Mission. When Douglas asked why she was killed, Horvat answered the young woman had been talking too much about the drug business. The couple also weren't in Calgary. Their car broke down so they went to Victoria instead.

Thanks to the book, Policebeat: 24 Vancouver Murders by Joe Swan for the above information.

I hope you find the beauty around you.