Solved case · 1978
Also known as Killing of Constable Thomas King · Thomas Brian King
The short answer
RCMP Constable Thomas Brian King was ambushed, overpowered, tortured, and shot to death by two local high school students near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on April 24–25, 1978, after they staged a fake traffic violation to lure and disarm a police officer.
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Suggest coverage for Murder of Brian KingOn the afternoon of April 24, 1978, Gregory Fischer and Darrell Crook, both local high school students, were in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, dealing with an income tax form when they impulsively decided to kill a police officer, telling friends they intended to "get a cop." No one took the plan seriously, so no police agency was warned. To create a pretext for a traffic stop, the pair removed the licence plate from Fischer's 1964 Rambler and broke a tail light.
That evening, Constable Thomas Brian King, an RCMP officer on duty in Warman, Saskatchewan, and Saskatoon RCMP Constable Doug Rushlow were both patrolling in cruisers along Idylwyld Drive on the outskirts of Saskatoon, planning to team up for the remainder of their shift. Rushlow radioed King that he was about to pull over a vehicle; King, roughly a quarter-mile away, indicated he was also about to stop a car — Fischer's Rambler. As King approached the vehicle, Crook threw a beer bottle into a ditch, and when King got out to retrieve it, Fischer attacked him. During the ensuing struggle, Crook took King's revolver; despite King managing to eject three rounds from the cylinder, three remained. Crook fired one round into the air, and the two young men gained full control of the officer.
King was handcuffed behind his back and forced into the trunk of the Rambler. Fischer and Crook drove to several bars, showing King to acquaintances and describing their intentions while beating and tormenting him; those friends refused to get involved. The pair then drove to the Queen Elizabeth Power Station, where they took King down to the South Saskatchewan River and Fischer shot him twice in the head. King's body was mutilated and dumped in the river before the two returned to the city.
Meanwhile, Rushlow grew suspicious after clearing his own traffic stop and finding King's cruiser abandoned with its lights still flashing. Based on a vehicle description from Saskatoon Police K-9 officer Constable Glenn Thomson, who had passed King's stop earlier, police were alerted to watch for the Rambler. Saskatoon Police constables Jim Bracken and Rick Penny spotted a matching vehicle and gave chase; Bracken pursued Fischer on foot and tackled him in an alley near Avenue G and 21st Street. Officers noticed Fischer was covered in blood, and he then described the killing and led them to where King's body had been dumped. Crook was arrested several hours later at a roadblock at 51st Street and Idylwyld Drive.
In 2011, Gregory Fischer, who remains on lifetime parole for the killing, was arrested again by Warman RCMP for impaired driving on Highway 7 near Saskatoon and was returned to prison for two years.
Thomas Brian King is born.
Gregory Fischer and Darrell Crook, in Lloydminster, decide to kill a police officer and stage a fake vehicle violation as bait.
Constable Thomas Brian King is ambushed during a traffic stop on Idylwyld Drive, disarmed, handcuffed, and abducted in the trunk of Fischer's car.
King is taken to the South Saskatchewan River near the Queen Elizabeth Power Station, shot twice in the head by Fischer, and his body is mutilated and dumped in the river.
Fischer is tackled and arrested by Saskatoon Police after a foot chase; he confesses and leads police to King's body. Crook is arrested hours later at a roadblock.
Gregory Fischer, on lifetime parole, is arrested by Warman RCMP for impaired driving and returned to prison for two years.
Victims first. Every legal label is set from public records and court outcomes, not from the prose.
RCMP constable ambushed, tortured, and shot to death by two high school students in 1978.[3]
High school student who, with Gregory Fischer, disarmed and abducted Constable King and participated in his torture and killing.[3]
High school student who, with Darrell Crook, abducted, tortured, and shot Constable King; identified as the shooter; later returned to prison in 2011 for a parole violation (impaired driving).[3]
RCMP Saskatoon detachment constable who was on duty with King the night of the murder and later found King's abandoned cruiser.[3]
Saskatoon Police K-9 officer who passed King's traffic stop and later provided a description of the suspect vehicle.[3]
Saskatoon Police constable who chased and tackled Gregory Fischer on foot, leading to his arrest.[3]
Saskatoon Police constable involved in the vehicle chase and arrest of Gregory Fischer.[3]
From the record
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SOLVEDListenWoodstock, Ontario, Canada (abduction site) · 2009
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