Who Killed Richmond nurse, Cindy James?

[lindamichelle1]

could be that mental problem where they enjoy the attention when they get hurt?

kinda like where mothers hurt there kids.

[silvereagle2061]

The "Cindy Dead Meat" recording does sound like a woman whispering. At least that's my impression.

[freeleafinthewind]

What if it started with her really being stalked and harassed, then when she told the police and no one believed her her mental state became fractured. Maybe she then started to do these things to her self to validate her feelings and to desperately try to have someone believe her. Maybe her suicide was a final attempt to prove to others what she believed all along, that she once was being stalked. Does that make any sense at all? I had a hard time wording it lol.

[job1785]

She had to have been murdered. She had so much drugs in her system and she could tie her self up?

[bexcpfc]

There was talk that Cindy was having an affair with the Police chief. Which would explain how she couldn't tell the police, and she was reluctant to talk to anyone about it.

[NYG4LIFE123]

Now my question is why didn't the police try and prove their theory that she was doing this herself? Yeah, its a valid theory on their part, but should they have tried to conclusively prove it rather than just assume that was the case?

[NYG4LIFE123]

Part of me thinks that YES the harassment & everything was all in her mind. Something ain't right with her stories at all. BUT, when I first saw this on Unsolved Mysteries, I thought "maybe a bitter cop was sick of babysitting her & killed her himself just to end it".

[SharkUser]

double personality? or was there a REAL killer? very confusing case

[b1naryd1g1t5]

This is a very interesting look into mental illness. I don't doubt for one second Cindy did this to herself. Normal people just don't act like this in a situation where they're being stalked. Watch the Unsolved Mysteries episode about this case. It gives some more information. For instance, one time when the house was on fire, Cindy told cops she was out at 3AM walking her dog. Who walks their dog alone at night while fearing a stalker?

[jaberwocky6669]

Her mom sounds like she has experience with fighting depression which makes me think that depression runs in her family.

[MrWaeseL]

That voicemail is clearly her own voice

[schlumbucket]

I don't like Canadians. They creep me out! :(

[77Fortran]

This is kind of a sloppy video. What's the use of playing a creepy answer machine message without some analysis on it?

[Neesharani]

So fires start IN her home yet no fingerprints are found, she walks the dog at 3 am ALONE after yrs of being "stalked" and shes a registered nurse who can easily gain access to drugs and has the know how on how to use them...thats just a few bits of evidence shes capable of doing this to her self. Even on her dead body no prints are found? No hair? No nothing? Poor woman should have stayed in the mental ward :(

[barnfresh60]

i would not trust that doctor ((ex husband)) for 1 second!!!!!!!!!!!!!but its 100% murder alright,never have i seen a person string out 8 years of their life to finally kill themselves like this and to all that trouble ?? crazy and mental issues are a cop out,police very often take some crimes as a nothing case real fast and thats the end of it,so so many police/stations have been so so quick, and yet so so wrong in their findings!!!!!!

[barnfresh60]

i would not trust that doctor  ((ex husband)) for 1 second!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CT2507]

i believe the police are right on this one.

people often underestimate the experience and educated intuition that professionals develop working with criminals and deranged people every day for many hours. and if they stopped believing her stories after a few years, im sure they had some good reasons.

often its not so much the stories a person tell, but the stories they DONT tell, that raises suspicion. the things they omit.

[userste]

@CT2507

I agree, who in their right mind would spend that length of time stalking someone (or stalk someone in general)? That long, a person would give up, or at the very least, the cops most likely would have gotten him by that length of time. No one would harass someone for 7 years.

[CT2507]

@userste seems to me she wasn't really interested in helping catching this "so-called" stalker, but more into creating obstructions.

[TatianaSword]

She only got what she deserved

[ACsingsBlues2010]

Sadly, I too believe this poor woman was servely mentally ill. I feel that she could have easily manipulated her death scene and injured herself during those 8 years while experiencing psychotic episodes. That would explain the memory loss throughout the 'attacks'. Listen carefully to the tape, the end syllabals have a distinctly higher tone like that of a woman whispering.

[CT2507]

@ACsingsBlues2010 i agree. the tape sounds to me to be made by a woman.

she could very well have done this to herself.

had her ex husband been tormenting her for 8 years it would not have been hard for the police or herself to get his attacks on a hidden camera or some kind of recording. that is, IF she really had wanted him caught.

i think she was psychotic or consumed with bitterness, and did it all to herself to punish her ex husband.

[ACsingsBlues2010]

@CT2507 Yes, I feel that is the most probable solution. There was never any evidence to substanciate her story. No finger prints, no eyewitness accounts, nothing... sometimes her 'attacker' was two to three people, but no one saw these people except Cindy. Poor woman, I still cannot help but feel sorry for her :(

[CT2507]

@ACsingsBlues2010 yes it is sad. she was such an attractive woman.

but i have met my share of good looking crazy women! they DO exist! and are very capable of hurting themselves.

i feel sorry for her too. must have been a living hell to live such a life for 8 years!

[Georgie2500]

wow scary tape messages

[MsChristine316]

no they dont check phone records they didn't for my ma she had blank spots its all he said she said mental health bull shit no body believes a crazy

[MsChristine316]

my moms ex tried that 2 years ago almost killed her and she had definite short term mem loss from being choked out twice so police protect abusive husbans in this country he got nothing last year for trying to kill mia mom

[boarderis4snow]

I take it they never could check the phone records, or her purchase-history, even voice analysis of the tape, etc? What about checking her during autopsy for residue of the alleged morphine tablets?This is just beyond baffling. I mean, I even considered malicious aliens for a second. I mean, that'd probably make far more sense then whatever the truth is.

[boarderis4snow]

I take it they never could check the phone records, or her purchase-history, even voice analysis of the tape, etc? This is just beyond baffling. I mean, I even considered malicious aliens for a second. I mean, that'd probably make far more sense then whatever the truth is.

[boarderis4snow]

I take it they never could check the phone records, or her purchase-history, etc? This is just beyond baffling.  I mean, I even considered malicious aliens for a second. I mean, that'd probably make far more sense then whatever the truth is.

[boarderis4snow]

I take it they never could check the phone records, etc? This is just beyond baffling. I mean, I even considered malicious aliens for a second. I mean, that'd probably make far more sense then whatever the truth is.

[JuJuMJFan4life]

This story is just so bizarre i don't know what to believe.

[pomegranateish]

Murdered by a sadistic killer?! What kind of 'sadistic killer' gives their victim an overdose of a painkiller? None.

She did it herself. The only uncertainty in my mind is whether she had a mental illness and was unaware that she was her own harasser.

[badsign1980]

for all u imbeciles u think theres a serial killer, they dont stalk ppl for 8 years burn their houses and then give them a suiting morphine kind of death, and leave the body exposed to be found, she did not had to inject herself she could have a od by drinking and mixing with seds, takes alot longer to work givng her the time to do all that she did it because she was alone getting old without children, it was suicide, serial killers dont inject morphine to make the victims feel good during kill

[badsign1980]

she was alone, lost her husband, everything, she started to got nuts she was calling for attention, she started to go nuts the typical case of a women who was acostumed to have everything and then nothing, she did to herself

[enderwiggin42]

Am i the only one who thinks the PI is a bit naive? "Noone could do that to themselves." All she had were tiny cuts over her body and one utterly non-life threatening stab wound to her hand, which she could easily have done to herself.

If it was an intruder, why were the doors and windows not forced?

Actually, based on 7:30 i think he is lying. Noone thinks she tied herself up, took the pills and THEN went there, he is only saying that to make it look inplausible.

[SexJunkle]

Sounds a full blown case of schizophrenia. Complete psychotic who tormented and ultimately killed herself.

[IrishStorm1]

It isn't a mystery at all. It is just a typical case of Canadian police famously known overwhelming incompetence. But, since they betrayed and abandoned Cindy, they have more reason not to make any effort to solve the case. Not that they ever did anyway. It's only a clear case of RCMP being too dumb and inept. Why don't they call in the yanks, again?

[Eclipse86]

It's possible that Cindy had some form of Dissociative Identity Disorder (or split personality disorder) that was brought out after a time of great stress (e.g. divorce from her husband, not being able to have children). Normally when someone is suffering from something like this, the main personality of the person will have no recollection of what happens when the split persona is in control of the body. (continued)

[Eclipse86]

@Eclipse86 This could explain why she was unable to recall any clear details whenever she got attacked by the phantom killer. This could also explain why she would "withhold details" of what exactly was happening from her mother, father and sister. Perhaps she later found out that the killer was indeed a split persona of her, which she was unable to control. (continued)

[Eclipse86]

@Eclipse86 In the Unsolved Mysteries version of this report, it was said that the phantom killer told her that they would go after her mother, father and sister if she ever told them anything. So perhaps she avoided telling them anything because once she did, her split persona would then try to harm her family. Because of the fact that people who suffer from this type of disorder have no idea they are harbouring another persona in their mind, this would all seem like a reality to Cindy. (cont)

[Eclipse86]

@Eclipse86 So even though this might have seemed like an elaborate suicide plan from people from the outside. It is indeed possible that she was just suffering from a severe form of split personality where her secondary persona was a serial killer, which in the end destroyed Cindy James from the inside out. So technically, it shouldn't be considered suicide if that were the case.

[Eclipse86]

@Eclipse86 @Eclipse86 What also perplexes me is why if some person really wanted to kill her. Why wouldn't they do just that on the night that the private investigator found her lying on the floor with a knife through her hand with the note saying "you dead bitch". I mean if there really was a serial killer on the loose, and they were actively tracking Cindy, then they would have known she had hired a private investigator to help her. (continued)

[Eclipse86]

@Eclipse86 If that was the case, then why would the killer risk leaving traces of the attack (for example, the killer's fingerprints left on the knife or the note) for said private investigator and/or police which could aid in the identification and lead to the capture of the killer. This is what doesn't make sense. Also in the other attack, why would the perpertrator remove her pants, and then not sexually assault or rape her? (continued)

[Eclipse86]

@Eclipse86 It almost makes no sense. I mean if the perpertrator wanted to humilate her by taking off her pants, then why not take off her top as well? With that being said, I also think the police dept. screwed up big time on this investigation. I mean how hard could it have been to tap her phonelines, or have the phone company trace all calls made to her? They could have done all this without telling her to increase the effectiveness of the investigation. (continued).

[Eclipse86]

@Eclipse86 Or why didn't they have police in unmarked cars in civilians clothes keep a watch on her and her house (but not inform her that they were doing this).  Or maybe set up camera's throughout her house to try to capture things on film.

[poltome]

@Eclipse86 They did. They staked her place out sometimes for days on end but never saw anyone coming or going. And they didn't exactly advertise the fact either. It's a shame because she was a disturbed woman, but I also think she did it to herself. I also agree that the message on the tape could quite easily be a woman.

[Neesharani]

@poltome Not to mention people forget the fact shes a trained RN who had education about how much and what to medicate herself to do all this. Shes a small built woman, so she easily could have tied her feet then hands, fliped her hands around behind her and poof, shes bound. OR paid some sick fuck to help her. She was clearly not to stable :(

[rainslave]

I just started to read this book. You may have heard about Munchausen Syndrome By Proxy which was first diagnosed in 1951. Cindy worked in a Psychiatric Hospital where she would have heard of this medical phenomenon. Perhaps she made up her own version? Instead of creating attention for a child, she created all that crazy stuff for the benefit of herself? When she realized that no one would believe her, she commmitted suicide (as she said she would do eventually while in hospital?). Strange.

[whitethronebooks]

It's a woman's voice on the answering machine.

[CalicoRoses]

sounds like the poor woman had some form of dissociative identity disorder. It is a bizarre case.

[immaguardian]

staggering from the drugs and would have been noticed but from the picture she appears to be hogtied her arms ar tied tighly to her back she has no wiggle room and the knots are in the wrong places it means she didnt tie herself up whose voice is on her ex husbands tape machine but better yet why is it on there at all?i dont think it was the ex the 19 yr age difference.. its one of his kids .theyd have access to meds dads a doc .leave message to throw off suspicion of their dad

[rainslave]

At trial, a "knot" expert from Ontario showed how one could create the ties that she had around her wrists - of course the other binds around her neck and feet could have been done beforehand. So the book about this case illustrates.

[immaguardian]

suicide my but looking at the photo of her when she was found two weeks later where is the debri she doesnt have any leaves or on her shes under the trees where are her shoes what about the needle mark if she had ingested the morphine there should be traces of the pills in her stomach the video said that there eas blood on the car also the photo shows a right bloody arm did the blood come from there there was no mention of anyone seeing a woman walking with blood she would be st

[jessicalandroum24]

Now that i think, i'm sure that the ex-husband was the harassment perpetrator all the time, but since he (being a doctor) relies on respect of the police and probably she knew that, that's why she conceal many information when police interrogate her because she knew consecuences by talking about a respetable doctor that is supported by the very same police. think about it, the word of a doctor against the word of a nurse. who wins? The police always were slanderers with Cindy's case.

[jessicalandroum24]

According to my theory, it's so normal not remembering anything else when you receive a hit on the head and fall unconcious to the floor while perpetrator runs away. That vancouver sun reporter hates this case and probably was (or still is being) bribed by the killer or the ex-husband, in my opinion... OBVIOUSLY!!! This case is the clearest example of impunity. An unpunished murder for now, but we still hope it gets solved, altough it's been a long while.

[immaguardian]

you are correct if she had a detailed memory then shed be lying yes the reporter is most ,ikely covering up for the dr, but the doc didnt do it its one of his kids why take her pants off why all the harrassment after the divorce the doctor knows who did it he is protecting them

[simple4everme]

murder

[kwenr22]

I researched this case a little on google, and on her sister's web page there is the actual threatening phone call, in my opinion that does not sound like a woman.

[ThreeExclamations]

Who talks like that? If you're on high on heroin: why would you make your speech pattern drawn out, and raspy like that? It sounds like Cindy trying to mask her voice like a man, coming off like a serpent.

[stoleninfo]

i say suicide

very bizarre tho.

[nbafanz]

casez became unsolved due to 3 reasonz: overprotective family, prank and incompetent police officerz. i have seen familiez refusing to admit their children r mentally unstable. thiz iz all coz of love. they wanna protect their children reputation. the callz or attackerz are imaginary and set up. however, she was definitely murdered. she apperance and daze look will definitely attract robberz and sex offenderz. i think the police overlooked on thiz point.

[mishkaboo]

i think you need a few more z's in your comment

[FGMK21]

I've listend to the recording at 5:10 and a different one it sounds like a it could be a womans voice.

[jo181181]

i think poor cindy was mentally ill,an i do think that was a womans voice on the tape either way its sad.

[Kin576]

This is such a strange case and so many things just don't add up. While I agree that it seems Cindy was perhaps disturbed, who's voice was on that nasty tape?, cause it sure as hell wasnt Cindy. I feel so sorry for her family but why in the hell didnt they make her talk? If that was my daughter I would have had to get to the bottom of it. Also why didnt she up and move to the other side of the country...so many questions and not enough answers. Either way this poor woman was a victim.

[biki31]

MURDER

[werydewte]

as a mental health nurse i believe it is definitely a suicide. she is psychotic remeber? it's only a false belief of hers that ppl are after her. she is depressed due to a number of things such as being childless, being divorced etc. as a result she ended her own life.

[Filmaker25]

Suicide, I don't think so. How did she get the panty hose over her own head, IF she tied her hands behind her back ??

[elmasperrondefrutas]

maybe the killer was neal hall

[estelle715]

What was the motive for harassing Cindy? Why would anyone do it to her, and for what reason? Very strange indeed! Was any money involved?

[lynric7]

did the police check aroud the murder site for other footprints, blood, hair, etc, if she did inject herself why walk and then tie her own hands, they didn;t find any needles around her body, did the police check around in her car for fingerprints or other evidence, how far was her car from the murder site?could she have walked loaded on morphine, could she have then tied up her own hands, why did it take two weeks to notice the body?

[jo181181]

the answer message is a womans voice

[ThreeExclamations]

Unsolved Mysteries never mentioned the dead hanging cats, the suicide note, or the tape. Thanks for posting.

[jo181181]

if someone wanted her dead they would of done it the first,she didnt want to upset her family so she made out someone did it to her,she used to be a nurse so she knew who to use a needle.

[jo181181]

she must of been very disturbed,its a shame, it started happening when her husband left,i think it was for attention.r.i.p cindy x

[6151RichmondStreet]

The Vancouver Sun is a racist piece of garbage entertaining itself as a newspaper. The response of that arrogant reporter doesn't surprise me a bit.

Someone died, at least show a little humility.

[easye46]

Hello,

First off, I can't imagine how the family must feel but sometimes emotion can be blind. I don't think it takes a forensic expert to see clearly that this was a very mentally ill woman. Everybody loves a cospiracy but the answer I'm afraid is pretty obvious.

[jo181181]

i agree poor cindy was ill, r.i.p cindy

[vjwileycat]

I agree. I think she had some weird form of facticious disorder and it went to far. She was supposedly strangled to death, but then turns up full of morphine. There is the case of the medical examiner who chained himself up and held a bomb between his chin and his chest for attention. They were never able to prove it, but they did prove it was possible for him to chain himself to the bars and I read that they did the same with her.

[GstateBALLER925]

she remembers thinking oh my god, but she doesnt really remember anything else... wow, very helpful. that really helps break the case wide open.

[mikele79]

part 5:10 creepy, esp when watched in the middle of the night.

[megs3180]

Very creepy!!

[sanamau]

This clip opens with "How do you tie your hands behind your back and then kill yourself?"

The police believe she took the overdose first (morphine tablets which dissolved in 15 minutes) then tied herself up. The police tested the concept and had people who could simulate it in 3 minutes.

Truly a mystery.

[Rayne714]

how kan u tie ur self up???

[Rayne714]

thys isn't unsolved mysteries....is it?

[ejap76]

She might have been making it all up. I work in a mental hospital and I have had few patients who adamantly believe that someone or something is out to kill them or do harm.

You'll kever know.

[catmckay]

I am so baffled by this story. You have to wonder from the RCMP's point of view how stange it must be to have over 100 incidents and never even find a trace of evidence to convict someone. Why didn't someone just hide cameras in her house to catch one of these incidents on tape. If so many incidents happen, then why would she even live alone, why not just live in an apartment or wiht other people?

[EvilAngelEyes]

that's what I thought, why would her family let her live alone after all that. That's just crazy!

[geezzerboy]

@catmckay I followed the case as it happened. I would say it was definitely suicide. If not for the fact the Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigated the incident. The RCMP's record speaks for itself. They can screw up even the simplest investigation, and do most of the time.

[thoostorm4]

@catmckay SMEONE CRAWLED IN HER BASEMENT STAETED A FIRE WITH A COUPLE STAYING WITH HER THAT DID NO GOOD

[amar97]

this is very bizarre.

[sjdss]

@amar97 ITS! NOT! bizarre she was a liar and committed suicide!

[Bigarskar]

This is disturbing

[salute911]

Very interesting, thanks for posting. I remember seeing this case on an episode of Unsolved Mysteries and it has always puzzled me...