The Phantom Stalker - The Cindy James Mystery

On June 8th, 1989 police on route to a scene where a body had been found near an abandoned house in Richmond, British Columbia, already suspected who it may be. As they arrived on scene, their police instincts were correct. The body was that of 44 year old Nurse Cindy James, who had been reported missing since May 25th, 1989.

The same day she had gone missing, police located her automobile in a neighborhood parking lot a short distance from where she had lived. There were groceries in the backseat and a wrapped gift for a friend. Underneath the car were the scattered contents of Cindy's purse. And even more alarming there was blood on the driver's side door. There was no sign of Cindy and a brief search was initiated without results.

On June 8th, when police investigated the scene at the abandoned house, they noted that it appeared Cindy was abducted and brutally murdered. Her hands and feet were tied behind her back and a black nylon stocking was bound tightly around her neck. At first glance it appeared as if she had expired by asphyxiation, but later, during an autopsy, it was determined that she had died from a lethal dose of morphine and other unattributed drugs.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigated extensively and came to the conclusion that Cindy James died of either an accident or suicide. The official cause of death, however, was determined by the coroner who indicated that Cindy was not a victim of a vicious murder, nor accident nor suicide. Officially, the corner ruled that Cindy James' death was a result of an unknown event.

This is Unsolved Mysteries of the World Season XX Episode XX The Phantom Stalker, The Cindy James Mystery.

Otto Hack, Cindy's father stated “The police did not investigate the possibility of homicide, of somebody murdering her, but zeroed in on trying to prove that she committed suicide.”

Cindy once told her mother that she needed help and that she feared, not only for her own life, but that of her mother. But she remained silent about what exactly it was that was so menacing.

Cindy, by all accounts had a good upbringing and graduated nursing school in 1966. At 19, she married Dr. Roy Makepeace, a man 18 years her senior. She worked as a nurse, but loved her second job as a Councillor to children with emotional problems. She enjoyed working with children but had none of her own.

In 1982, however, her life started unraveling. Her marriage to Dr. Makepeace ended in divorce and Cindy found herself alone working longer hours. Four months after her marriage had ended, Cindy reported having had strange phone calls. The phone calls, Cindy claimed were from an unknown person, whispering her name and uttering threats. During one phone call, Cindy hung up and drew the blinds of her front window. The caller rang again and said that there is no use in hiding, that he knows she is in the living room. The calls continued, and the stalking would escalate significantly.

For the next seven years she reported these calls and once encouraged to involve the police, the incidents were more frequent and alarming. Cindy reported over 100 incidents to police including hearing prowlers at night around her house, her porch light smashed and her phone line cut.

mysterious notes would appear on her doorstep. Ones reading “You will die!” and “Cindy I see You”

After dozens upon dozens of visits to the home to investigate, police thought that Cindy was perhaps just seeking attention.

Then one night in January of 1983, things took a darker turn. Agnes Woodcock, Cindy's best friend came over to visit but found that Cindy was not answering the door. As she investigated she found Cindy outside crouched down with a nylon stocking tied around her neck. Cindy said she had went outside to the garage to get a box and someone had grabbed her from behind and attempted to murder her. She claimed all she saw was white sneakers.

Afraid for her life, Cindy moved out, painted her car a different color and changed her last name.

But the phone calls continued. The notes left on the doorstep were ever present and now, they were accompanied by strangled cats.

Police were monitoring Cindy and investigating each time an incident was noted. Frustrated by the lack of police help with the situation, she hired on a private investigator who would act as a personal body guard and who would hopefully find out who the phantom stalker was.

Ozzie Kaban, the private investigator, said he felt Cindy was not telling the whole story and that she was holding something back. He said she would be evasive, would withhold information, and simply would not act as a normal victim would act. When the police gave her a polygraph, the examiner claimed that she was withholding information. Her mother, Tillie Hack, thinks the reason for her daughter's reluctance was that her attacker had threatened her sister and family. By n