The Gaspé Murders

Written By Canadian True Crime

QUÉBEC

Three hunters head deep into the rugged wilderness of Québec’s Gaspé Peninsula for a 10-day trip, but fail to return home. A search turns up their abandoned truck, followed by something far more disturbing.

As investigators try to piece together what happened, attention turns to a local man named Wilbert Coffin, one of the last people known to have crossed paths with the missing men.

This case would go on to trigger years of controversy with questions about police tunnel vision, political interference and the nature of justice itself.

The intention of this episode is to revisit a criminal case that became a major chapter in Canadian legal history, examine how the investigation and prosecution unfolded, and explore why the questions surrounding it have endured for generations.

Canadian true crime donates monthly to those facing injustice. This month we have donated to the Association for Families of Persons Assassinated or Disappeared (AFPAD).


Credits: 

Research and writing: Nate Hendley
Script editing, narration, sound design: Kristi Lee
Audio editor, voice of disclaimer: Erik Krosby
Senior producer: Lindsay Eldridge

Music credits:

Theme song: by We Talk of Dreams
All other music by Blue Dot Sessions and Epidemic Sound

Sources:

Interviews conducted by Nate Hendley with:

Marie Stewart (Wilbert Coffin’s sister)
James Coffin (Wilbert Coffin’s son)
Kathryn Campbell, criminal defense lawyer, author, Professor of Criminology at the University of Ottawa


Books:
The Coffin Murder Case by Belliveau, John Edward. Markham, Ontario: Paperjacks, 1979 (originally published by Kingswood House, 1956). 

Roads to the North by Michael Rooney. Camp 21 Press, 2025.


Online Sources:


Periodicals

  • “Answer to Hunters’ Deaths Locked in Bear Country.” Lebanon Daily News (Pennsylvania), July 30, 1953. 

  • “Author Wins Appeal on Coffin Case Penalty.” The Toronto Star, February 1, 1966. 

  • “Background of Tragedy: Two Small Towns Achieve Prominence Over Continent.” The Montreal Star, July 25, 1953. 

  • Belliveau, J.E. “Evidence 2 Persons Left Scene in Gaspe Where Remains Found.” The Toronto Star, July 20, 1953. 

  • Belliveau, J.E. “Claim New Evidence May Prevent Coffin from Dying on Gallows.” The Toronto Star, September 22, 1955. 

  • Bryant, George. “Killers May Still Lurk in Gaspe Bush, Police Say Fresh Boot Print Found.” The Toronto Star, July 22, 1953. 

  • “Capital Punishment.” The Province (British Columbia), April 13, 1976. 

  • “Case Against Coffin Ended by Prosecution.” The Montreal Gazette, August 2, 1954. 

  • Cleroux, Richard. “Commons to Reopen Probe Into Coffin Affair.” The Montreal Gazette, February 6, 2007.

  • “Coffin Appeal Again Set Over to January.” Telegraph-Journal (New Brunswick), December 2, 1954. 

  • “Coffin Appeal Before Canada Supreme Court.” The Sun Times (Ontario), December 7, 1955. 

  • “Coffin Appeal Set Today in Supreme Court.” The Montreal Gazette, October 4, 1955. 

  • “Coffin Arrives From Quebec For Hanging Here Sept. 23.” The Montreal Gazette, September 7, 1955.

  • “Coffin Can’t Count on Escaping Noose.” The Toronto Telegram, January 25, 1956. 

  • “Coffin Case Continues Before Supreme Court.” The Standard (Ontario), December 7, 1955. 

  • “Coffin ‘Defence Rests’—No Witnesses to Be Called.” The Montreal Gazette, August 3, 1954. 

  • “Coffin Held by Jury in Gaspe Slayings.” The Montreal Star, August 27, 1953.

  • “Coffin is Held as Witness.” The Times-Transcript (New Brunswick), August 12, 1953. 

  • “Coffin Named Illegitimate Son as Heir.” The Montreal Gazette, February 11, 1956. 

  • “Coffin Probe Raps Press, Lawyers.” The Toronto Star, December 5, 1964. 

  • “Coffin Taken Back to Gaspe.” The Montreal Star, August 25, 1953. 

  • “Coffin to Stand Trial On Charge of Murder.” The Montreal Gazette, August 29, 1953.

  • “Coffin Urged Father Guard Copper Claim.” The Globe and Mail, August 2, 1954.

  • “Coffin ‘Wife’ Is Ordered to Testify.” The Montreal Gazette, July 31, 1954.

  • “Coffin Writes Will – Leaves All to Son.” The Toronto Star, February 10. 1956.

  • Coffin, Wilbert. “Coffin’s Own Statement Charges Police Tried to Force False Plea.” The Toronto Star, February 10, 1956.  

  • Conroy, Larry. “Coffin Sister Testifies Against Brother at Trial.” The Montreal Star, July 24, 1954.

  • Conroy, Larry. “Coffin Taken to Quebec Scheduled to Die Nov. 26.” The Montreal Star, August 6, 1954. 

  • Conroy, Larry. “Coffin Trial Ending.” The Montreal Star, August 2, 1954. 

  • Conroy, Larry. “Detective Recalls Coffin Story.” The Montreal Star, July 29, 1954. 

  • Conroy, Larry. “Kin of Murder Accused Testifies for Second Time.” The Montreal Star, July 26, 1954. 

  • “Court Denies Coffin Appeal From Death.” The Montreal Star, July 19, 1955.

  • “Deny Coffin Appeal Plea.” The Hamilton Spectator, September 2, 1955. 

  • Dufresne, Bernard. “Disputed Coffin Case Under Review By Supreme Court Starting Monday.” The Ottawa Citizen, December 2, 1955. 

  • Dufresne, Bernard. “Game Warden Finds Remains on Kicking Fire.” The Sault Star (Ontario), July 21, 1953.

  • Dufresne, Bernard. “Gaspe Prospector Is Sought as Death Mystery Deepens.” The Montreal Gazette (Montreal), July 20, 1953. 

  • Dufresne, Bernard. “Mysterious U.S. ‘Friends’ Told Of At Inquest.” The Moncton Transcript (New Brunswick), July 28, 1953. 

  • “Gaspe Man Faces Charge of Murder.” Times Colonist (British Columbia), August 27, 1953.

  • Hirsch, Mary. “Relatives Return to Canada.” Altoona Tribune (Pennsylvania), July 24, 1953. 

  • “Hunters Experienced.” The Toronto Star, July 17, 1953. 

  • “I’m a Thief, not Murderer – Coffin’s Death Cell Plea.” The Toronto Telegram, October 11, 1955.

  • “Inquiry Satisfactory Quit Murder Scene.” The Toronto Telegram, July 29, 1953. 

  • “Jail for the Man Who Accused.” The Toronto Star, February 24, 1965. 

  • Jones, Fred. “Blair Hunter Foretold Death in Quebec.” The Pittsburgh Press, July 26, 1953. 

  • “Jurors Told Coffin Took Search Part.” The Montreal Gazette, July 27, 1954.

  • “Killer Uses Soap Gun, Flees Jail.” Detroit Free Press, September 7, 1955. 

  • “Local Informers In Coffin Murder Case.” The Times-Transcript (Moncton, New Brunswick), October 1, 1955. 

  • Maclean, John. “Tely Writer’s Tip May Save Coffin’s Life.” The Toronto Telegram, October 11, 1955.

  • Mantrop, Stanley. “Armed Men Scour Bush as New Clue Turned Up.” The Montreal Star, July 21, 1953. 

  • Mantrop, Stanley. “Three Gaspe Hunters Slain by Rifle Fire.” The Montreal Star, July 24, 1953. 

  • “New Coffin Appeal Bid Turned Down.” The Toronto Telegram, October 4, 1955. 

  • “New Evidence May Save Coffin – Toronto M.D., Wife to Testify.” The Toronto Star, September 22, 1955.

  • “No Coffin Re-Trial; Court Backs Abbott.” Times Colonist (British Columbia), January 24, 1956. 

  • “Noted Bush Traveller Found Bodies.” The Montreal Star, July 24, 1953. 

  • “Only Interest is to Offer Evidence.” The Moncton Transcript (Moncton, New Brunswick), October 4, 1955. 

  • “Police Hint New Finds in Gaspe Slayings.” The Montreal Star, July 28, 1953. 

  • “Police Silent in Hunt for Gaspe Killer.” The Montreal Star, August 5, 1953. 

  • “Prospector Held Responsible for Gaspe Slayings.” Times Colonist (British Columbia), August 27, 1953. 

  • “Prospector is Charged in Murders.” The Montreal Gazette, August 28, 1953.

  • “Prospector is Held in Gaspe.” The Montreal Star, August 11, 1953. 

  • “Prospector Reports Seeing Two Others With Three Hunters Who Died in Gaspe.” The Ottawa Citizen, July 28, 1953. 

  • “Prospector, 37, Escorted Back Where 3 Slain.” The Toronto Star, August 25, 1953.

  • “Quebec Official Parries Report Suspect Sought.” The Hamilton Spectator, July 18, 1953. 

  • “Quebec Refuses to Grant Him Jail Wedding.” The Ottawa Journal, February 8, 1956. 

  • “Relatives of Hunters Due Home Monday.” Altoona Tribune (Pennsylvania), July 20, 1953. 

  • “Relatives of Victims Set Out for Gaspe.” Altoona Tribune (Pennsylvania), July 25, 1953.

  • Scott, Marian. “The Life and Death of Wilbert Coffin.” The Montreal Gazette, February 11, 2006

  • “States Police Have New Clues.” Telegraph-Journal (New Brunswick), August 6, 1953.

  • “Supreme Court Hearing on Coffin Enters Fifth Day.” The Daily News (Pennsylvania), December 9, 1955.    

  • “Tely Writer’s Tip May Save Coffin’s Life.” The Toronto Telegram, October 11, 1955. 

  • “Think All Murdered As Searchers Seek 2 Missing Bodies.” The Toronto Telegram, July 22, 1953. 

  • “Trial of Coffin Starts Thursday.” The Windsor Star, July 13, 1954. 

  • “Truck Loaned to Coffin by Witness.” The Montreal Gazette, July 29, 1954.

  • “Widow Collapses as Coffin Jury Told ‘Have No Mercy’.” The Toronto Telegram, August 3, 1954.

  • “Wilbert Coffin’s Lawyers Seek Stay of Execution.” Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Pennsylvania), March 2, 1955.


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