On Friday, October 24, 1975, the body of 27-year old Donna Hale Connon was found in the bathtub of her south St. Vital home; she had been hit over the head with a hammer.

At about 10:00 a.m. that morning Mrs. Connon took the family station wagon to St. Vital Lumber at 441 St. Mary’s Avenue (no longer exists) and picked up a sheet of drywall for her father-in-law. After dropping off the drywall she stopped at the Canada Safeway Store at Dakota Village Mall (now Sobeys) and purchased a small number of groceries before returning home to her residence at 14 Blue Spruce Crescent. Several neighbours saw Mrs. Connon arriving home at 11:00 a.m. carrying her groceries.

Within minutes of Mrs. Connon arriving home, neighbours also observe a vehicle (either purple or blue) park in front of her house, facing the wrong way on the street and on the wrong side of the road. The neighbours then observed a male walk up the driveway and speak with Mrs. Connon at her front door. The male is allowed inside the house and shortly thereafter he is seen walking with her around to the side of the house. No more notice is paid of this man or his vehicle, however, the male was described as being 30-40 years old, 5’7”-5-8”, darker hair and possibly heavy set, although he was wearing a coat.