Fallen Four: The Mayerthorpe Tragedy (Part 1): Offender History

Episode 241: On March 3, 2005, a contingent of RCMP constables attended the property of James Michael Roszko, 46, in Rochfort Bridge, near Mayerthorpe, Alberta. The members were there to serve a search warrant for stolen property and a marijuana-growing operation on the farm, discovered the day before. Roszko, knowing the police would be arriving soon, armed himself with the help of a couple of friends, Shawn Hennessey and Dennis Cheeseman, and then he lay in wait for the RCMP. When four of the officers, Anthony Gordon, Lionide “Leo” Johnston, Brock Myrol and Peter Schiemann, walked into a quonset hut on the farm. Roszko, hidden inside the building, opened fire on the four members, killing them and then himself before the other RCMP members on-site could come to their aid.

This episode covers the life of the murderer and leads us up to the slaying of the four RCMP members. Next week in part 2, you’ll hear about the crime and its aftermath.

Sources:

Town of Mayerthorpe: Home

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE STATISTICS – Darkness to Light

Report to the Attorney General : public inquiry into the deaths of Cst. Anthony Gordon, Cst. Lionide Johnston, Cst. Brock Myrol, Cst. Peter Schiemann and Mr. James Roszko – Open Government

Report to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General Public Fatality Inquiry – PDF

Fallen Four | Home

Fallen Four Memorial Park & Visitor Information Centre | Facebook

Line of Fire by Edward Butts – Ebook | Scribd

James Roszko | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers

RCMP Tribute to Five Officers

Mayerthorpe Tragedy – Wikipedia

2008 ABQB 242 (CanLII) | R. v. Hennessey | CanLII