The Murder of Helen Betty Osborne

Apr 15

MANITOBA, CANADA

In 1971, Indigenous high school student Helen Betty Osborne was abducted and brutally murdered near The Pas, Manitoba.

When Betty’s body was found hours later at nearby Clearwater Lake, it was clear she had been the victim of a heinous crime. But it would take many, many years for the truth of what really happened to Betty to come to light—ultimately exposing the depths of racial injustice in the small town.

Crisis Line for Indian Residential School Survivors
For CRISIS SUPPORT 24/7 call 1-800-721-0066

Report of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry of Manitoba
Read the full report
Key sections: Historical Overview, Treaty Rights, Helen Betty Osborne

Current unsolved #MMIWG cases from The Pas and surrounding areas:
Amanda Sophia Bartlett, 18
Elizabeth Mae Dorion, 44
Josephine Martin, 58
Kendara Ballantyne, 18

Also: Morris Linklater, 18 year old male went missing in September of 2020

No More Stolen Sisters

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More resources

Canadian True Crime donates monthly to help those facing injustice.
This month we have donated to:
Indian residential school survivors society

Credits:

Research and writing: Kristi Lee
Special thanks to Charlie from Crimelines
Audio editing and production: We Talk of Dreams
Disclaimer voiced by the host of True

Music credits:

Blue Dot Sessions - Uncertain Ground, Gathering Stasis, Dawn Line Approaching, Darkened Treeline, Cover Letter, Evidence Room, Cold and Hard
Kevin McLeod / Incompetech - Long Note Two
Kai Engel - Behind your Window, Nothing Lasts Forever, Imminence
Sergei Cheremisinov -Clouds
Theme Song: We Talk of Dreams

Main information sources:

Report of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry of Manitoba

https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1989/7/10/unhealed-wounds

https://ammsa.com/publications/windspeaker/march-held-keep-killer-behind-bars

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/osborne-family-vows-to-continue-search-for-justice-1.188017

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/osborne-killer-gets-life-sentence-1.939552

Community haunted by murder 18 years ago, Star-Phoenix, 27 Jun 1989

Racism, fear blamed for coverup, Edmonton Journal, 3 Oct 1989

Osborne murder case closed -- again, National Post, 13 Feb 1999

Someone Knows Something by CBC Podcasts - S5 E3 Helen Betty Osborne

https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1996/12/16/breaking-the-silence-on-osborne

https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1996/3/25/parole-on-trial