The Mayerthorpe Tragedy

ALBERTA, CANADA

In 2005, bailiffs were sent to the property of a man called James Roszko to repossess a truck, but the situation devolved into a devastating tragedy that made international headlines.

*Correction notice: In Part 1, we incorrectly say that there were changes to Canadian firearms laws that saw semi-automatic rifles classified as prohibited firearms. Per the government announcement, it should have only said [ some ] semi-automatic rifles.

Podcast recommendation:

Criminal Conduct - Season 2

Watch the video for The Ballad of Jimmy Roscoe by KO-nation.com, or listen on spotify.

Credits: 
Research: Danielle Paradis and Kristi Lee
Writing: Kristi Lee
Audio editing and production: We Talk of Dreams 
Disclaimer voiced by the host of True
Theme Song: We Talk of Dreams

Music credits:
Custom tracks by We Talk of Dreams, plus:
Kai Engel - Brand New World, Cold War Echo, Periculum, Nothing (Bonus Track), Tumult, Oneiri, Mercy, Tumult
Chris Zabriskie - Cylinder Five, I’m A Man Who Will Fight For Your Honour
Sergey Cherimisinov - Fog, Lucerna, United Voyagers, Comets and Sparks, Clouds, Sleepers, Night Snowfall
Trans Atlantic Rage - Space Sailing Soul

Main information sources:

Court documents https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abqb/doc/2009/2009abqb60/2009abqb60.html

Inquiry report: https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/b1360153-b288-41a3-8637-112e0786d79b/resource/5556b599-6eb2-4ec6-bb79-eb19b7eb3bf8/download/2015-fatality-report-mayerthorpercmp.pdf

The Fifth Estate documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EufiLsuUWsY

Mr. Big Sting Operation https://www.cbc.ca/fifth/m_episodes/2014-2015/mrbig

David Staples’ series in Edmonton Journal: https://edmontonjournal.com/search/?search_text=%22dennis+cheeseman%22&date_range=-7300d&sort=score

The Mayerthorpe story: from ambush to aftermath by Robert Knuckle

https://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/four-rcmp-officers-killed-in-mayerthorpe-alta

https://www.cbc.ca/fifth/episodes/40-years-of-the-fifth-estate/mayerthorpe-tragedy-collateral-damage

https://xtramagazine.com/power/devil-in-the-details-24494

https://www.pressreader.com/canada/edmonton-journal/20090628/281505042202747

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/mr-big-uses-cheeseman-in-a-prostitution-scam

https://edmontonjournal.com/search/?search_text=dennis+cheeseman&date_range=-7300d&sort=score&from=10

https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/80003938?Anthony%20Fitzgerald%20Orion%20Gordon

https://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/the-rcmp-is-broken/

https://www.canada.ca/en/veterans-affairs-canada/search/advanced-search.html?_charset_=UTF-8&anyq=Peter+Christopher+Schiemann%2C#wb-land

https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/80003937

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hennessey-felt-pressure-to-plead-guilty-in-rcmp-killings-1.845841

https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/80003936

https://www.therecord.com/news/canada/2011/01/14/inquiry-hears-mountie-killer-james-roszko-casually-walked-away-after-shooting.html

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/roszko+eight+guns+mayerthorpe/4126682/story.html

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/rcmp-killer-molested-accomplice-letter-says-48598282.html

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/rcmp-operation-called-failure-of-supervision-1.527540

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/cbc-show-questions-rcmp-s-lengthy-mayerthorpe-probe-1.701994

https://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/full-parole-for-man-convicted-in-mayerthorpe-rcmp-shooting-deaths/

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/roszko+long+criminal+history/4133687/story.html

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/hennessey-cheeseman-sentenced-for-roles-in-mountie-killings-1.798444

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/shawn-hennessey-granted-full-parole-after-prison-time-for-role-in-mayerthorpe-rcmp-murders

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/mayerthorpe-killer-molested-accomplice-family-alleges

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/the-twisted-mind-of-jim-roszko/article1115368/

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/time-dulls-the-pain-but-scars-remain-a-decade-after-mayerthorpe-massacre

https://www.legion.ca/remembrance/remembrance-day/ceremony-music

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/manslaughter-pleas-in-mayerthorpe-case/article20439973/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thousands-attend-service-for-slain-rcmp-officer-1.549223

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/memorial-honours-mounties-who-have-given-everything-1.524119

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/pdf/agreed_statement_of_facts.pdf

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/roszko-had-long-criminal-history

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/the-twisted-mind-of-jim-roszko/article1115368/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/brother-of-roszko-wants-to-meet-with-families-of-slain-mounties-1.563511

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.558633

http://netk.net.au/RCMPMurdersHome.asp

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2009/01/21/elaborate_undercover_sting_helped_mounties_get_their_men.html

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/mayerthorpe-tragedy-15-years-later-three-mounties-remember-the-day-that-changed-everything