Decade-old homicide case 'has haunted investigators,' Manitoba RCMP say
'Here was a guy, asleep in his home, and seconds later, he was dead'
It was 10 years ago that 61-year-old Bernie Carlson woke up to the barking of his dog, Missy, and was shot dead by someone in the hallway of his home in Thompson, Man.
To this day, RCMP have been unable to solve the crime and are urging the public to come forward with any bit of information that could possibly help investigators.
"This case has haunted investigators," said Sgt. Dan Barnabe, head of the RCMP historical case unit.
I want to know who did this. I want to know why they did this. Somebody knows what happened that night, and I beg them to come forward to the police.- Elva Carlson
"Here was a guy, asleep in his home, and seconds later, he was dead. Investigators at the time did everything they could, and now it sits with my team, who specialize in investigating historical homicides.
"We need to find out what happened to Mr. Carlson."
Carlson and his wife Elva went to bed on Oct. 25, 2007 and, as always, left a light on and locked the front and back doors. Shortly before 1 a.m. on Oct. 26, Missy started barking, startling the couple awake.
Carlson got out of bed and went to see what was disturbing the dog. Elva heard gunshots and the sounds of footsteps running away, RCMP said. She rushed to the bedroom door and saw her husband of 40 years lying in the hallway.
Elva then hid in the bedroom and called 911.
When RCMP arrived, they saw the front door of the house had been forcibly opened. Carlson was dead and his killer was long gone.
"I relive that night over and over," Elva said in a news release issued by the RCMP on Friday.
"I want to know who did this. I want to know why they did this. Somebody knows what happened that night, and I beg them to come forward to the police."
Anybody with information about what happened is asked to call the RCMP Historical Crime Unit at 204-983-6880, or call Manitoba Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
Anonymous tips can also be submitted online or by texting "TIPMAN" plus a message to CRIMES (274637).