Windsor police doubling rewards for four cold cases
Rewards have increased from $10,000 to $20,000
Four cold case rewards have been doubled by the Windsor Police Services Board.
Rewards were issued two years ago, and every two years there is a review of the rewards, said deputy chief Brad Hill.
The homicides of Ljubica Topic, Marlene and Jason Sweet, Kirk Knight, and Debilleanne 'Dee Dee' Williamson and Brandon 'Xavier' Ruck are all unsolved cases.
Each reward is now up to $20,000 and each case remains active.
In the last 12 months, Hill said there's been new information on the Topic case.
"We've had some leads and hopefully this will be that one little extra bump that we need to get the information that we need, because we have information where we believe these are all solvable homicides," said Hill.
Hill adds police have been gaining new insights.
"New information, advances in technology is huge, advances in DNA technologies has been of some assistance to us," Hill said.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said murders involving children affect you in a different way.
"I think it's right for the board to consider what elements or what opportunities may exist to help enhance the ability for police to do their job and get information that would help solve these crimes," he said. "Get some peace to the families involved."
Knight homicide
Police pulled Kirk Knight's body from the Detroit River on May 25, 1980. He was bound and anchored with cement blocks.
Information from the deceased's family stated Knight had recently been assaulted by members of the Lobos Motorcycle gang. A neighbour said he saw three men driving up to Knight's home forcing him into a car.
Police believe the motive for the kidnapping was a feud between a gang member and Knight's brother who was suspected of shooting a gang member.
Sweet - Sweet homicide
The badly decomposed bodies of Marlene Sweet, 31, and her seven-year-old son Jason were found at their apartment at 8671 Wyandotte St. E. on Sept. 13, 1982 — about two weeks after police believe they were "violently murdered."
Williamson - Rucker homicide
Thirty-year-old Debilleanne 'Dee Dee' Williamson and her five-year-old son Brandon 'Xavier' Rucker were found dead at their home at 1323 Tilston Dr. on Feb. 27, 2003.
To date no one has been identified as the person or persons responsible for the crime.
Topic homicide
Ljubica and Michael Topic were playing outside their family home at 1290 Drouillard Rd. on the evening of May 14, 1971 when a man who was hanging around the restaurant across the street walked up and offered the six-year-old girl some money to go with him, according to police.
The man offered Michael some change to go ride a bike, and the last the eight-year-old saw of his sister was her walking south down the road, holding the man's hand.
Police found her body four hours later in the backyard of a back alley that no longer exists. They say she was violently assaulted.