On April 13, 1933, 19-year-old Stewart Ashley went to work out at the YMCA in downtown Vancouver. He didn’t come home. A short time later, a ransom note arrived. It said: “Get $5,000 by April 20 or your son will die.”
The stories for this first series are from my book Blood, Sweat, and Fear: The Story of Inspector Vance (Eve Lazarus, Arsenal Pulp Press, 2017). Vance was one of the first forensic scientists in North America, and during his 42-year-career, helped to solve some of the most sensational murders of the 20th Century. Each episode focuses on one of those cases.
Music Credits:
- Intro and outro: Duke Ellington’s St. Louie Toodle
- Background track created by Nico Vettese www.wetalkofdreams.com
- Voice overs: Mark Dunn
Sources: Blood, Sweat, and Fear: The Story of Inspector Vance, Vancouver’s First Forensic Investigator, by Eve Lazarus (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2017).
Primary source material: Vancouver Sun, Province, Vancouver News Herald, The World; Inquest into the death of Stewart Ashley; and the personal files of Inspector John F.C.B. Vance.
6 comments on “Episode 03: The Suspicious Death of Stewart Ashley”
Another great podcast! Thanks Eve – keep them coming.
Thanks so much for listening Sandi!
Absolutely fascinating. Got lost in this true story. Excellent and so wonderful to listen rather than watch. Superb to have ears that hear. Keep up the good work. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much!
Stewart Francis Ashley is buried in Mountain View Cemetery. The dates on the grave marker are an exact fit. Sad story, I suspect it was a case of a gay young man who simply couldn’t cope. RIP Stewart.
You didn’t happen to take a photo of the grave stone did you?