Robert Hopkins was a 48-year-old printer who worked at the Vancouver News Herald, one of three daily newspapers. He was a quiet, friendly man who kept to himself and was liked by his colleagues. None of them knew that Bob was gay and lived a secret life. He had to. In the 1950s homosexuality was illegal—it would be until 1969—and coming out would have meant losing his job, his place in the community, and possibly his family.
This podcast episode is based on original research conducted for my book Cold Case Vancouver: the city’s most baffling unsolved murders
Born in Ireland and raised in Edmonton, Bob lived alone in his small cottage on Fleming Street in the Kensington-Cedar area of Vancouver. He was found tied up, tortured and shot to death in his living room.
- Beneath Dark Waters: The Legacy of the Empress of Ireland Shipwreck by Eve Lazarus, coming April 2025. Preorder through Arsenal Pulp Press, online retailers or your your favourite indie bookstore
SHOW NOTES
Sponsor: Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours
Intro & voiceover: Mark Dunn
Music: Andreas Schuld – ‘Waiting for You’
Guest: Ron Dutton, Founder, BC Gay and Lesbian Archives
Podcast Promo: The True Crime Files
Buy me a coffee promo: McBride Communications and Media
For more on the BC Gay and Lesbian Archives see Vancouver Archives
© All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, all blog content copyright Eve Lazarus
4 comments on “Robert Hopkins Murder”
Ah yes, the Im gay but the second I am not horny the guilt hits with the “no one can ever find out” panic attack syndrome.
No doubt done under the cover of darkness I feel it was a co-worker who killed the poor man who died a horrid death . A stranger would have not been in his home.
My money’s on the “mystery man.” sounds like he was in custody for a similar crime, but never charged in poor Bob’s murder unfortunately.
I think “mystery man “as well, opportunistic violence, he took advantage of a nice trusting person.
What an ugly story. Poor Robert, and anyone else who had to go through that in that era. Seldom was anyone convicted of murdering a homosexual. A doctor at the Walter Reed Hospital in Washington D.C., Captain Edward C. Branson, treated me for pigeon toes and club feet, between March ’54 and April ’55. He and a friend, T.E. Drach, made a vacation trip at the end of May, ’55, to Jacksonville, and Green Cove Springs, FL. Dr. Branson and 18 year old sailor Robert Owen Emmett, left a bar and went to the woods. Long story short, Dr. made advances to Robert, got clubbed to death with a tree branch, and had his wallet and car stolen. Robert lived to be 80, Dr. Branson, only 33. Robert did very little time, less than six months. Articles printed in several papers can be found online. Our mom clipped out two right after it happened, and I saved them.