Canadian True Crime – “The Twisted Story of Sergeant John Wilson” (Replay)
Host: Kristi Lee
Originally released: March 13, 2026
[This is Part 1 of a two-part series]

Overview

In this immersive retelling, host Kristi Lee explores the bizarre and tragic case of Sergeant John Wilson—a man who journeyed from rural Scotland to the Canadian prairies on the promise of a fresh start, only to follow a dark path of deception, betrayal, and murder. Drawn from extensive archival research, love letters, police notes, and court memos, the episode unravels a First World War-era love triangle that spiraled into a sensational crime.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: The Wilsons’ Arrival in Canada

[03:33]

• The episode opens with Mary Wilson (née Hutchison) traveling from Regina to Saskatoon to join her husband, John Wilson, who recently relocated for work with the Dominion Police. Mary is newly pregnant and hopeful for a new chapter.
• Their courtship began in rural Scotland, where both came from humble backgrounds; John’s aspirations for greater fortune led him to Canada, leaving Mary behind with their two children.

“She was a very long way from home and although it wasn't ideal to be pregnant and alone in a foreign city, she really had no choice but to agree to her husband's plan.” — Kristi Lee [03:45]

2. John Wilson’s Ambitions, Failures & Immigration Context

[10:00]

• John tries various trades in Scotland before failing at farming due to bad investments and mismanagement. He migrates to Canada seeking better fortune.
• The episode contextualizes mass European (especially Ukrainian) immigration to the prairies and how animosity between settlers, new immigrants, and Canadians grew—as did surveillance and policing, especially during WWI.
• John fails to enlist in the Canadian Army on medical grounds, but is accepted by the Royal North West Mounted Police (RNWMP) due to labor shortages and the need to monitor “foreigners.”

“The prairies presented challenging terrain that wasn't so attractive to the favoured settlers. So a controversial decision was made to open up immigration to farmers from central and Eastern Europe... Ukrainians started pouring into the prairies in such large numbers that today Canada is home to the largest population of Ukrainians outside of Ukraine.” — Kristi Lee [17:45]

3. The Affair with Jessie Patterson

[24:02]

• In Blaine Lake, Wilson meets and becomes obsessed with 16-year-old Jessie Patterson, the daughter of a local stable owner. Despite being married with children in Scotland, John pursues Jessie, hiding his existing family.
• Jessie and family are deceived into believing John is a bachelor or divorced.

“During all this time, I had nothing to do with girls until the fall of 1916 when I became acquainted with Jessie Patterson. She was always so good to me, above everybody else.” — John Wilson voice actor (Paul Warren) [24:33]

4. Deceit, Disease, and Desperation

[27:19]

• Rumors of John’s marriage reach Jessie’s parents. John falsely claims divorce papers are forthcoming, while continuing to deceive both women.
• Tuberculosis forces John to leave the police and remain in Blaine Lake, growing more dependent on Jessie as his nurse.
• Meanwhile, Mary, still in Scotland and not receiving letters or support from John, bravely decides to journey to Canada alone to seek answers.

“Mary was unfazed by the risk of a German submarine attack. She departed Scotland in April of 1918, a year after she received her husband's last letter. And she wanted answers.” — Kristi Lee [30:58]

5. A Web of Forgery and Lies

[33:16]

• John fabricates letters supposedly from his dying sister and a reverend, both designed to convince Jessie that he is single and that Mary is an unfaithful gold-digger.
• These elaborate lies support his ongoing courtship with Jessie, who pushes John to produce divorce papers before she can marry him.

“Oh, Jessie, I am dying. And the doctors say the end will be here in about one hour. If I could only have lived until I had seen you and John, I would have died content.” — (Forged) Sister’s letter [33:16]

“He is upright and honourable and you can trust your life to him. I can die happier now knowing he is in your care.” — (Forged) Sister’s letter [35:53]

6. Mary’s Arrival & John’s Duplicity Intensifies

[40:00]

• Mary arrives in Canada and, by luck, manages to reach John at the Prince Albert police detachment. John pretends to be happy, blaming his absence on his illness.
• They attempt to start anew in Regina, but John is cold, distant, and manipulative, all the while continuing his affair with Jessie, now training as a nurse.

Landlady’s observation: “Noted that Wilson very seldom took his wife out, and when he did so, it was always in the evening and they would walk towards Wiscona park, apparently avoiding public spaces.” — Memoir [47:08]

7. The Net Tightens: Love Letters, Landlady, and Lies Unravel

[46:00–48:00]

• Mary discovers love letters from Jessie and confronts John, who downplays the relationship; but evidence mounts.
• Mary grows depressed and confides in the landlady as John plans his next steps.

8. Bigamous Intentions & Dangerous Schemes

[51:49]

• John is offered but turns down a high-ranking police job. He is fixated on marrying Jessie, buying her a car, and referring to her as his “little girl.”
• He moves to Saskatoon for a new post, leaving Mary (pregnant) in Regina and instructing her to come later, setting up a planned reunion under suspicious circumstances.

“Nothing but death can separate us now.” — John Wilson, letter to Jessie [51:45]

9. Prelude to Murder: The Fateful Car Ride

[54:33] – [59:00]

• John purchases a marriage license using Jessie’s name while keeping up pretenses with Mary. He arranges for Mary to come north by train and picks her up in his new car.
• Early the next morning, local farmer Isaac Neufeld discovers John at his farmhouse, reeking of smoke and acting erratically. John claims his car caught fire en route due to “goose hunting,” but evidence in his satchel suggests otherwise (bloodstains, shotgun shells).
• Locals are suspicious of his incoherent account and apparent drunkenness.

“That damned car burned down.” — John Wilson [57:11]
“I saw his satchel... some stains that I instantly recognized as blood. I asked him how they got there. He told me he’d killed some geese.” — Katie Neufeld [59:01–59:34]

Memorable Quotes

• “If only you knew how miserable it is here for me alone... Jesse, I would gladly give my life anytime if it would help you any.” — John Wilson’s letter to Jessie [45:31]
• “You will need to wear warm clothes Polly, as it is cold driving but it is not so very bad in the car. And that will be better than you waiting for me in Regina and wearing your life out. I remain your loving husband, John.” — John Wilson’s letter to Mary [54:33]

Notable Moments & Timestamps

• [03:33] – Introduction of Mary’s journey to reunite with John in Canada
• [17:45] – Socio-political climate on the prairies and immigration tensions
• [24:33] – John’s own reflection on his relationship with Jessie Patterson
• [33:16] – Dramatic forged “deathbed” letter from John’s “sister” to Jessie
• [46:00] – Mary discovers Jessie’s letter and the affair comes to light
• [51:45] – John’s chilling vow of “nothing but death can separate us now”
• [57:11–59:35] – The “car fire” morning and witnesses’ skeptical accounts
• [59:34] – Suspicious behavior observed by farmers, foreshadowing the crime

Tone & Style

• Kristi Lee’s narration is calm, methodical, and trauma-informed, often pausing to contextualize the era’s social mores, attitudes toward women, immigrants, and policing.
• Archival voices (notably those reading John’s and Mary’s letters) add historical richness and a personal dimension to the episode.

Conclusion & Next Episode Preview

The episode concludes on a cliffhanger:
John is driven to Blaine Lake after the “car fire,” with local suspicion growing; meanwhile, back in Scotland, Mary's family is about to realize she has disappeared. The story continues with Part Two, where the full extent of the crime—and its authoritarian, emotional, and cultural fallout—will be explored.

For further resources, archival images and letters, listeners are directed to canadiantruecrime.ca.
This month’s episode supports Women’s Shelters Canada.

End of Part 1.