Canadian True Crime - The Wells Gray Park Murders

Host: Kristi Lee
Date: December 19, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode revisits the infamous 1982 Wells Gray Park Murders—one of Canada's most brutal crimes, in which six members of the Johnson and Bentley families were killed while camping in British Columbia. Host Kristi Lee re-examines the facts, the investigation, the shocking confession, and the ongoing trauma the case inflicts on the surviving family. The episode is remastered and updated, featuring interviews with Shelly Bowden (family member), urgent calls for public support as the perpetrator seeks parole, and a nuanced look at justice, trauma, and public safety.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

A. Introduction and Urgency (01:12 – 05:03)

• Case Recap: Six members of a multigenerational family vanished during a camping trip in Wells Gray Park, BC, in 1982. The crime devastated the family and shocked the nation.
• Present Context: The killer is seeking parole again, and the family is mobilizing public support to prevent his release.
  • Shelly Bowden, niece and cousin to the victims, addresses listeners:

    "He has no remorse for anything that he's done... We've been doing [a petition] to keep this mass murderer with his sadistic, you know, fantasies that he has, that he doesn't do this to any other family..." (04:23)

• Call to Action: The public is urged to sign an online petition to support the family before the next parole hearing.

B. The Family and the Crime (05:03 – 21:18)

• Victims:
  • Grandparents George (66) and Edith Bentley (59)
  • Their daughter Jackie Johnson (41), her husband Bob (44), and their daughters Janet (13) and Karen (11)
• Camping Trip:
  • The families were described as loving, outdoorsy, and close-knit.
  • Disappeared after August 6, 1982, after last check-in.
• Discovery:
  • Delayed return triggers concern; investigation launched after Bob Johnson misses work.
  • RCMP finds their burnt-out Chrysler Plymouth; inside are the remains of all six victims, later identified via dental records and x-rays.
  • Forensic analysis reveals bullet wounds, setting the nature of their deaths as execution-style murders.

C. The High-Profile Investigation (21:18 – 35:23)

• Nationwide Search:
  • Enormous media coverage; more than 1,300 tips received.
  • Search initially focused on two "scruffy French-speaking men" seen with a truck and camper matching the victims’ vehicle.
  • Multiple false leads and resource-intensive tactics: police reenactments, public appeals, use of computing technology for data management—then novel in 1983.
• Major Break:
  • Discovery (a year after the murders) of the Bentleys’ burnt-out truck and camper, hidden deep in Wells Gray Park, revealed the killer was local and familiar with the area.

D. Local Suspect & Interrogation (35:23 – 65:00)

• Focus on David Shearing (Ennis):
  • Local farmhand, prior minor offenses, lived near the murder site.
  • Tipped by a local waitress: "Dave Shearing"
  • Shearing had spoken during first interviews, but aroused suspicion by referencing critical, unreleased case details (Bear Creek, bullet hole in the truck).
• Confession Sequence:
  • Shearing is brought in for questioning; initially confesses only to a prior hit-and-run for which he’d never been charged.
  • Detective Mike Eastham employs strategic empathy; Shearing becomes emotional, ultimately confesses to the murders, maps out crime locations, and turns over the murder weapon.
  • Shearing’s stated motive at this stage: he “wanted their stuff”—which investigators doubted.

Notable Quote (Shearing after confession):
"Just that. I feel really bad about it." (approx. 65:00)

E. The Truth Emerges: Motive, Crime & Aftermath (65:00 – 89:00)

• Motive Clarified Later:
  • Shearing’s actual motive, kept secret until 1986, was sexual. His primary interest was 13-year-old Janet and, after killing the adults, he kept Janet and Karen alive for days, sexually assaulting them before murdering them.
  • The chilling planning and aftermath included burning both the car and truck to cover his tracks, mimicking his knowledge of police search tactics.
• Community Impact:
  • Families completely destroyed, with the remaining relatives (such as Shelly Bowden) left traumatized and actively fighting for ongoing justice.

Notable Quote (Detective Eastham recounting Shearing’s words):
"I never knew I was going to have to kill those other four to get the girls." (approx. 80:05)

F. Legal Proceedings and Sentencing (89:00 – 92:00)

• Charges and Sentencing:
  • Pleaded guilty to six counts of second-degree murder in 1984.
  • Received six concurrent life sentences, no parole eligibility for 25 years (the harshest sentence ever given for second-degree murder in Canadian history).
  • The judge described the crime as a “cold-blooded and senseless execution of six defenseless and innocent victims for no apparent reason.”
• Family Response:
  • Satisfaction with the sentence, though the trauma remained.

    "All that remained of her much loved relatives fit into a single child's coffin. Four adults and two children, all in a baby basket." (approx. 90:00, Family’s reflection during parole hearings)

• Public Safety Concerns:
  • The killer’s later diagnosis: sexual sadism, antisocial personality disorder—conditions with poor outcomes for rehabilitation.

G. Parole, Public Advocacy, and Ongoing Trauma (92:00 – End)

• Multiple Parole Applications:
  • Denied in 2008, 2012, and 2021; each time, the parole board cited significant risk to public safety.
  • Even after attending sex offender programs, progress judged to be insincere: "He was only attending the programs to move to a lower security facility."
• Victim Impact Statements & Family Advocacy:
  • Enormous community support: over 100,000 signatures previously delivered to the board.
  • New legislation, advocated by the family, lengthened the interval between parole hearings from two to five years.
• Enduring Pain:
  • Survivors still live with fear and trauma, especially at the prospect of release.

Notable Quotes from Shelly Bowden:

• "It's just like it happened yesterday, and then the tears all come and wish our family could just be left alone... we're not.” (94:50)
• “You should be able to go camping and enjoy your time fishing and camping and hiking or whatever. But now I'm afraid… it's impacted our lives…” (95:19)
• “Tell your MPs, tell them we’re not happy with it… even write a letter. Writing a letter speaks volumes… Thank you very much to everybody who’s listening and to help our family keep this monster in jail.” (97:20)

Memorable Moments & Quotes with Timestamps

• Shelly Bowden on ongoing pain and advocacy:
  • "He has no remorse for anything that he's done... we've been doing [a petition] to keep this mass murderer..." (04:23)
  • "It's just like it happened yesterday, and then the tears all come..." (94:50)
  • "We need to do more of a statement and get more people to sign... even write a letter. Writing a letter speaks volumes." (97:20)
• Judge on Shearing (Ennis):
  • "There is a David Shearing who… shot and killed the four adults, and who then knelt at the tent flap and shot and killed the two young girls. And then there is the David Shearing who carried out an elaborate, time-consuming and ghoulish cover up." (approx. 91:26)
• Shearing on motive:
  • “I never knew I was going to have to kill those other four to get the girls." (approx. 80:05)
• Detective Eastham on psychological diagnosis:
  • "He was diagnosed with sexual sadism with indications of antisocial personality disorder, the clinical diagnosis widely referred to as psychopathy..." (approx. 88:30)
• Family’s comment on memorial:
  • "All that remained of her much loved relatives fit into a single child's coffin. Four adults and two children, all in a baby basket." (approx. 90:00)

Key Timestamps

• 01:12 – Introduction, case outline, family appeal
• 04:23 – First emotional plea from Shelly Bowden
• 05:03 – 21:18 – Detailed narrative of the family, camping trip, and initial disappearance
• 21:18 – 35:23 – The frantic, far-reaching search and public/media involvement
• 35:23 – 65:00 – Shift in investigation; focus on David Shearing; interrogation and confession
• 65:00 – 80:00 – Shearing details his crimes, real motive uncovered
• 80:00 – 92:00 – Aftermath, sentencing, and early parole eligibility
• 92:00 – End – Parole hearings, family advocacy, ongoing trauma, survivor interviews

Tone & Approach

• The episode is empathetic, thorough, and trauma-informed. Kristi Lee balances respectful storytelling with clear factual detail, and the voices of family members add raw emotion and authenticity.
• The narrative honors the victims, describes justice system challenges, and underscores the enduring pain and vigilance survivors must maintain.

Takeaways for New Listeners

• The Wells Gray Park Murders profoundly impacted Canadian society and policing.
• The horror and aftermath are ongoing for the victims’ families—who must still fight to keep a diagnosed sexual sadist and murderer behind bars.
• Public support matters. Listeners are called upon to show solidarity by signing petitions and urging officials to prioritize public safety.

To support the Johnson Bentley family in their fight against the perpetrator’s parole, visit canadiantruecrime.ca or find the petition link in the episode’s show notes.