Park Predators – Episode: "The Beach"

Host: Delia D’Ambra
Date: September 16, 2025

Overview:

In "The Beach," investigative journalist Delia D’Ambra examines the haunting double homicide of two young travelers in 1972 at Radar Beach, nestled within British Columbia’s Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Unraveling the case from its mysterious beginnings through decades-long uncertainty, Delia reveals how years after the murder, an international manhunt finally culminated with a shocking confrontation—thousands of miles away—leaving listeners to ponder the hidden dangers lurking beneath the beauty of wild places.

1. The Setting and Discovery of the Crime (02:25 – 07:40)

• Radar Beach, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve:

  • Secluded, stunning, difficult to access via steep, unmarked trails.
  • Known in the 1960s-70s as a ‘hippie hangout’—transient campers, makeshift shelters.

• Discovery (June 22, 1972):

  • A camper finds an undisturbed lean-to shelter two days in a row.
  • Upon investigation, discovers two bodies—young man and woman, partially dressed, inside a sleeping bag.
  • Delia: “He stopped cold because there, still tucked into a single sleeping bag, were the partially dressed bodies of a young man and a young woman…They were wearing T shirts spattered with blood and showed no signs of life.” (04:19)

• Law Enforcement Response:

  • Location made police efforts difficult—officers arrived by lifeboat, waited for backup via helicopter.
  • Victims: both shot multiple times with a small-caliber rifle; killed in their sleep.

2. The Victims and Their Stories (07:40 – 14:09)

• Identities:

  • Ann Durant, 20, Vancouver—university student, described as quiet, intelligent, warm.
  • Leif Carlson, 21, Sweden—traveling student, artistic, music and poetry lover.

• Victims’ Timeline:

  • Departed Vancouver together June 19, ferry to Nanaimo, hitchhiked to Tofino near Radar Beach.
  • Last seen alive June 20 in Tofino.

• Scene Clues:

  • Unusual objects (Bible, torn photo, guitar, glasses) scattered near scene.
  • Clothing thrown from a cliff a mile from the lean-to.

3. The Investigation and Key Suspect Emerges (14:09 – 23:53)

• Police Focus:

  • Interviewed area ‘alternative lifestyle’ campers.
  • Public appeal to speak with three specific individuals (young couple with dogs and a woman known as “Chris” with a son, Dylan).

• Prime Suspect – Joseph Henry Burgess:

  • American, transient, known to camp on west Vancouver Island; religious zealot.
  • RCMP: “...characterized Joseph as a quote unquote, Jesus freak who lived as a hermit in the woods…” (16:54)
  • Ex-member, Children of God—a controversial religious sect.
  • Found: items belonging to Joseph (Bible, torn photo, guitar) at or near crime scene; fingerprints tying him to victim’s documents.
  • Witnesses recall him cleaning a .22 rifle, expressing religious disapproval of unmarried couples.
  • Named as primary suspect, but eluded authorities for decades by living off-grid and under aliases.
  • Significant new info emerges (1977): Joseph and Ann previously dated, giving rise to personal motive speculation.

• Motive Theories:

  • Possible religiously-motivated “sacrificial” murder (police internal speculation).
  • More likely: crime of passion, given Joseph’s relationship to Ann.

Quote:
“There was reportedly a romantic history there between Joseph and Ann, which might have prompted some investigators to suspect that was the true motive for the crime. Especially when you consider how many times each victim had been shot in the head. It was, in essence, a slaughter. Very much overkill, in my opinion.” – Delia (22:04)

4. Decades of Unanswered Questions and a Copycat Case? (26:08 – 32:46)

• The Jenner Beach Murders (2004, California):

  • Lindsay Cutshall and Jason Allen found shot dead on a remote beach, eerily similar to 1972 case.
  • RCMP and media investigate possible Burgess connection; true-crime shows fuel speculation.
  • Weapons ultimately don’t match; Joseph cleared years later, but case remains unsolved (upcoming episode tease).

• Lasting Pain for Families:

  • Ann’s family (interview with father Jeffrey): heartbreak, loss, regret over their life decisions.
  • "Losing Anne had been very difficult for the entire Durant family and changed everything about their lives.” – Delia, quoting Peter King of the LA Times (30:56)

5. The Final Resolution: Confrontation and Confirmation (35:02 – 44:33)

• Joseph Burgess Resurfaces:

  • 2009, New Mexico: “Cookie Bandit”—responsible for thefts, break-ins in the Jemez Mountains.

• Deadly Encounter:

  • July 16, 2009: Sgt. Joe Harris and partner Teresa Moriarty stake out a cabin. They confront Burgess during a break-in.
  • Gunfight ensues: both Joe Harris and Joseph Burgess are killed.

• Aftermath:

  • Joseph’s fingerprints confirm identity; RCMP close Radar Beach double homicide, naming him posthumously as the killer.
  • No further prosecution—Burgess is dead, but families finally receive closure.

• Joe Harris and the Sense of Evil:
  “People kept telling him, you know, why are you going after this guy? He steals groceries and why are you trying so hard? And he kept saying, I'm going to get him. There’s something about this guy, he needs to be gotten… And he was right.” – Tonya Harris, widow (quoting Joe's intuition) (43:21)
  “I believe the person who came into that cabin was evil, an evil entity. We could feel it when he came in.” – Teresa Moriarty (43:37)

6. Extended Consequences and Legacy (44:33 – End)

• Joseph Burgess’ Violent Legacy:

  • Likely responsible for multiple crimes and at least one other murder (David Ely, 2006).
  • Authorities conducted a multi-state review of cold cases, suspecting a broader pattern.
  • Burgess’ survival skills and transient nature allowed him to evade justice for decades.

• Closure for Families:

  • Final conversations between Joe Harris’s widow and Ann Durant’s father; mutual recognition of lasting pain but also a sense of closure.
  • Ann’s father tells Tonya: "The pain of losing a loved one in such a violent way would likely never go away. But he believed she was a strong person who would remain strong for her and Joe’s children.” (42:43)

7. Notable Quotes and Moments

• Setting the Scene:
  “Some visitors find themselves having to crawl or climb over fallen trees just to access the beach… all the hard work that’s required to get down there isn’t without a reward, because the views are stunning. In June 1972, though, a terrible crime marred this region’s beauty in an unforgettable way.” – Delia (02:43)

• On the Suspect:
  “He was well versed on how to get around… highly intelligent… knew how to lay low and live somewhat undetected.” – Delia (21:23)

• Closure and Loss:
  “His other sister said that she was really close with Joseph before he fled the US in the late 1960s… she didn’t like the use of the word caught regarding her brother, but only wished for him to come back home.” – Delia, paraphrasing Burgess’s sister (29:39)

8. Episode Structure: Timestamps for Key Sections

• 02:25 – 07:40: Discovery and early investigation
• 07:40 – 14:09: Victims’ backgrounds and circumstances
• 14:09 – 23:53: Investigation focus/Prime suspect Joseph Burgess emerges
• 26:08 – 32:46: Decades of open investigation and similar crime in California
• 35:02 – 44:33: Cookie Bandit & deadly New Mexico confrontation
• 44:33 – End: Aftermath, families’ closure, legacy

9. Tone and Overall Impact

Delia D’Ambra’s tone is methodical, empathetic, and deeply investigative, keeping listeners engaged through unflinching attention to detail, personal stories, and the haunting legacy of unsolved crimes in beautiful places. The narrative moves seamlessly from facts and emotion to the ultimate resolution, thoughtfully reflecting on the rippling consequences for victims, survivors, and the broader community.

End of Summary