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SCMP Reporter

Canadian police have used hypnosis, lie-detection and computer technology to determine whether a serial killer was behind the murders of three elderly Chinese Vancouver residents.

 The unsolved killings in the suburb of Coquitlam - home to many Hong Kong retirees - involved similarities which have unnerved residents and relatives of the victims.

 Former school teacher Choi Chuk-tung, 75, and his wife, Choi Leung Chun-ho, 74, were found bludgeoned to death in the basement of their home in March and pensioner Ku Shuk-kam, 62, was found murdered in her basement last month.

 But Royal Canadian Mounted Police principal investigator Captain Mike Connor said exhaustive tests had concluded the murders were unrelated.

 From his Vancouver office yesterday, Captain Connor told the South China Morning Post his nine-strong investigation team had used hi-tech software such as geographic profiling and the national Violent Crime Linkage Analysis System database.

 Hypnosis and lie-detection had failed to elicit new leads from relatives and friends of the victims.

 'The results indicated those people have been telling the truth. They have no involvement,' he said.

 Although all three victims were killed during quiet weekends in the same district, with no sign of a break-in, the two incidents were not carried out by the same people, Captain Connor said.

 A Vancouver City Police detective inspector, Kim Rossmo, had been seconded to review files and run a geographic profile, using a computer to predict the area where offenders were likely to live or work, based on the crime sites.

 Geographic profiles can also be used to indicate whether a series of crimes were committed by one person, whether and how victims were stalked, or whether the culprit moved home while committing the crimes.

 The Chois' double-murder was 'unlike anything that has happened before' and was the Mounties' top priority, Captain Connor said.

 'Canada is a very safe place to live. I feel the two murders in Coquitlam are unrelated. I hope we can find those responsible and put them behind bars,' he said.



Vancouver killings 'not linked'