Audrey Gleave

Audrey Gleave was a highly intelligent and intensely private woman who built a quiet, routine life for herself in the rural community of Lynden, a hamlet within Ancaster, Ontario. Born Otte Wilma Doveika in Hamilton on February 6, 1937, to Baltic immigrants, she changed her name to Audrey as a teenager. She was a gifted student who enrolled in science at McMaster University in 1964, earning a bachelor's degree and beginning work on a master's in physics. Her academic path led her to a long career as a high school science teacher at Hill Park, Barton Secondary, and finally Westdale Secondary School, from which she retired in 1997. Thrice married, she remained in the Indian Trail home she had shared with her third husband, Allan Gleave, after their divorce in the 1970s. In retirement, the 73-year-old female enjoyed a simple life, meeting weekly with former colleagues for coffee, visiting the local library, and doting on her two German shepherds, Togi and Schatze. She was a familiar sight in the community, often seen driving her white Camaro with her dogs.

The tranquility of Audrey’s life was shattered in the days after Christmas 2010. She had been feeling unwell but sent an email on the morning of Monday, December 27, confirming she planned to attend her regular Wednesday coffee meeting. This was the last time anyone is known to have heard from her. On the morning of Thursday, December 30, a 22-year-old friend and handyman, Phil Kinsman, stopped by her home at 3401 Indian Trail to bring her a piece of her favorite cake. He had done odd jobs for her for years and was one of the few people she trusted enough to invite inside. When he keyed the code into her garage door and it lifted, he made a horrifying discovery. Audrey Gleave was dead on the garage floor.

Hamilton Police Service and emergency responders arrived at 10:46 a.m., but it was apparent Audrey had been deceased for some time. Investigators soon revealed the shocking details of her death. She was the victim of a "horrendous, vicious attack," according to Staff Sgt. Steven Hrab at the time. An autopsy confirmed she had suffered multiple stab wounds and that there was a sexual component to the brutal assault. Her two protective German shepherds had been inside the house during the attack, apparently unable to reach or save her. They were later taken into the care of animal services. The motive for the killing was not apparent, leading investigators to believe the murder was likely carried out by someone who was familiar with Audrey and her routines.

The investigation began immediately, with Hamilton Police conducting an extensive search of her tree-lined property and teaming up with the Ontario Provincial Police to scour the surrounding area for clues. They examined a derelict barn less than a kilometer from her home. Shortly after the discovery, police charged a 50-year-old homeless man, who was known to squat in a nearby barn and had previously been convicted of assault and animal cruelty, with first-degree murder. However, in June 2011, the charge was dropped after the assistant Crown attorney determined there was "no reasonable prospect of conviction" based on a review of forensic evidence. No other arrests have been made since.

Friends and family remembered Audrey as a reclusive and guarded person. Her ex-husband, Allan Gleave, described her as "paranoid" about living alone and so protective of her privacy that she would cut off contact with people she felt might share her email address. A neighbor recalled that while Audrey would occasionally chat, it was always outside on a bench, never inside her home. This guarded nature made the violent intrusion into her life and home all the more shocking to the small, tight-knit community. One neighbor, Heather VanSickle, expressed the local sentiment, asking, "What would she have ever done to anybody to deserve anything like that? Nothing. Somebody is very sick." A community memorial service was held in Brantford in January 2011 to remember the slain teacher.

As of December 2019, nearly a decade after her death, the horrendous murder of Audrey Gleave remains an active, unsolved homicide for the Hamilton Police Service. Investigators continue to seek information that could lead to the person or persons responsible for ending the life of the retired teacher in her own garage. Anyone with information about this homicide is asked to contact S/Sgt. Dave Oleniuk of the Major Crime Unit at 905-546-3829.