Unsolved: 13 Hamilton crimes with rewards for information

The cases stretch back as far as 1995. Most are homicides, but there are also missing person cases and hit-and-runs.

The victims include mobsters, teens and seniors. The cases have one thing in common: all are unsolved.

There are 13 cases where the Hamilton Police Services Board is offering a reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of perpetrators. In total, $375,000 in rewards remains uncollected.

No rewards were paid out or removed from the list in 2021. The last time a reward was paid was in 2013, according to Hamilton police. Details about who got the money and what case it was for are confidential.

Last year just one reward was added for information on the 2020 murder of Giorgio Barresi.

Det. Sgt. Steve Bereziuk, one of three case managers in the Hamilton police homicide unit, said rewards are generally offered only in cases that have exhausted all leads.

I think what it comes down to ultimately, it's a final straw," he said. A somewhat last-ditch effort to garner interest and have somebody come forward (after) you've run out of all investigative avenues that are reasonable."

He's never personally overseen a case where a reward has been successful, he added.

He says money isn't typically a motivating factor for people to come forward. There are cases where a witness comes forward years later, but usually that's because they're overcome by guilt. Often, with time, distance and a change in circumstances, they feel more confident coming forward. Especially where a witness may know the killer, they may feel scared to come forward initially.

If they feel safe they will come forward," he said.

Rewards may also create problems in court. If a witness tells police during their interview that they want the reward money, a defence attorney may use that in court to raise doubt about their motive or honesty.

This is why rewards are only recommended in a small amount of cases.

For a reward to be offered, first, an investigating officer needs to write a synopsis of the case and reasons it should be considered. It then goes up the chain to the chief. If the chief approves, it goes for final approval to the police board. It's also possible for a private person or agency to fund a reward.

These are the 13 cases in Hamilton with outstanding rewards:

• Helen Gillings was 19 when she was murdered and found in an alley at King and Emerald streets on Feb. 17, 1995. She was last seen at the now defunct Straw Hat bar King and Emerald with a man the day before. Reward: $10,000.

• Sean Drennan, 31, was found stabbed to death in his West Avenue North apartment Jan. 22, 1997. Police had been called there for a break-in around 4 a.m. Reward: $10,000.

• Clyde Frost, 80, disappeared from his San Pedro Drive home on the night of Jan. 23, 1999. He was found bludgeoned to death on Feb. 2 inside his camper van in Toronto. Within 24 hours police received a fax from someone who claimed to be one of three people who took part in a botched kidnapping. Reward: $10,000.

• Sheryl Sheppard, 29, disappeared in early January 1998. She last spoke with her mother Jan. 1. Sheppard and her boyfriend, Michael Lavoie, attracted attention when he proposed to her on live television New Year's Eve. He told police he dropped her in Niagara Falls Jan. 2. For years police have said Lavoie is the prime suspect, but the case remains unsolved. Her body has never been found. Reward: $50,000.

• Lynn and Fred Gilbank, both 52, were found shot to death in their Ancaster home early Nov. 16, 1998. Police believe Lynn, a criminal lawyer, was murdered for helping a drug mule-turned informant get into the witness protection program. John Croitoru, better known as Johnny K-9," was arrested and charged in the double murder in January 2015. Police also charged Andre Gravelle with two counts of first-degree murder. But the charges against everyone were dropped. Croitoru died in 2017. Reward: $20,000.

• Thelma Clapham, 79, was found dead from blunt-force trauma in her apartment at 226 Rebecca St. on Dec. 2, 2004. There was no sign of forced entry and Clapham lived alone. Police believe a female may have been involved. No weapon was found, but detectives believe they know what was used to kill her. Reward: $5,000.

• Michael Parmer, 22, of Niagara Falls, N.Y., was shot to death outside the C.C. Bar Club on Ottawa Street North on Sept. 9, 2005. Twelve years later a witness came forward with new information and Jermaine Dunkley was charged with first-degree murder. However, he was found not guilty last September after a judge found the testimony of the police informant was not reliable. Reward: $10,000.

• Nick Perkins, was 17 when he was hit by a vehicle and dragged about 600 metres on Mount Albion Road in July 2008. Perkins suffered life-threatening injuries. The driver of the silver sedan has never been identified. Reward: $10,000.

• Joe Melo, 46, was found dead Aug. 16, 2010 at Home Care Pharmacy, 1217 Main St. E., by an employee. The pharmacy was one of several businesses owned by Melo, who went there the night before for a business meeting. Reward: $25,000.

• Hilas Kostopoulos, 67, was crossing Green Road on the south side of Barton Street East on March 22, 2011 when he was hit and dragged about 100 metres. He was pronounced dead at the scene and a 67-year-old woman he was walking with was hurt. Reward: $25,000.

• Marley Rowe, 23, was shot in the head in the parking lot behind 169 Sherman Ave. N., as he left a 2014 New Year's Eve party. Reward: $50,000.

• Angelo Musitano, 39, was gunned down in the driveway of his Waterdown home on May 2, 2017. Police charged three people in connection with his murder, but two fled to Mexico before their arrests. The gunman, Michael Cudmore, was found murdered there in June 2020. Daniel Tomassetti is wanted on an international warrant. In June, Jabril Abdalla pleaded guilty to participating in a criminal organization. Another mobster, Daniele Ranieri, was identified as a person of interest in the case, but he too was murdered in Mexico. No one has ever been charged with ordering the hit. Reward: $50,000.

• Giorgio Barresi, 42, was shot and killed in the driveway of his Portofino Place home on the night of March 2, 2020. The suspects were captured on camera in a light-coloured, four-door sedan waiting for Barresi to come home. The killer wore a distinctive" long, two-toned coat, with a logo on the upper left breast and high-peaked hood. Barresi was a realtor and father of three; in the past he had ties to organized crime, but police say the motive is not clear. Reward: $50,000.

Nicole O'Reilly is a crime and justice reporter at The Spectator. noreilly@thespec.com