The Detectives (2018) s03e06 Episode Script
Peters
1 (MAN): When this happens to a police officer - on duty - Hello? trying to protect our communities, our country, it does strike a different chord.
It's a reminder that every time you go out He's dead! There's a dead policeman in the road! you may not make it home that night.
(MALE NEWSCASTER): Constable Kowalczyk was 36, married, with 3 children.
(PETERS): If an armed police officer is unable to protect themselves, then everyone is at risk.
The killer waited until he was defenceless and murdered him in cold blood.
So keep that in mind - and be careful out there.
- (MALE NEWSCASTER): RCMP and city police began a massive search of the area.
- What kind of car do you drive? - It's a pickup.
Colour? (NEWSCASTER): Police say this truck was used by the killer.
All clear, let's go! But this is gonna be as challenging an investigation as any of us have ever undertaken.
(WOMAN): I wanna know how much my husband's life was worth.
(PETERS): Gord Kowalczyk wearing that uniform made him a target.
I'm dealing with the death of one of my own, - do you understand? - (SCOFFING) That's why he was shot: because he was wearing that uniform.
(THEME MUSIC) In this particular situation, there was no question that I would be running the investigation myself.
No delegation on this one.
- Every murder is serious, but this person - is a police officer murdered on duty, this is when you have to bring the maximum resources to the game.
When I'd arrived at the murder scene, Special Constable Kowalczyk is down, he's been shot.
There was a chill that ran through me, and I suppose through all of our people that were there.
We all identify with that blue trouser and yellow stripe.
We all wore it.
He didn't go down without a fight.
They're all from his .
38.
And look, that one bullet wasn't fired.
You think he dropped it when he was - trying to reload? - Yeah.
Which means he got off at least six shots.
So where's his service weapon? If he was trying to reload, it should be here somewhere.
I bet the bastard took it with him.
- See this glass here? - Yeah.
Fair guess the killer fired his first shot or two from inside the vehicle, clipping the window, probably as Kowalczyk was making his approach for the traffic stop.
They exchanged fire.
Kowalczyk went down.
It seems apparent that the perpetrator exited the vehicle and, at very close range, fired one shot into his chest, near his heart, and the last shot into his head.
It's a cold-blooded execution.
He waited until Kowalczyk was down and out of ammo, and then he came to finish him off.
- He's a sick son of a bitch.
- (SIREN WAILING) Tell the men to bag and catalogue everything they find no matter how insignificant, even if they think it's just roadside trash.
And let's put out a province-wide alert on that plate.
I knew Kowalczyk.
And I saw him a few weeks ago.
(PETERS): Poor Kowalczyk was lying on the road brutally assassinated.
I remember thinking, "Well, this could be me.
This could have been me".
(MALE NEWSCASTER): 35-year-old Gordon Kowalczyk was a special constable assigned to the Calgary Airport.
Shortly after midnight, he stopped the driver of a truck suspected of leaving this gas station without paying.
The officer was wounded several times before a blast from a shotgun killed him.
His service revolver was missing.
Constable Kowalczyk was 36, married, with 3 children.
He'll be buried on Thursday, the first Calgary RMCP officer ever to be killed in the line of duty.
(PETERS): We know that this is gonna be as challenging an investigation as any of us have ever undertaken.
As you know, we recently lost Special Constable Gordon Kowalczyk.
Everything we gleaned so far suggests his murder was a random occurrence related to a traffic stop he made shortly before his death.
DISPATCHER: [We have a suspect driving a black pick-up truck.]
[heading north on highway 2A.
.]
[Didn't pay for gas.
.]
You said a black pickup? I think I just passed it.
I'll check it out.
(PETERS): Kowalczyk is on the road going in the opposite direction.
- Copy that.
- (PETERS): He decides, "Well, maybe it's worth checking that vehicle.
- (SIREN BLARING) - Worst case scenario, it's somebody who's stolen $20 worth of gasoline.
Constable Kowalczyk radios in a licence number.
Just a routine check.
But one stroke of bad luck, and that's all it takes.
- (GUN COCKING) - A few minutes later, the fella who was working at the airport came across a marked police car with the dome light activated.
He saw our member laying on the road.
Hello? Is anyone there? He's dead! There's a dead policeman in the road! In terms of physical evidence, we've recovered three 12-gauge shotgun shells from the crime scene.
It's already been sent to ballistics.
We've also recovered a black ball cap with a Q oil logo.
It's being processed for hair samples.
While we're waiting for the results, I want everybody working on a list of crimes with a similar MO, especially robberies with shoguns, okay? You should know that we think Gordon unloaded his weapon during a firefight with the suspect.
The killer waited until he was defenceless and murdered him in cold blood.
So keep that in mind and be careful out there.
If an armed police officer trained in self-defence is unable to protect themselves, then everyone is at risk.
Not just the police, not just the clerk in his store, not the gas station attendant, but everybody is at risk.
(NEWSCASTER): Gordon Kowalczyk was a special constable.
The men and women who worked with him spoke warmly about Constable Kowalczyk, whom they described as a big man with an easygoing way.
That's the way people in this neighbourhood remember him as well.
Oh, he was a very nice person, just a good neighbour, you know.
You could borrow anything from him or go for help or whatever.
(PETERS): Of course, every murder is important, but when this happens to a police officer on duty trying to protect our communities, our country, it does strike a different chord.
It strikes home.
We all realize that we're vulnerable.
You can't help but reflect a little bit on your own death.
- You're ready? - (OTHER MAN SIGHING) Not really.
(PETERS): It is a special bond.
We're brothers in law.
(DOORBELL RINGING) Sylvia I can't believe it.
(SOBBING) Here.
(PETERS): For the next of kin, you can't even begin to fathom the depth of emotions that they're going to be subjected to.
I don't think I could have faced the kids.
You know, he had always told me not worry, that he had the safest job at the RCMP.
How could this happen? So far, it looks like a case of wrong place, wrong time.
Gordon pulled over a vehicle suspected of a minor gas theft and somehow, things escalated from there.
We're still trying to piece things together.
Can you think if Gordon had any enemies or any personal conflicts that might be relevant? No.
Nothing.
Look, Gordon didn't go looking for trouble, okay? - He was a good man! - I know he was.
I'm so sorry for your loss.
(SIGHING) Yeah, we'll show ourselves out.
How much was the gas? Tell me.
I want to know how much my husband's life was worth.
- Tell me! - $20.
$20? We will get justice for your husband, Mrs.
Kowalczyk.
I promise you that.
It doesn't make any sense.
You don't kill someone over $20 worth of gas.
There's got to be more to this.
This is not gonna be a quick whodunit.
You're chasing someone who has killed a cop, and they may do it again.
There was a tremendous amount of pressure.
The fear is that there might be another murder.
So you've got to make sure that everybody is pulling hard and try to get the message out to the media, to the world that this is not over yet.
(MALE NEWSCASTER): Police are on the lookout for a black pickup truck with a missing side window in connection with the tragic shooting of RCMP Officer Gordon Kowalczyk.
The driver of the truck is considered armed and dangerous.
(PETERS): You don't just jump from petty crimes to the execution of an armed policeman like this.
We would obviously be looking for a real hardened, tough criminal with no sense of remorse of course.
(WOMAN): Sergeant! Airport detachment just faxed through the registration info on that plate.
The plate that Kowalczyk called in before the murder, - it belongs to a police officer.
- Get him in for questioning.
- - I did not expect that our prime suspect would be a cop.
We have a licence plate that Constable Kowalczyk had called in.
(SIREN BLARING) (WOMAN): The plate Kowalczyk called in before the murder belongs - to a Calgary police officer.
- Get him in for questioning.
We did hope of course that the licence plate would be one really solid lead.
When I found out that it was registered to a Calgary city policeman it was of course shocking.
Do you know why you're here? Not really.
My CO told me I had to get over here ASAP.
Something to do with the Kowalczyk murder.
What kind of car do you drive? - It's a pickup.
- Colour? - It's light brown.
- What's the licence plate number? BLC 456.
Why? Why? Because that was the plate number Constable Kowalczyk called in last night before he was killed.
Uh I I don't Look, I I don't know what to tell you.
I was on patrol when that happened.
My partner can confirm that.
Does anyone else have access to your truck? Only my wife.
(PETERS): Might he, could he have been involved? It's possible, but he had a pretty good alibi because he was working with another Calgary city police officer at the time.
Okay, honey, this is important.
Do you remember seeing anyone outside the house? Okay.
Yeah.
Thanks.
Me too.
I'll be home soon.
She checked.
Both plates are missing.
Someone must have taken them in the last couple of days.
That's the last time either of us drove it.
Okay.
His licence plate had been stolen.
You don't steal someone's licence plates, so you could steal 19 dollars and 56 cents' worth of gasoline.
Doesn't add up.
Constable Kowalczyk was killed doing a routine vehicle check for theft of gasoline, not a serious crime.
But killing a police officer is as serious as it gets.
RCMP and city police began a massive search of the area and set up roadblocks around the city.
This afternoon, police found the truck involved at this shopping mall.
The stolen vehicle had bullet holes in it indicating that there was an exchange of gunfire before the officer died.
Police say this truck was used by the killer.
At least four bullet holes indicate that the RCMP constable did not die without a fight.
Today, police concentrated their search on this shopping mall where the stolen truck was later found.
When we've got the truck, now we've got a big piece of the puzzle.
We can start to put it together a little better.
Plate matches.
(PETERS): The fact that the perpetrators took the time to locate a vehicle similar to the one that they were operating and to steal a licence plate from that showed planning and premeditation.
Look at this.
Bullet holes.
Window's smashed.
Looks like we were right about him firing from inside.
We didn't find any blood inside the vehicle, and we have no reason to believe that any bullets actually penetrated into the truck.
So the perpetrator is alive, uninjured.
They were out there somewhere.
Well, look at that.
It was a 12-gauge shotgun, the same as at the murder scene.
Those shotgun shells were a big break for us.
Normally, a shotgun casing doesn't give us that much, but in this particular case, it did.
Sir, I've got some good news from ballistics.
What's that? The scoring pattern, it's distinctive and deeply etched on all the shells.
So the shells will match the weapon.
And these patterns are obvious enough that a layperson can make a match.
There's no ambiguity here.
Even better, the gun that fired them is pretty rare.
What do you mean? It's a vintage weapon? - Specialized hunting rifle? What? - No.
Quite the opposite.
It's a Defender, short-barreled, designed to inflict maximum damage at a close range.
It's a gangster's gun.
When we realize it's a Defender, that just kind of adds to that whole scenario or suspicion that we're dealing with probably a hardened criminal.
This is not someone who is a duck hunter that just used this gun.
People looking for trouble buy Defenders.
Its only purpose is to kill people.
- - The perpetrators had got rid of the licence plates, they wiped the vehicle down; that to me strikes or smacks of an organized criminal.
That's a biker's gun.
A biker is capable of an extreme level of violence.
(HARD ROCK MUSIC PLAYING) Could it have been a biker or bikers? Maybe they were couriering drugs somewhere, got stopped and chose to fight their way out.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS) At that time in Alberta, in Calgary, the biker scene was growing and vibrant and violent.
(INDISTINCT SPEAKING) But they don't like to get the extra pressure, the extra attention.
They already get lots of attention; we're gonna give them more.
- (HARD ROCK MUSIC PLAYING) - (INDISTINCT CHATTER) (INDISTINCT SONG PLAYING) Like I said, I got nothing to tell you.
No? Because I'm thinking maybe one of your probies thought he could make his bones by killing a cop.
(SCOFFING) Nobody's that stupid in my club.
You sure? The cop was killed with a short-barrelled shotgun.
You listen to me.
I'm dealing with the death of one of my own, - do you understand? - Honestly, I don't know.
If I did, I might tell you.
Do you really think I want to protect a cop killer? Well, you better start asking around.
Rebels, Reapers, unaffiliated scumbags; if you hear of anyone anyone getting trigger happy with a shotgun, I wanna know about it.
Have a good night.
We've got a pretty good idea where most of these people live; we know where their clubhouses are at.
So we may tend to do more checks of vehicles, search their bike a little more carefully looking for prohibited weapons or substances.
We set up surveillance on them.
We're making them uncomfortable.
We're turning up the heat.
Sergeant Peters, sir.
We just got a call from Calgary PD about a case they're working.
It involves a pair of felons who escaped custody and they used shotguns to commit an armed robbery.
(PETERS): They've escaped lawful custody; they commit an armed robbery and a charge of attempted murder.
We need to find them.
- - When I found out that there was a shotgun robbery We just got a call from Calgary PD about a case they're working.
It involves a pair of felons who escaped custody and they used shotguns.
(PETERS): These were striking similarities to our crime.
(FEMALE NEWSCASTER): Oresto Panacui and Jean Guy Dipietro were considered dangerous.
The two men had been at large for six months.
They escaped from the Remand Centre last summer smashing a window and crawling down - these knotted bedsheets.
- (PETERS): I'm telling you, the timing, the MO; it all matches up.
Jean Guy Dipietro, between 1985 and 1986, he robbed 4 different banks at gunpoint.
He was arrested and held until he escaped 7 weeks later with another inmate, Oresto Panacui.
(FEMALE NEWSCASTER): Panacui was awaiting trial on a charge of kidnapping a 12-year-old Calgary boy.
They also matched the descriptions of two men involved in two recent Royal Bank heists.
And then just a few weeks before Kowalczyk's murder, they robbed a Brinks' truck.
They carried shotguns and they opened fire on all the guards before they even had a chance to surrender.
(FEMALE NEWSCASTER): Police want them now for questioning in connection with two Brinks holdups in the city in which a Brinks guard, Wilford Rollman, - was critically wounded.
- What happened to the guards? - They survived? - Barely.
But they took a sidearm off one of the guards just like Kowalczyk's.
They shot that Brinks guard at close range with a 12-gauge shotgun.
These are two really bad guys.
Does Calgary PD have any idea where they might be right now? No, but they don't have the resources we have.
But I'm telling you we're going to focus all our resources on finding these two.
These two fellas had extensive criminal records, and they were unlawfully at large, so if they're recognized and stopped by Special Constable Kowalczyk at night - and on a lonely road - (GUNSHOT) there's a very real chance that there would be a violent confrontation.
Dipietro and Panacui were very violent men.
Everybody, gather around.
You've got to rally the troops and get the message out to everybody that this is not over yet.
Keep looking.
Keep digging.
Let's find them.
We did learn through confidential sources that they had spent some time in northeast Calgary, which would put them in very close proximity both of where murder occurred and where the vehicle was dropped off.
The only way to confirm it would be to send in a team, look for them, and that's exactly what we did.
They may have had a camp in the foothills of the Rockies.
Yeah, it'd be a great place to hide out, there's lots of cover.
We believe it's possible that they had been there at some point in time, but there was no sign that they were there now or recently.
(FEMALE NEWSCASTER): Jean Guy Dipietro and Oresto Panacui (MALE NEWSCASTER): Beginning of a crime spree in Calgary.
(PETERS): It's hard for someone to understand the amount of pressure.
The fear is that is this the beginning of a murder spree? Who knows? Have you seen this? We made it to the front page.
"Dipietro and Panacui still at large.
Will the RCMP stop them before they kill again?" It's not enough our higher-ups are breathing down our necks, now the newspapers are weighing in.
Look at this.
"When are they gonna arrest Panacui? Did Kowalczyk ever arrest Dipietro, and what are they doing to find Panacui - and Dipietro?" - They're relentless.
It's just distractions.
We gotta stay focused.
One would naturally be concerned that we're not making the headway we should, but if you get impatient, you're gonna make a mistake, you're gonna miss something, and you're not gonna solve it.
The flags are flying at half-mast at RCMP headquarters expressing the shock and sadness of the dead man's fellow officers.
Several hundred police officers from across Canada and the United States came to Calgary to pay their last respects to a fallen comrade.
(PETERS): When you see the row and row and row of police officers all dressed in uniform (MALE NEWSCASTER): Constable Kowalczyk, married, with three young children, took a last salute from his friends and colleagues.
(PETERS): Gord Kowalczyk's children their dad is should be to them and and is a hero.
(MALE NEWSCASTER): Inside the church where Constable Kowalczyk was baptized and married, his parish priest described the death as "senseless destruction".
RCMP and Calgary police are still trying to find his killer.
I've been looking all over for you; what are you doing out here? I just needed a minute to myself.
Just got a call asking for an update on Dipietro and Panacui.
It's every day now.
Well, in that case, I've got good news.
We heard from our team in Vancouver.
They've been running surveillance on a strip club that Dipietro and Panacui used to hang out at.
One of the girls mentioned taking a trip to see Dipietro.
Sounds like she knows where they're hiding.
Well, I guess I better go pack a bag.
We heard from our team in Vancouver.
They've been running surveillance on a strip club that Dipietro and Panacui used to hang out at.
(PETERS): We were able to come across a stripper that Dipietro and Panacui befriended.
She seemed to know where they were headed for.
- (POP MUSIC PLAYING) - (INDISTINCT CHATTER) Bethany? The bartender said you wanted to talk to me? Yeah, I'm Sergeant Peters with the RCMP.
- (INDISTINCT SONG PLAYING) - I wanna ask you a few questions about Jean Guy Dipietro and Oresto Panacui.
Well, we get a lot of guys come through here, you know.
Okay, Miss Vale, it's gonna be best if you're straight with me.
Right now, we're having an informal conversation, and I'd prefer to keep it that way.
I know that you've been in contact with Jean Guy.
If you prefer not to cooperate, then I can charge you with aiding and abetting a fugitive.
Is that what you want, Bethany? Lots of criminals find the necessity to brag about their past exploits.
If they just learned to talk less, we'd probably have a more difficult time finding 'em.
- - They've hurt a lot of people.
Jean Guy said they were going to Mexico to lay low.
He promised to call when they found a place.
- Did he say where in Mexico? - He had some friends in some city down there.
I think it started with like, an M.
An M? Uh-huh.
- Mexicali? - Mm-mm.
Monterrey? Manzanillo? - Mazatlan? - Yeah, that last one.
I'm pretty sure that's it.
Mazatlan.
Thank you.
Of course, the RCMP has got no jurisdiction in Mexico.
How do we find them - down there? - (PHONE RINGING) (WOMAN SPEAKING SPANISH) Gracias.
Sergeant Peters? [Inspector Castellanos.
Did you get.]
- the material I faxed to you? - [I did.
.]
I understand you have a couple of fugitives you'd like us - to track down? - [Yes, sir, That's right.
.]
We believe they crossed into Mexico sometime in the last three weeks.
They're wanted for a series of violent armed robberies, and they're suspects in the killing of a RCMP officer.
I'm sorry to hear that.
My condolences.
[Thank you very much, sir.
We appreciate that.
.]
So obviously, we want to get them back to Canada to face trial, and we're wondering if the Federales could help us find them.
- We'd be glad to help.
- (SIREN BLARING) (PETERS): It took them less than a week to locate Dipietro and Panacui.
And I must say that the Federales could not have been more cooperative.
We're dealing with someone who's killed a policeman, a cop killer.
I think they went further than they might normally have gone.
- (FOOTSTEPS) - Sergeant Peters.
- Inspector.
- Sorry for the wait.
- Welcome to Mexico.
- I can't thank you and your department enough for bringing them in so quickly.
- Shall we? - (PETERS): The irony of these two men fleeing to Mexico because they didn't want to face justice here in Canada was that they went to a more violent - police force.
- (KNOCKING) Here we are.
Panacui and Dipietro.
So I take it you've already questioned them? - We have.
- I want to speak with them alone.
Clearly, they had sustained some injuries during the interrogation - with the Federales.
- Which one first? That one, Dipietro.
We didn't and don't condone that, but, again, we don't instruct them how to conduct policing in their country.
Jean Guy Dipietro? Sergeant Peters from the RCMP.
I need to ask you a few questions.
You're here to take us back to Canada? Now, there's an extradition in process, but that's gonna take a week or so.
No.
Can't take a week.
You gotta get us out of here now! - Please! - We could discuss that, but first I need to know where you were three weeks ago, - on the night of the 25th.
- Well, I was here! With Oresto! We've been here over a month! If you don't believe me, ask my landlady.
We were renting a place on the beach.
Was that right after you murdered an RCMP constable - in Calgary? - What are you saying? No! I No! Jesus! (PETERS): They weren't even in Canada when it happened, so they were pretty easy to alibi.
(FEMALE NEWSCASTER): Today, embassy officials in Mexico City confirmed both men were arrested on Friday near the west coast resort town of Mazatlan.
When the two men return to Canada, they will face numerous charges.
(PETERS): Whether they're responsible for the murder of Special Constable Kowalczyk or not, they're unlawfully at large, we have to get them back to Canada.
We're very disappointed to find out that that too was another dead end.
I just got this from Edmonton PD responding to our call for a heads-up on crimes involving shotguns.
- What do they have for us? - A holdup at a pizzeria last night.
A middle-aged woman threatened a cashier with a pistol before the patrons chased her out into the parking lot.
A young male accomplice was waiting in a getaway car.
He fires a shotgun into the air scaring everybody off before those two escape in a yellow Oldsmobile.
- Did anyone get hurt? - No.
Just threats.
That doesn't sound like our perps.
They recovered a shell from the scene.
I had them run it over.
It's a match.
(WOMAN): The scoring pattern, it's distinctive and deeply etched on all the shells.
(PETERS): So the shells will match the weapon.
(WOMAN): And these patterns are obvious enough that a layperson can make a match.
(PETERS): So no, it wasn't the hardened criminals one would normally have assumed.
In fact, it's a mother and son: Linda Bowen and Andrew Kay.
And we learned that they'd rented a farmhouse out of town.
- (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) - I'm looking at it right now.
Both have got pretty petty criminal records; why would they progress to such a violent crime? Let's bring in the team.
They have already murdered one policeman; there's no saying that they wouldn't shoot yet another.
We believed that Linda Bowen and Andrew Kay are the people that killed Special Constable Gord Kowalczyk.
The holdup at a pizzeria last night; they recovered a shell from the scene.
- It's a match.
- Let's bring in the team.
This pair's way too dangerous to allow any chance that they could slip away.
You were supposed to buy beer.
We needed groceries.
I made you a sandwich.
It's in the fridge if you're hungry.
What about the cash from last night? We need that for the power.
You don't want them to cut us off now, do you, sweetie? Then we can do another job, huh? - - It's too risky.
I thought you said we were gonna take a break.
(PETERS): The relationship that these two had most certainly was not normal.
I think it defies explanation.
Come on.
It'll be fun.
We could hit that burger place I told you about.
I don't want anything to happen to you.
- Nothing is gonna happen.
- (HORSES NEIGHING) (DRAMATIC MUSIC) (WHINNYING) You're my best boy.
I know.
- All clear.
Let's go! - (HORSES WHINNYING) (COWS MOOING) - - Team B in position.
(COW MOOING) Hold position.
Hold position.
What the hell is wrong with you?! - (WHINNYING LOUDLY) - Shut up! (COWS MOOING) (HORSES NEIGHING) (PETERS): Someone could get hurt here.
Wait for my go.
If somebody from the house starts shooting at our people, well, they're gonna return fire.
Just a quick turn, the pull of a trigger, and someone's dead.
(WHISPERING): Go, go.
Police! Drop your weapon! Get on the ground! Do it now! (TWO GUNSHOTS) (LINDA): Andrew! Andrew! Linda I'm gonna need you to talk to me.
It's too late for Andrew now.
You need to focus on helping yourself.
Of course it's too late for him, you killed him.
What do you mean? Andrew's fine.
You're lying.
I heard the shots.
You people killed him right in our own front yard like he was an animal.
I promise we didn't do anything to Andrew.
If I showed you, will you trust me? Linda Bowen was extremely concerned about the welfare of her son.
In my opinion, it was impossible to continue with an interview with someone in that state of mind.
Oh, my best boy.
(PETERS): Once she saw him, a big burden was lifted off her shoulders.
"My son's alive".
I want a lawyer.
So you've said.
Do you understand that you're being charged with first-degree murder? We have your rifle, and we can prove it was the murder weapon.
You killed an officer in the line of duty that carries an automatic life sentence.
You're not getting out of this.
The best thing you can do for yourself is cooperate.
I want a lawyer.
(PETERS): We've got people in custody.
We conduct a search of the house.
We find the Defender shotgun.
We've got them.
We got the perpetrators.
Now, can we prove it? The whole thing was supposed to be real simple.
We figured we'd hit a few places: gas stations, maybe a convenience store.
Nothing big, just in an out.
Take everything that they had in the till and get out of there.
And on the night of the murder? We didn't want to use our car, so we stole the truck the day before.
Andrew had it because I don't drive stick.
I was following in our car.
We checked out a few places and decided on the gas station by the airport.
He went and did the robbery.
I waited in a grocery store.
Why didn't you go in with him? I got scared.
Andrew said he'd do it himself.
- - And then what happened? He came back.
20 minutes, maybe a half hour.
He shows up with no money, says he killed a cop.
At first, I didn't believe him.
Then I seen the bullet holes in the truck.
Did he explain what happened? Alls he said is that he had to do it.
I never asked again.
One thing I don't understand; after the murders, why wouldn't you just quit? Why would you keep taking that risk? I wanted to stop, but I knew Andrew wouldn't.
He'd keep doing it with or without me.
You want to keep him safe.
I went because I knew if I didn't he'd hurt more people.
He's my little boy.
(SOBBING) He's my little boy.
(MALE NEWSCASTER): A 21-year-old man, Andrew Kay, was charged yesterday with first-degree murder in the January 26th shooting death of Constable Kowalczyk.
Kay is being held in a cell here at the Airdrie RCMP detachment.
His 42-year-old mother is also in custody.
Linda Marie Bowen is charged with her part in the brutal shooting death of Constable Kowalczyk.
Linda Bowen and her son Andrew will be here at the Airdrie courthouse tomorrow to face charges that could send them both to prison for the rest of their lives.
Court appearance is set for 10 o'clock tomorrow morning.
Des Kilfoyle, CBC News.
All of Gord's coworkers have been visiting and bringing food, checking up on the young kids, They've been really good to us.
We caught them, Sylvia.
(PETERS): Gord Kowalczyk wearing that uniform made him a target.
That's why he was shot: because he was wearing that uniform.
It's an officer's worst nightmare.
It's a reminder that every time you go out, you may not make it home that night.
- -
It's a reminder that every time you go out He's dead! There's a dead policeman in the road! you may not make it home that night.
(MALE NEWSCASTER): Constable Kowalczyk was 36, married, with 3 children.
(PETERS): If an armed police officer is unable to protect themselves, then everyone is at risk.
The killer waited until he was defenceless and murdered him in cold blood.
So keep that in mind - and be careful out there.
- (MALE NEWSCASTER): RCMP and city police began a massive search of the area.
- What kind of car do you drive? - It's a pickup.
Colour? (NEWSCASTER): Police say this truck was used by the killer.
All clear, let's go! But this is gonna be as challenging an investigation as any of us have ever undertaken.
(WOMAN): I wanna know how much my husband's life was worth.
(PETERS): Gord Kowalczyk wearing that uniform made him a target.
I'm dealing with the death of one of my own, - do you understand? - (SCOFFING) That's why he was shot: because he was wearing that uniform.
(THEME MUSIC) In this particular situation, there was no question that I would be running the investigation myself.
No delegation on this one.
- Every murder is serious, but this person - is a police officer murdered on duty, this is when you have to bring the maximum resources to the game.
When I'd arrived at the murder scene, Special Constable Kowalczyk is down, he's been shot.
There was a chill that ran through me, and I suppose through all of our people that were there.
We all identify with that blue trouser and yellow stripe.
We all wore it.
He didn't go down without a fight.
They're all from his .
38.
And look, that one bullet wasn't fired.
You think he dropped it when he was - trying to reload? - Yeah.
Which means he got off at least six shots.
So where's his service weapon? If he was trying to reload, it should be here somewhere.
I bet the bastard took it with him.
- See this glass here? - Yeah.
Fair guess the killer fired his first shot or two from inside the vehicle, clipping the window, probably as Kowalczyk was making his approach for the traffic stop.
They exchanged fire.
Kowalczyk went down.
It seems apparent that the perpetrator exited the vehicle and, at very close range, fired one shot into his chest, near his heart, and the last shot into his head.
It's a cold-blooded execution.
He waited until Kowalczyk was down and out of ammo, and then he came to finish him off.
- He's a sick son of a bitch.
- (SIREN WAILING) Tell the men to bag and catalogue everything they find no matter how insignificant, even if they think it's just roadside trash.
And let's put out a province-wide alert on that plate.
I knew Kowalczyk.
And I saw him a few weeks ago.
(PETERS): Poor Kowalczyk was lying on the road brutally assassinated.
I remember thinking, "Well, this could be me.
This could have been me".
(MALE NEWSCASTER): 35-year-old Gordon Kowalczyk was a special constable assigned to the Calgary Airport.
Shortly after midnight, he stopped the driver of a truck suspected of leaving this gas station without paying.
The officer was wounded several times before a blast from a shotgun killed him.
His service revolver was missing.
Constable Kowalczyk was 36, married, with 3 children.
He'll be buried on Thursday, the first Calgary RMCP officer ever to be killed in the line of duty.
(PETERS): We know that this is gonna be as challenging an investigation as any of us have ever undertaken.
As you know, we recently lost Special Constable Gordon Kowalczyk.
Everything we gleaned so far suggests his murder was a random occurrence related to a traffic stop he made shortly before his death.
DISPATCHER: [We have a suspect driving a black pick-up truck.]
[heading north on highway 2A.
.]
[Didn't pay for gas.
.]
You said a black pickup? I think I just passed it.
I'll check it out.
(PETERS): Kowalczyk is on the road going in the opposite direction.
- Copy that.
- (PETERS): He decides, "Well, maybe it's worth checking that vehicle.
- (SIREN BLARING) - Worst case scenario, it's somebody who's stolen $20 worth of gasoline.
Constable Kowalczyk radios in a licence number.
Just a routine check.
But one stroke of bad luck, and that's all it takes.
- (GUN COCKING) - A few minutes later, the fella who was working at the airport came across a marked police car with the dome light activated.
He saw our member laying on the road.
Hello? Is anyone there? He's dead! There's a dead policeman in the road! In terms of physical evidence, we've recovered three 12-gauge shotgun shells from the crime scene.
It's already been sent to ballistics.
We've also recovered a black ball cap with a Q oil logo.
It's being processed for hair samples.
While we're waiting for the results, I want everybody working on a list of crimes with a similar MO, especially robberies with shoguns, okay? You should know that we think Gordon unloaded his weapon during a firefight with the suspect.
The killer waited until he was defenceless and murdered him in cold blood.
So keep that in mind and be careful out there.
If an armed police officer trained in self-defence is unable to protect themselves, then everyone is at risk.
Not just the police, not just the clerk in his store, not the gas station attendant, but everybody is at risk.
(NEWSCASTER): Gordon Kowalczyk was a special constable.
The men and women who worked with him spoke warmly about Constable Kowalczyk, whom they described as a big man with an easygoing way.
That's the way people in this neighbourhood remember him as well.
Oh, he was a very nice person, just a good neighbour, you know.
You could borrow anything from him or go for help or whatever.
(PETERS): Of course, every murder is important, but when this happens to a police officer on duty trying to protect our communities, our country, it does strike a different chord.
It strikes home.
We all realize that we're vulnerable.
You can't help but reflect a little bit on your own death.
- You're ready? - (OTHER MAN SIGHING) Not really.
(PETERS): It is a special bond.
We're brothers in law.
(DOORBELL RINGING) Sylvia I can't believe it.
(SOBBING) Here.
(PETERS): For the next of kin, you can't even begin to fathom the depth of emotions that they're going to be subjected to.
I don't think I could have faced the kids.
You know, he had always told me not worry, that he had the safest job at the RCMP.
How could this happen? So far, it looks like a case of wrong place, wrong time.
Gordon pulled over a vehicle suspected of a minor gas theft and somehow, things escalated from there.
We're still trying to piece things together.
Can you think if Gordon had any enemies or any personal conflicts that might be relevant? No.
Nothing.
Look, Gordon didn't go looking for trouble, okay? - He was a good man! - I know he was.
I'm so sorry for your loss.
(SIGHING) Yeah, we'll show ourselves out.
How much was the gas? Tell me.
I want to know how much my husband's life was worth.
- Tell me! - $20.
$20? We will get justice for your husband, Mrs.
Kowalczyk.
I promise you that.
It doesn't make any sense.
You don't kill someone over $20 worth of gas.
There's got to be more to this.
This is not gonna be a quick whodunit.
You're chasing someone who has killed a cop, and they may do it again.
There was a tremendous amount of pressure.
The fear is that there might be another murder.
So you've got to make sure that everybody is pulling hard and try to get the message out to the media, to the world that this is not over yet.
(MALE NEWSCASTER): Police are on the lookout for a black pickup truck with a missing side window in connection with the tragic shooting of RCMP Officer Gordon Kowalczyk.
The driver of the truck is considered armed and dangerous.
(PETERS): You don't just jump from petty crimes to the execution of an armed policeman like this.
We would obviously be looking for a real hardened, tough criminal with no sense of remorse of course.
(WOMAN): Sergeant! Airport detachment just faxed through the registration info on that plate.
The plate that Kowalczyk called in before the murder, - it belongs to a police officer.
- Get him in for questioning.
- - I did not expect that our prime suspect would be a cop.
We have a licence plate that Constable Kowalczyk had called in.
(SIREN BLARING) (WOMAN): The plate Kowalczyk called in before the murder belongs - to a Calgary police officer.
- Get him in for questioning.
We did hope of course that the licence plate would be one really solid lead.
When I found out that it was registered to a Calgary city policeman it was of course shocking.
Do you know why you're here? Not really.
My CO told me I had to get over here ASAP.
Something to do with the Kowalczyk murder.
What kind of car do you drive? - It's a pickup.
- Colour? - It's light brown.
- What's the licence plate number? BLC 456.
Why? Why? Because that was the plate number Constable Kowalczyk called in last night before he was killed.
Uh I I don't Look, I I don't know what to tell you.
I was on patrol when that happened.
My partner can confirm that.
Does anyone else have access to your truck? Only my wife.
(PETERS): Might he, could he have been involved? It's possible, but he had a pretty good alibi because he was working with another Calgary city police officer at the time.
Okay, honey, this is important.
Do you remember seeing anyone outside the house? Okay.
Yeah.
Thanks.
Me too.
I'll be home soon.
She checked.
Both plates are missing.
Someone must have taken them in the last couple of days.
That's the last time either of us drove it.
Okay.
His licence plate had been stolen.
You don't steal someone's licence plates, so you could steal 19 dollars and 56 cents' worth of gasoline.
Doesn't add up.
Constable Kowalczyk was killed doing a routine vehicle check for theft of gasoline, not a serious crime.
But killing a police officer is as serious as it gets.
RCMP and city police began a massive search of the area and set up roadblocks around the city.
This afternoon, police found the truck involved at this shopping mall.
The stolen vehicle had bullet holes in it indicating that there was an exchange of gunfire before the officer died.
Police say this truck was used by the killer.
At least four bullet holes indicate that the RCMP constable did not die without a fight.
Today, police concentrated their search on this shopping mall where the stolen truck was later found.
When we've got the truck, now we've got a big piece of the puzzle.
We can start to put it together a little better.
Plate matches.
(PETERS): The fact that the perpetrators took the time to locate a vehicle similar to the one that they were operating and to steal a licence plate from that showed planning and premeditation.
Look at this.
Bullet holes.
Window's smashed.
Looks like we were right about him firing from inside.
We didn't find any blood inside the vehicle, and we have no reason to believe that any bullets actually penetrated into the truck.
So the perpetrator is alive, uninjured.
They were out there somewhere.
Well, look at that.
It was a 12-gauge shotgun, the same as at the murder scene.
Those shotgun shells were a big break for us.
Normally, a shotgun casing doesn't give us that much, but in this particular case, it did.
Sir, I've got some good news from ballistics.
What's that? The scoring pattern, it's distinctive and deeply etched on all the shells.
So the shells will match the weapon.
And these patterns are obvious enough that a layperson can make a match.
There's no ambiguity here.
Even better, the gun that fired them is pretty rare.
What do you mean? It's a vintage weapon? - Specialized hunting rifle? What? - No.
Quite the opposite.
It's a Defender, short-barreled, designed to inflict maximum damage at a close range.
It's a gangster's gun.
When we realize it's a Defender, that just kind of adds to that whole scenario or suspicion that we're dealing with probably a hardened criminal.
This is not someone who is a duck hunter that just used this gun.
People looking for trouble buy Defenders.
Its only purpose is to kill people.
- - The perpetrators had got rid of the licence plates, they wiped the vehicle down; that to me strikes or smacks of an organized criminal.
That's a biker's gun.
A biker is capable of an extreme level of violence.
(HARD ROCK MUSIC PLAYING) Could it have been a biker or bikers? Maybe they were couriering drugs somewhere, got stopped and chose to fight their way out.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS) At that time in Alberta, in Calgary, the biker scene was growing and vibrant and violent.
(INDISTINCT SPEAKING) But they don't like to get the extra pressure, the extra attention.
They already get lots of attention; we're gonna give them more.
- (HARD ROCK MUSIC PLAYING) - (INDISTINCT CHATTER) (INDISTINCT SONG PLAYING) Like I said, I got nothing to tell you.
No? Because I'm thinking maybe one of your probies thought he could make his bones by killing a cop.
(SCOFFING) Nobody's that stupid in my club.
You sure? The cop was killed with a short-barrelled shotgun.
You listen to me.
I'm dealing with the death of one of my own, - do you understand? - Honestly, I don't know.
If I did, I might tell you.
Do you really think I want to protect a cop killer? Well, you better start asking around.
Rebels, Reapers, unaffiliated scumbags; if you hear of anyone anyone getting trigger happy with a shotgun, I wanna know about it.
Have a good night.
We've got a pretty good idea where most of these people live; we know where their clubhouses are at.
So we may tend to do more checks of vehicles, search their bike a little more carefully looking for prohibited weapons or substances.
We set up surveillance on them.
We're making them uncomfortable.
We're turning up the heat.
Sergeant Peters, sir.
We just got a call from Calgary PD about a case they're working.
It involves a pair of felons who escaped custody and they used shotguns to commit an armed robbery.
(PETERS): They've escaped lawful custody; they commit an armed robbery and a charge of attempted murder.
We need to find them.
- - When I found out that there was a shotgun robbery We just got a call from Calgary PD about a case they're working.
It involves a pair of felons who escaped custody and they used shotguns.
(PETERS): These were striking similarities to our crime.
(FEMALE NEWSCASTER): Oresto Panacui and Jean Guy Dipietro were considered dangerous.
The two men had been at large for six months.
They escaped from the Remand Centre last summer smashing a window and crawling down - these knotted bedsheets.
- (PETERS): I'm telling you, the timing, the MO; it all matches up.
Jean Guy Dipietro, between 1985 and 1986, he robbed 4 different banks at gunpoint.
He was arrested and held until he escaped 7 weeks later with another inmate, Oresto Panacui.
(FEMALE NEWSCASTER): Panacui was awaiting trial on a charge of kidnapping a 12-year-old Calgary boy.
They also matched the descriptions of two men involved in two recent Royal Bank heists.
And then just a few weeks before Kowalczyk's murder, they robbed a Brinks' truck.
They carried shotguns and they opened fire on all the guards before they even had a chance to surrender.
(FEMALE NEWSCASTER): Police want them now for questioning in connection with two Brinks holdups in the city in which a Brinks guard, Wilford Rollman, - was critically wounded.
- What happened to the guards? - They survived? - Barely.
But they took a sidearm off one of the guards just like Kowalczyk's.
They shot that Brinks guard at close range with a 12-gauge shotgun.
These are two really bad guys.
Does Calgary PD have any idea where they might be right now? No, but they don't have the resources we have.
But I'm telling you we're going to focus all our resources on finding these two.
These two fellas had extensive criminal records, and they were unlawfully at large, so if they're recognized and stopped by Special Constable Kowalczyk at night - and on a lonely road - (GUNSHOT) there's a very real chance that there would be a violent confrontation.
Dipietro and Panacui were very violent men.
Everybody, gather around.
You've got to rally the troops and get the message out to everybody that this is not over yet.
Keep looking.
Keep digging.
Let's find them.
We did learn through confidential sources that they had spent some time in northeast Calgary, which would put them in very close proximity both of where murder occurred and where the vehicle was dropped off.
The only way to confirm it would be to send in a team, look for them, and that's exactly what we did.
They may have had a camp in the foothills of the Rockies.
Yeah, it'd be a great place to hide out, there's lots of cover.
We believe it's possible that they had been there at some point in time, but there was no sign that they were there now or recently.
(FEMALE NEWSCASTER): Jean Guy Dipietro and Oresto Panacui (MALE NEWSCASTER): Beginning of a crime spree in Calgary.
(PETERS): It's hard for someone to understand the amount of pressure.
The fear is that is this the beginning of a murder spree? Who knows? Have you seen this? We made it to the front page.
"Dipietro and Panacui still at large.
Will the RCMP stop them before they kill again?" It's not enough our higher-ups are breathing down our necks, now the newspapers are weighing in.
Look at this.
"When are they gonna arrest Panacui? Did Kowalczyk ever arrest Dipietro, and what are they doing to find Panacui - and Dipietro?" - They're relentless.
It's just distractions.
We gotta stay focused.
One would naturally be concerned that we're not making the headway we should, but if you get impatient, you're gonna make a mistake, you're gonna miss something, and you're not gonna solve it.
The flags are flying at half-mast at RCMP headquarters expressing the shock and sadness of the dead man's fellow officers.
Several hundred police officers from across Canada and the United States came to Calgary to pay their last respects to a fallen comrade.
(PETERS): When you see the row and row and row of police officers all dressed in uniform (MALE NEWSCASTER): Constable Kowalczyk, married, with three young children, took a last salute from his friends and colleagues.
(PETERS): Gord Kowalczyk's children their dad is should be to them and and is a hero.
(MALE NEWSCASTER): Inside the church where Constable Kowalczyk was baptized and married, his parish priest described the death as "senseless destruction".
RCMP and Calgary police are still trying to find his killer.
I've been looking all over for you; what are you doing out here? I just needed a minute to myself.
Just got a call asking for an update on Dipietro and Panacui.
It's every day now.
Well, in that case, I've got good news.
We heard from our team in Vancouver.
They've been running surveillance on a strip club that Dipietro and Panacui used to hang out at.
One of the girls mentioned taking a trip to see Dipietro.
Sounds like she knows where they're hiding.
Well, I guess I better go pack a bag.
We heard from our team in Vancouver.
They've been running surveillance on a strip club that Dipietro and Panacui used to hang out at.
(PETERS): We were able to come across a stripper that Dipietro and Panacui befriended.
She seemed to know where they were headed for.
- (POP MUSIC PLAYING) - (INDISTINCT CHATTER) Bethany? The bartender said you wanted to talk to me? Yeah, I'm Sergeant Peters with the RCMP.
- (INDISTINCT SONG PLAYING) - I wanna ask you a few questions about Jean Guy Dipietro and Oresto Panacui.
Well, we get a lot of guys come through here, you know.
Okay, Miss Vale, it's gonna be best if you're straight with me.
Right now, we're having an informal conversation, and I'd prefer to keep it that way.
I know that you've been in contact with Jean Guy.
If you prefer not to cooperate, then I can charge you with aiding and abetting a fugitive.
Is that what you want, Bethany? Lots of criminals find the necessity to brag about their past exploits.
If they just learned to talk less, we'd probably have a more difficult time finding 'em.
- - They've hurt a lot of people.
Jean Guy said they were going to Mexico to lay low.
He promised to call when they found a place.
- Did he say where in Mexico? - He had some friends in some city down there.
I think it started with like, an M.
An M? Uh-huh.
- Mexicali? - Mm-mm.
Monterrey? Manzanillo? - Mazatlan? - Yeah, that last one.
I'm pretty sure that's it.
Mazatlan.
Thank you.
Of course, the RCMP has got no jurisdiction in Mexico.
How do we find them - down there? - (PHONE RINGING) (WOMAN SPEAKING SPANISH) Gracias.
Sergeant Peters? [Inspector Castellanos.
Did you get.]
- the material I faxed to you? - [I did.
.]
I understand you have a couple of fugitives you'd like us - to track down? - [Yes, sir, That's right.
.]
We believe they crossed into Mexico sometime in the last three weeks.
They're wanted for a series of violent armed robberies, and they're suspects in the killing of a RCMP officer.
I'm sorry to hear that.
My condolences.
[Thank you very much, sir.
We appreciate that.
.]
So obviously, we want to get them back to Canada to face trial, and we're wondering if the Federales could help us find them.
- We'd be glad to help.
- (SIREN BLARING) (PETERS): It took them less than a week to locate Dipietro and Panacui.
And I must say that the Federales could not have been more cooperative.
We're dealing with someone who's killed a policeman, a cop killer.
I think they went further than they might normally have gone.
- (FOOTSTEPS) - Sergeant Peters.
- Inspector.
- Sorry for the wait.
- Welcome to Mexico.
- I can't thank you and your department enough for bringing them in so quickly.
- Shall we? - (PETERS): The irony of these two men fleeing to Mexico because they didn't want to face justice here in Canada was that they went to a more violent - police force.
- (KNOCKING) Here we are.
Panacui and Dipietro.
So I take it you've already questioned them? - We have.
- I want to speak with them alone.
Clearly, they had sustained some injuries during the interrogation - with the Federales.
- Which one first? That one, Dipietro.
We didn't and don't condone that, but, again, we don't instruct them how to conduct policing in their country.
Jean Guy Dipietro? Sergeant Peters from the RCMP.
I need to ask you a few questions.
You're here to take us back to Canada? Now, there's an extradition in process, but that's gonna take a week or so.
No.
Can't take a week.
You gotta get us out of here now! - Please! - We could discuss that, but first I need to know where you were three weeks ago, - on the night of the 25th.
- Well, I was here! With Oresto! We've been here over a month! If you don't believe me, ask my landlady.
We were renting a place on the beach.
Was that right after you murdered an RCMP constable - in Calgary? - What are you saying? No! I No! Jesus! (PETERS): They weren't even in Canada when it happened, so they were pretty easy to alibi.
(FEMALE NEWSCASTER): Today, embassy officials in Mexico City confirmed both men were arrested on Friday near the west coast resort town of Mazatlan.
When the two men return to Canada, they will face numerous charges.
(PETERS): Whether they're responsible for the murder of Special Constable Kowalczyk or not, they're unlawfully at large, we have to get them back to Canada.
We're very disappointed to find out that that too was another dead end.
I just got this from Edmonton PD responding to our call for a heads-up on crimes involving shotguns.
- What do they have for us? - A holdup at a pizzeria last night.
A middle-aged woman threatened a cashier with a pistol before the patrons chased her out into the parking lot.
A young male accomplice was waiting in a getaway car.
He fires a shotgun into the air scaring everybody off before those two escape in a yellow Oldsmobile.
- Did anyone get hurt? - No.
Just threats.
That doesn't sound like our perps.
They recovered a shell from the scene.
I had them run it over.
It's a match.
(WOMAN): The scoring pattern, it's distinctive and deeply etched on all the shells.
(PETERS): So the shells will match the weapon.
(WOMAN): And these patterns are obvious enough that a layperson can make a match.
(PETERS): So no, it wasn't the hardened criminals one would normally have assumed.
In fact, it's a mother and son: Linda Bowen and Andrew Kay.
And we learned that they'd rented a farmhouse out of town.
- (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) - I'm looking at it right now.
Both have got pretty petty criminal records; why would they progress to such a violent crime? Let's bring in the team.
They have already murdered one policeman; there's no saying that they wouldn't shoot yet another.
We believed that Linda Bowen and Andrew Kay are the people that killed Special Constable Gord Kowalczyk.
The holdup at a pizzeria last night; they recovered a shell from the scene.
- It's a match.
- Let's bring in the team.
This pair's way too dangerous to allow any chance that they could slip away.
You were supposed to buy beer.
We needed groceries.
I made you a sandwich.
It's in the fridge if you're hungry.
What about the cash from last night? We need that for the power.
You don't want them to cut us off now, do you, sweetie? Then we can do another job, huh? - - It's too risky.
I thought you said we were gonna take a break.
(PETERS): The relationship that these two had most certainly was not normal.
I think it defies explanation.
Come on.
It'll be fun.
We could hit that burger place I told you about.
I don't want anything to happen to you.
- Nothing is gonna happen.
- (HORSES NEIGHING) (DRAMATIC MUSIC) (WHINNYING) You're my best boy.
I know.
- All clear.
Let's go! - (HORSES WHINNYING) (COWS MOOING) - - Team B in position.
(COW MOOING) Hold position.
Hold position.
What the hell is wrong with you?! - (WHINNYING LOUDLY) - Shut up! (COWS MOOING) (HORSES NEIGHING) (PETERS): Someone could get hurt here.
Wait for my go.
If somebody from the house starts shooting at our people, well, they're gonna return fire.
Just a quick turn, the pull of a trigger, and someone's dead.
(WHISPERING): Go, go.
Police! Drop your weapon! Get on the ground! Do it now! (TWO GUNSHOTS) (LINDA): Andrew! Andrew! Linda I'm gonna need you to talk to me.
It's too late for Andrew now.
You need to focus on helping yourself.
Of course it's too late for him, you killed him.
What do you mean? Andrew's fine.
You're lying.
I heard the shots.
You people killed him right in our own front yard like he was an animal.
I promise we didn't do anything to Andrew.
If I showed you, will you trust me? Linda Bowen was extremely concerned about the welfare of her son.
In my opinion, it was impossible to continue with an interview with someone in that state of mind.
Oh, my best boy.
(PETERS): Once she saw him, a big burden was lifted off her shoulders.
"My son's alive".
I want a lawyer.
So you've said.
Do you understand that you're being charged with first-degree murder? We have your rifle, and we can prove it was the murder weapon.
You killed an officer in the line of duty that carries an automatic life sentence.
You're not getting out of this.
The best thing you can do for yourself is cooperate.
I want a lawyer.
(PETERS): We've got people in custody.
We conduct a search of the house.
We find the Defender shotgun.
We've got them.
We got the perpetrators.
Now, can we prove it? The whole thing was supposed to be real simple.
We figured we'd hit a few places: gas stations, maybe a convenience store.
Nothing big, just in an out.
Take everything that they had in the till and get out of there.
And on the night of the murder? We didn't want to use our car, so we stole the truck the day before.
Andrew had it because I don't drive stick.
I was following in our car.
We checked out a few places and decided on the gas station by the airport.
He went and did the robbery.
I waited in a grocery store.
Why didn't you go in with him? I got scared.
Andrew said he'd do it himself.
- - And then what happened? He came back.
20 minutes, maybe a half hour.
He shows up with no money, says he killed a cop.
At first, I didn't believe him.
Then I seen the bullet holes in the truck.
Did he explain what happened? Alls he said is that he had to do it.
I never asked again.
One thing I don't understand; after the murders, why wouldn't you just quit? Why would you keep taking that risk? I wanted to stop, but I knew Andrew wouldn't.
He'd keep doing it with or without me.
You want to keep him safe.
I went because I knew if I didn't he'd hurt more people.
He's my little boy.
(SOBBING) He's my little boy.
(MALE NEWSCASTER): A 21-year-old man, Andrew Kay, was charged yesterday with first-degree murder in the January 26th shooting death of Constable Kowalczyk.
Kay is being held in a cell here at the Airdrie RCMP detachment.
His 42-year-old mother is also in custody.
Linda Marie Bowen is charged with her part in the brutal shooting death of Constable Kowalczyk.
Linda Bowen and her son Andrew will be here at the Airdrie courthouse tomorrow to face charges that could send them both to prison for the rest of their lives.
Court appearance is set for 10 o'clock tomorrow morning.
Des Kilfoyle, CBC News.
All of Gord's coworkers have been visiting and bringing food, checking up on the young kids, They've been really good to us.
We caught them, Sylvia.
(PETERS): Gord Kowalczyk wearing that uniform made him a target.
That's why he was shot: because he was wearing that uniform.
It's an officer's worst nightmare.
It's a reminder that every time you go out, you may not make it home that night.
- -