Colin Thatcher
Encyclopedia
Wilbert Colin Thatcher (born August 25, 1938 in Toronto
) is a Canadian
former politician convicted for the murder of his ex-wife, JoAnn Wilson
.
, premier of Saskatchewan from 1964 to 1971. Ross Thatcher began his political career with the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation but switched to the Liberal Party
when the Liberals became more popular than the CCF
. Colin began studying agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan
. After one year, he transferred to Iowa State University
from which he graduated with B.S.
and M.S.
degrees in Agriculture; he then went to work on his father's ranch in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
. After his father's death in 1971, Thatcher cultivated his own interest in politics. In 1975 he won the provincial riding
of Thunder Creek on the Liberal Party
ticket but defected to the Progressive Conservatives
two years later when the Conservatives became more popular than the Liberals. The move was denounced by the Liberals, and also privately by his wife JoAnn, to whom Thatcher had been married since 1962.
to kidnap the children.
JoAnn married Tony Wilson soon afterward, but she had to endure almost constant harassment from her ex-husband. After JoAnn was shot and injured by an unidentified assailant the following year, thought to be Thatcher, she gave up her claim to custody of Regan, the middle child, and settled for about half of her original court award. JoAnn and Tony believed that Thatcher was behind the shooting, but never pressed charges.
Again, Thatcher's political life was largely unaffected, and he won his third straight term as MLA at the 1982 election
. The Saskatchewan Tories won a majority government in that election, and Thatcher was appointed to the provincial cabinet as Minister of Energy and Mines. However, following public criticism and disputes with then-premier Grant Devine
, he resigned from the post the following year.
home. Again, rumours abounded that Thatcher was in some way involved, though he was not formally charged until 7 May 1984, after a lengthy police investigation.
for the murder of his ex-wife in the autumn of 1984. In addition to the evidence presented, he insisted on testifying so that he could try and explain the recorded conversation between Gary Anderson and him. His explanation of every detail and potential misunderstanding seemed so rehearsed and unbelievable that it proved more harmful than helpful. He was found guilty, and was given a sentence of life imprisonment with no eligibility for parole for 25 years. He appealed the verdict, but the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal rejected the plea in 1986. Subsequent requests to the Supreme Court of Canada
and the national Minister of Justice
for a review of his case were also denied. A request for an early parole hearing was rejected in 2000, though the jury of a later hearing in 2003 decided that he was eligible to apply. He did so, and on 31 March 2004 the National Parole Board rejected his bid for early release. Throughout his trial and his appeals, Thatcher has steadfastly maintained his innocence, which he admits is probably the reason he was not paroled until late 2006.
for a ceremony honouring former Premiers of the province. Thatcher spoke with the media about the accomplishments of his late father, but refused to discuss the murder of his ex-wife.
Thatcher has written a 440-page book about his case, entitled Final Appeal: Anatomy of a Frame. It was released by ECW Press
on September 1, 2009. On April 21, 2010, Thatcher agreed to relinquish any profits related to the sale of his book, beginning with his $5,000 advance from his publisher. Thatcher has also instructed the publisher of his book to forward any further royalties from its sale to the Saskatchewan government.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
former politician convicted for the murder of his ex-wife, JoAnn Wilson
JoAnn Wilson
JoAnn Wilson was the wife of Canadian politician Colin Thatcher who murdered her after the end of their marriage....
.
Political life
Colin Thatcher is the son of Wilbert Ross ThatcherW. Ross Thatcher
Wilbert Ross Thatcher, PC was the ninth Premier of Saskatchewan, Canada, serving from 2 May 1964 to 30 June 1971....
, premier of Saskatchewan from 1964 to 1971. Ross Thatcher began his political career with the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation but switched to the Liberal Party
Saskatchewan Liberal Party
The Saskatchewan Liberal Party is a liberal political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.-Early history :The party dominated Saskatchewan politics for the province's first forty years providing six of the first seven Premiers, and being in power for all but five of the years between the...
when the Liberals became more popular than the CCF
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation was a Canadian political party founded in 1932 in Calgary, Alberta, by a number of socialist, farm, co-operative and labour groups, and the League for Social Reconstruction...
. Colin began studying agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
. After one year, he transferred to Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
from which he graduated with B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
and M.S.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degrees in Agriculture; he then went to work on his father's ranch in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. After his father's death in 1971, Thatcher cultivated his own interest in politics. In 1975 he won the provincial riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Thunder Creek on the Liberal Party
Saskatchewan Liberal Party
The Saskatchewan Liberal Party is a liberal political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.-Early history :The party dominated Saskatchewan politics for the province's first forty years providing six of the first seven Premiers, and being in power for all but five of the years between the...
ticket but defected to the Progressive Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan
The Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan is a right-of-centre political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Prior to 1942, it was known as the Conservative Party of Saskatchewan. Members are commonly known as Tories....
two years later when the Conservatives became more popular than the Liberals. The move was denounced by the Liberals, and also privately by his wife JoAnn, to whom Thatcher had been married since 1962.
Marital issues
JoAnn felt disgraced by Thatcher's behaviour and their marriage began to disintegrate. Thatcher began a number of extramarital relationships which he made little effort to hide from public scrutiny. When confronted by these indiscretions by JoAnn, Thatcher is reported to have verbally and physically abused her. Thatcher's dalliances did not adversely affect his popularity as a politician, and in 1978 he was re-elected to the Legislative Assembly.Divorce
His marriage, however, did not fare so well, and in 1980, after nearly a year of legal battling, the couple divorced. JoAnn was awarded custody of two of their three children, plus $820,000 for her share of the marital property; the amount was one of the highest ever awarded by a Canadian divorce court. Thatcher formally contested the settlement and ignored its custody terms, at one point flying to JoAnn's new home in BramptonBrampton
Brampton is the third-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada.Brampton may also refer to:- Canada :* Brampton, a city in Ontario** Brampton GO Station, a station in the GO Transit network located in the city- United Kingdom :...
to kidnap the children.
JoAnn married Tony Wilson soon afterward, but she had to endure almost constant harassment from her ex-husband. After JoAnn was shot and injured by an unidentified assailant the following year, thought to be Thatcher, she gave up her claim to custody of Regan, the middle child, and settled for about half of her original court award. JoAnn and Tony believed that Thatcher was behind the shooting, but never pressed charges.
Again, Thatcher's political life was largely unaffected, and he won his third straight term as MLA at the 1982 election
Saskatchewan general election, 1982
The Saskatchewan general election of 1982 was the twentieth provincial election held in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on April 26, 1982, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
. The Saskatchewan Tories won a majority government in that election, and Thatcher was appointed to the provincial cabinet as Minister of Energy and Mines. However, following public criticism and disputes with then-premier Grant Devine
Grant Devine
Donald Grant Devine was the 11th Premier of Saskatchewan from May 8, 1982 to November 1, 1991.- Early life :Born in Regina, Saskatchewan, he received a B.Sc. in Agriculture degree specializing in Agricultural Economics in 1967 from the University of Saskatchewan, an M.Sc. specializing in...
, he resigned from the post the following year.
Murder
Four days after Colin's resignation, on 21 January 1983, JoAnn was found bludgeoned and shot to death in the garage of her ReginaRegina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
home. Again, rumours abounded that Thatcher was in some way involved, though he was not formally charged until 7 May 1984, after a lengthy police investigation.
Evidence
Four key pieces of evidence eventually led to Thatcher's arrest:- A credit cardCredit cardA credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services...
receipt dated 17 January, four days before the murder, with Thatcher's name and signature on it, was found near the murder scene. - Neighbours reported seeing a suspicious car, an orange Ford Mustang, parked outside the Wilson residence around the time of the murder. The car's licence plates were illegible because they were covered with mud. When a neighbour tried to wipe off the mud, she was only able to uncover the numbers "292" before the car pulled away. A car with a matching description and licence plateVehicle registration plateA vehicle registration plate is a metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identification purposes. The registration identifier is a numeric or alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies the vehicle within the issuing region's database...
was subsequently found on Thatcher's property; it was traced to the Saskatchewan government loaned vehicles parking lot. - The ammunition (.357 Magnum.357 MagnumThe .357 S&W Magnum , or simply .357 Magnum, is a revolver cartridge created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, Colonel D. B. Wesson of firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson, and Winchester. It is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier .38 Special cartridge. The .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in...
) and the type of gun (RugerSturm, RugerSturm, Ruger & Company, Incorporated is a Southport, Connecticut-based firearm manufacturing company, better known by the shortened name Ruger. Sturm, Ruger produces bolt-action, semi-automatic, full-automatic, and single-shot rifles, shotguns, semi-automatic pistols, and single- and double-action...
Security Six) thought to be used in the murder match those Thatcher had previously purchased on a trip to FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. - Most damningly, a man named Garry Anderson confessed to police that he had been approached by Thatcher for help in the murder. He resembled the man neighbours described as sitting in the orange Ford Mustang while it was parked outside the Wilson residence. He also named two other men — Cody Crutcher and Charlie Wilde — as participants with him in the plot. The three men told police that: a) it was Anderson whom neighbours had seen sitting in the Ford Mustang outside the Wilson residence, b) there was a disguise in the Mustang back seat, and c) it was Colin Thatcher wearing the disguise who actually committed the murder. Police convinced Anderson to wear a wireCovert listening deviceA covert listening device, more commonly known as a bug or a wire, is usually a combination of a miniature radio transmitter with a microphone. The use of bugs, called bugging, is a common technique in surveillance, espionage and in police investigations.A bug does not have to be a device...
and meet with Thatcher to try to elicit a confession or reveal details of the murder. During the recorded conversation, Thatcher made several statements that implied he was involved in the crime. Though Anderson made several attempts to elicit an incriminating statement, Thatcher did not confess directly. However, he did tell Anderson repeatedly to deny any direct accusations or indirect allegations. His responses and evasiveness, in addition to other evidence, convinced police that he was the mastermind.
Conviction
Thatcher was tried in SaskatoonSaskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
for the murder of his ex-wife in the autumn of 1984. In addition to the evidence presented, he insisted on testifying so that he could try and explain the recorded conversation between Gary Anderson and him. His explanation of every detail and potential misunderstanding seemed so rehearsed and unbelievable that it proved more harmful than helpful. He was found guilty, and was given a sentence of life imprisonment with no eligibility for parole for 25 years. He appealed the verdict, but the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal rejected the plea in 1986. Subsequent requests to the Supreme Court of Canada
Supreme Court of Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
and the national Minister of Justice
Minister of Justice (Canada)
The Minister of Justice is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for the Department of Justice and is also Attorney General of Canada .This cabinet position is usually reserved for someone with formal legal training...
for a review of his case were also denied. A request for an early parole hearing was rejected in 2000, though the jury of a later hearing in 2003 decided that he was eligible to apply. He did so, and on 31 March 2004 the National Parole Board rejected his bid for early release. Throughout his trial and his appeals, Thatcher has steadfastly maintained his innocence, which he admits is probably the reason he was not paroled until late 2006.
Parole
On December 18, 2006, he made his first public appearance since being paroled two weeks before, when he appeared at the Saskatchewan LegislatureLegislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
The 25th Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan was in power from 2003 until November 20, 2007. It was controlled by the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party under premier Lorne Calvert.-Members:-By-elections:...
for a ceremony honouring former Premiers of the province. Thatcher spoke with the media about the accomplishments of his late father, but refused to discuss the murder of his ex-wife.
Thatcher has written a 440-page book about his case, entitled Final Appeal: Anatomy of a Frame. It was released by ECW Press
ECW Press
ECW Press is a North American small press book publisher located in Toronto, Ontario. It was founded by Jack David and Robert Lecker in 1974 as a Canadian literary magazine named Essays on Canadian Writing. Five years later, ECW published its first books - trade and scholarly titles...
on September 1, 2009. On April 21, 2010, Thatcher agreed to relinquish any profits related to the sale of his book, beginning with his $5,000 advance from his publisher. Thatcher has also instructed the publisher of his book to forward any further royalties from its sale to the Saskatchewan government.
Biographies
- Bird, Heather. Not Above The Law: The Tragic Story of JoAnn Wilson and Colin Thatcher. Toronto: Key Porter BooksKey Porter BooksKey Porter Books is a Canadian book publishing company. Founded in 1979 by Canadian publisher Anna Porter and Key Publishers Limited of Toronto, the company specializes in Canadian non-fiction, although it has published some fiction titles as well. A controlling share of the company was purchased...
Limited, 1985. - Mankiewicz, Francis, director. Love and Hate: The Story of Colin and Joanne Thatcher. (Television movie.) Canadian Broadcasting CorporationCanadian Broadcasting CorporationThe Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
, 1989. This film starred Kenneth WelshKenneth WelshKenneth Welsh, CM is a Canadian film and television actor . He is known to Twin Peaks fans as the multi-faceted villain Windom Earle, and has more recently played the father of Katharine Hepburn in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator.In 1984 he was nominated for a Genie Award as Best Actor for his...
and Kate NelliganKate NelliganPatricia Colleen "Kate" Nelligan is a Canadian BAFTA award winning stage, film and television actress.-Early life:Nelligan, the fourth of six children, was born in London, Ontario, the daughter of Josephine Alice , a schoolteacher, and Patrick Joseph Nelligan, a factory repairman and municipal...
as Colin and JoAnn Thatcher. - Siggins, MaggieMaggie SigginsMaggie Siggins is a Canadian journalist and writer. She was a recipient of the 1992 Governor General's Award for Literary Merit for her non-fiction work Revenge of the Land: A Century of Greed, Tragedy and Murder on a Saskatchewan Farm...
. A Canadian Tragedy, JoAnn & Colin Thatcher: A Story of Love and Hate. Toronto: McClelland & StewartMcClelland and StewartMcClelland & Stewart Limited is a Canadian publishing company. It is partially owned by Random House of Canada, now a subsidiary of Bertelsmann....
, 2001. - Thatcher, Colin. Backrooms: A Story of Politics. Douglas & McIntyre, 1985.
- Wilson, Garrett & Lesley Wilson. Deny, Deny, Deny: The Rise and Fall of Colin Thatcher. Toronto: James Lorimer & Company, 1986.