Suspect in Vancouver missing women case charged with three more murders

PORT COQUITLAM, British Columbia (AP) _ An ``inch-by-inch'' search of a pig farm turned up evidence that brought three more first-degree murder charges against a man already charged with killing

Wednesday, April 3rd 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

PORT COQUITLAM, British Columbia (AP) _ An ``inch-by-inch'' search of a pig farm turned up evidence that brought three more first-degree murder charges against a man already charged with killing two of 50 women missing in the Vancouver area.

Robert Pickton, 52, now faces five counts of first-degree murder in the case that raised fears of a serial killer stalking Vancouver's east end, an area populated by prostitutes and drug addicts.

The new charges Tuesday named the victims as Jacqueline McDonell, who disappeared in January 1999; Heather Bottomley, who went missing a year ago; and Diane Rock, who was last seen in October.

Police said the investigation of the farm outside Vancouver owned by Pickton and his siblings remains in its initial stage, and that hundreds of leads and suspects still must be checked out.

For the first time, though, police officials made clear that the combing of the 10-acre property 20 miles east of Vancouver was yielding results.

``I think we all realize we're there at the site, we're looking for certain things, and I can say we're finding certain things'' that help the investigation, Vancouver Det. Scott Driemel told a news conference.

``We are going through the site on a slow, inch-by-inch process,'' he said. ``As we uncover new evidence that supports additional charges, there will be additional charges.''

Pickton learned of the new charges shortly before a brief court appearance Tuesday on the two previous murder charges involving women who disappeared in the past year, said his lawyer, Peter Ritchie.

Appearing by video link from the jail where he is being held, Pickton looked relaxed and spoke only once, responding ``yes'' when asked if he could hear what was happening. A slight, balding man with shoulder-length hair, he wore an orange prison-issue shirt and sat with his hands together in his lap.

Ritchie asked for further information about the new charges and also sought the government's assurance it would refrain from listening in on any discussions he has with Pickton.

``In cases like this, frank discussion between counsel and client are constitutionally protected and absolutely necessary,'' Ritchie said.

When prosecutor Michael Petrie responded he gave Ritchie those assurances outside the courtroom, Ritchie said that was insufficient. Petrie then said Ritchie had no reason to worry about electronic surveillance of his contacts with Pickton.

Another hearing in the case was scheduled for April 9.

Relatives of some of the missing women were angry that Pickton wasn't present at the hearing.

``There is no expression on his face. I didn't know that man was alive until I saw him blink,'' said Kathleen Hallmark, whose daughter Helen went missing in 1997.

Pickton was arrested in February, more than two weeks after a police task force launched an investigation at the farm. Police have yet to say what evidence found at the farm brought the murder charges, but news reports have suggested police have DNA evidence.

Family and friends of the missing women have made the fence around the Pickton farm a makeshift shrine, leaving flowers and cards.

Known as Willy, Pickton and his younger brother Dave ran ``Piggy's Palace'' _ a place to party for those familiar with Vancouver's mean streets _ in an old building they owned near the farm. Dave Pickton, through a lawyer, has denied involvement in the disappearances. He told a Vancouver newspaper his brother often befriended prostitutes out of kindness.

Robert Pickton was charged in 1997 with attempted murder for allegedly stabbing a drug-addicted prostitute in his home, but the charges were dropped.

Rebecca Guno was the first of the 50 women to disappear, vanishing in June 1983. The disappearances increased in frequency in 1997 and 1998, with nine women vanishing in each of those years.