Standard, Alberta — Kelly Jane Evelyn Cook, a 15 year-old female, lived with her parents in the village of Standard, Alberta, which is located 70 kilometers north east of Calgary.
On April 22, 1981, at 8:20 A.M., Kelly received a phone call from a man identifying himself as Bill Christensen. The caller asked if she would babysit that evening. Kelly agreed and arrangements were made for the caller to pick up Kelly at her residence.
At 8:30 P.M., a vehicle pulled up in front of the Cook's residence. The unidentified male and Kelly were last seen departing the residence. Kelly was not seen alive again. Her body was discovered in the Chin Lake Reservoir (east of Lethbridge, Alberta) on June 28, 1981. The body was bound by ropes and anchored by two concrete blocks.
It is believed that the perpetrator of this crime had planned the abduction over a one or two-month period.
While Kelly's body was at a funeral home in Calgary, an unknown man demanded to see her body. Even though he claimed to be a family friend, he was denied and eventually left. This man has never been identified but authorities believe it may have been her killer.
A one hundred thousand dollar reward ($100,000.00) from the Village of Standard is still offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator of this crime.
The man was 5'9", in his 40s, had dark curly hair, a fair tan complexion, and looked like a farmer. The owner described the man as rude and egotistical when asking to use the phone. As the possible suspect used the phone, the shop owner watched over his shoulder to see him dial a local number and begin talking about babysitting.
This case caught the public's attention like few other murder cases because it was so unusual, with the killer actually picking up his victim at her house while her mother watched through the window.
Despite the publicity generated by this murder case, and a $100,000 reward offered by the Village of Standard for information leading to the arrest of Kelly's killer, the case remains unsolved.
