On December 28, 2001 at about 2:25 a.m. a fight broke out in the parking area behind and between the Border Club located at 494 N. Christina Street and Damar Security located at 506 N. Christina Street in Sarnia. This fight began after a verbal exchange between two males whose vehicles were parked alongside one another in the parking lot.
The first vehicle was a red 1989 Chevrolet pick-up truck with a “step-side” style box. The bottom portion of the vehicle was painted a silver-grey colour. The driver of this vehicle became involved with a passenger from a white four-door car that was parked next to the truck in the parking lot.
Two other occupants of the white car then involved themselves in the fight attacking the driver of the pick-up truck. A passenger in the pick-up truck went to assist his friend. At that time two other males believed to have been from the white four-door car also became involved in the fight.
The males from the white car were using weapons. One of the males was striking the driver of the pickup truck with a large wine bottle. The bottle was in the shape of a square wine carafe and was sold under the brand name of “Corbet Canyon” wine. This wine bottle was produced in limited quantities.
At least one other male and possibly two of the males from the white car had removed their belts and were striking both the driver and passenger of the pick-up truck with the buckles of the belts. Witnesses also describe at least two of the males involved in this fight as being shirtless.
As the fight continued the men moved closer to the rear of the Damar Alarm building. At one point one of the males was pushed against the glass windows of the building. The fight continued to move around the parking lot in the area behind the office building, located between Damar and the Border Club.
Witnesses report that a small crowd of people was gathered in the area watching the fight. Coats and gloves were observed to be lying on the ground behind the office building near Damar. The coats appear to have been removed in preparation for a fight.
It is known that the victim, Robert RAYMOND his friend who drove him to the Border Club, both left the bar around 2:25 a.m. The Robert RAYMOND stopped to get a hot dog from a local vendor who operated a cart in the Border Club parking lot. At the same time his friend went to the parking area behind the bar to warm up the car.
Police believe the Mr. RAYMOND began walking to the back of the bar where they had parked when he observed the fight. Police believe the Mr. RAYMOND recognized his friends were involved in the fight and saw that they were outnumbered. Police believe the he went over to help his friends.
It is known that the Mr. RAYMOND made his way to the area of the front fender of the pick-up truck where it is believed he became involved in a fight with three males. It is not known for certain whether these three males are associated to the males in the white car or whether these are three separate and distinct persons. But the best information the police have been able to gather regarding these three males is that they were not directly involved in the fight with the occupants of either the pick-up truck or the white car.
A moment after making contact with these males Robert RAYMOND was stabbed in the chest with a large knife. This knife would not have been easily concealed. The knife severed the pulmonary artery and punctured his heart – causing almost instantaneous death.
Witnesses report finding the victim lying face down within a few meters of the pick-up truck. He was unresponsive and efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.
As the initial fight began to subside the victim’s friends found him lying on the ground and transported him to the hospital.
As the victim’s friends and Samaritans tried to assist the victim a group of three males were observed to be walking away from the parking lot yelling obscenities towards the victim and his friends. These males are described as:
- white male wearing a red baseball cap and jeans
- white male wearing a yellow baseball cap and jeans, tall and thin
- white male wearing blue jeans, bare chested, carrying his shirt in his hand, pudgy build, dark belt, black boots, “skate boarder” look
Police have recovered from the scene a knife that they believe is the murder weapon. This knife is 13 inches long with a black plastic handle and the model number “M-100” embossed on the handle. The blade was well sharpened.
Police also recovered a silver necklace from the parking lot. This necklace was made in Italy. Since initially releasing the information on the chain to the public no one has come forward to either identify it or claim it as their own.
The police are appealing for the public’s assistance to solve this murder.
- Police believe that the males from the white car that were involved in the fight with the males from the pick-up truck have been unwilling to come forward out of fear of being falsely accused in this murder investigation. The police view these persons as witnesses. Their involvement in the fight does not directly link them to the murder. The police would like to hear directly from these persons or from persons who can positively identify them.
- Police would also like to hear directly from the three males observed walking away from the fight or from persons who can positively identify them.
- Police would like to hear from any person who has direct knowledge of someone who purchased or had in their possession of bottle of Corbet Canyon wine in the unique square bottle on or about the 27th of December and who was to known to have or was likely to have been at the Border Club on the 27th of December.
- Police would like to hear from anyone who recognizes the knife. Either as the weapon that was used at the Border Club in the murder or as a knife belonging to or used by someone known to them.
- Finally, police would like to identify the owner of the silver chain. Any person who knows the owner of this chain or knows someone who suddenly stopped wearing a similar chain around December 28th 2001 is encouraged to contact police.
The Sarnia Police Services Board has authorized a reward of up to $25,000.00 to any person with information resulting in the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for this murder.