Investigators are marking the 25th anniversary of the unsolved double homicide of a dairy farmer and his wife near St. Thomas by appealing anew for anyone with information to come forward.
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Roger Smith and his common-law wife Wendy Haveron were killed early Feb. 2, 1999, before someone set fire at their Wellington Road home in Southwold Township to cover up the crime, Ontario Provincial Police in Elgin County say.
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Firefighters arrived to douse the blaze in the early-morning hours and found the two bodies. Family members said they were beaten to death, likely with a baseball bat. It’s been reported that a Canadian Press story at the time reported the bodies were too badly burned to be immediately identified.
“Police and family members believe that someone may have information regarding the deaths of Roger and Wendy,” police said. “Even a detail someone believed to be insignificant could make a difference.”
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In the plea for assistance, police say they continue to investigate the homicide and that a $50,000 reward for information that would lead to a conviction of the culprit or culprits is still in place.
“Police and family members believe that someone may still have information regarding the deaths of Roger and Wendy,” police said.
In 2019, on the 20th anniversary of the killings, Wendy Haveron’s sisters went to the property where the killings occurred and spoke with The Free Press about their ongoing grievance.
Even though the farmhouse was long gone, and the red paint had faded on the once-busy dairy farm, visits to the property remained calming, said sister Wanda Smith (no relation to Roger). “If I want to feel close to Wendy, I go to the farm. That’s where I feel her.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Anyone who wishes to remain anonymous can also call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit an online tip at www.londoncrimestoppers.com.
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