With Saturday marking 23 years since a man was stabbed to death outside a Sarnia bar in a still-unsolved case, police and the local chapter of Crime Stoppers are renewing a plea for tips to help bring his family justice.
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A reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the people responsible for Robert Raymond’s death on Dec. 28, 2001, has also been offered by Sarnia police officials.
Raymond, who was also known as BJ, was stabbed in the chest around 2:30 am that Friday morning after a fight broke out behind a bar then known as the Border Club on Christina Street. Police said the person or people responsible haven’t been identified as of Saturday, but noted all unsolved cases remain open until an arrest is made and charges are laid.
“At the time of a murder, witnesses are often reluctant to speak to police because they fear retaliation from others. These fears can fade as time passes,” Sarnia police posted on social media Saturday. “Investigators continue to appeal to the public for help and any information that can assist in identifying the person or persons responsible and can help solve this violent crime.”
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Additional details have been posted on the Sarnia-Lambton Crime Stoppers website.
The fight first broke out just before 2:30 am in a parking lot behind the bar and nearby Damar Security Systems, it says. The fight started after a verbal exchange between two men who had vehicles parked next to each other, the driver of a red 1989 Chevrolet pickup truck and a passenger in a white four-door car.
Two people from the pickup and three people from the white car, who were using weapons including their belts and a unique Corbet Canyon square wine bottle, all became involved in the altercation.
Raymond left the bar around 2:25 am, bought a hot dog from a vendor and walked to the parking lot, where he saw his friends, who were outnumbered, involved in the fight. He joined in the fracas with three men, who police believe may have been associated with the men in the white car but became involved later.
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Moments after getting involved, Raymond was stabbed with a sharp 13-inch knife.
“The knife severed the pulmonary artery and punctured his heart – causing almost instantaneous death,” Crime Stoppers’ website says.
While people tried helping him, the three men walked away shouting obscenities. Witnesses said they were all Caucasian. One was wearing a red baseball hat and jeans, a second tall and thin man had a yellow baseball hat and jeans on, and a third pudgy man who was carrying his shirt had the skater look, the site says.
Police have recovered the knife, which had a black plastic handle with model number M-100 on it, and a silver necklace made in Italy. They are asking for anyone who knows anything about the incident, the necklace and the wine bottle to come forward. They also want to speak to the men in the white car, who they say are only considered witnesses and aren’t suspects in Raymond’s slaying.
People are asked to call Sarnia police at 519-344-8861 extension 6166. Anonymous tips can be sent through Crime Stoppers at 519-332-8477.
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