Gilbert Paul Jordan (bornGilbert Paul Elsie on December 12, 1931 – July 7, 2006),known as the "Boozing Barber", was a Canadian serialkiller who is believed to have committed the so-called "alcoholmurders" in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Background
Jordan, a former barber, was linked tothe deaths of between eight and ten women between 1965 and 1988; hewas the first Canadian known to use alcohol as a murder weapon.Jordan's lengthy criminal record started in 1952 and includesconvictions for rape, indecent assault, abduction, hit and run, drunkdriving and car theft.
In 1976, Jordan was examined by Dr.Tibor Bezeredi as part of a court proceeding. Bezeredi diagnosedJordan as having an antisocial personality, defined by Bezeredi as "aperson whose conduct is maladjusted in terms of social behavior;disregard for the rights of others which often results in unlawfulactivities".
Killings
Jordan is thought to have begun serialkilling in 1965. He is considered a serial killer as he was linked tothe deaths of between eight and ten women, but was only convicted inthe manslaughter death of one woman. His victims were First Nationswomen in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Typically he would find womenin bars, and buy them drinks, or pay them for sex and encourage themto drink with him. When they passed out, he would pour liquor downtheir throats. The resulting deaths were reported as alcoholpoisoning and police paid little attention, because some of hisvictims suffered from alcoholism. Although the newspapers oftendescribed the women as sex workers, not all were involved in sexwork. Jordan was known for drinking more than 50 ounces of vodkaeach day.
The first woman known to have died byalcohol poisoning while in Jordan's company was in 1965. As wouldbecome a pattern, a switchboard operator named Ivy Rose was foundnaked and dead in a Vancouver hotel. Her blood alcohol level was0.51. No charges were laid.
Court proceedings show "hesought out approximately 200 women per year for binge-drinkingepisodes covering the period from 1980 to 1988. He was also lookingfor sexual gratification." Further, the Crown providedevidence that Jordan was linked to the deaths of six other FirstNations women. Similar fact evidence showed Jordan had been with thefollowing women at the time of their deaths:
Mary Johnson, November 30, 1980, at theAylmer Hotel, Blood alcohol level: .34
Barbara Paul, September 11, 1981, atthe Glenaird Hotel, Blood alcohol level: .41
Mary Johns, July 30, 1982, at 2503Kingsway (his barbershop) Blood alcohol level: .76
Patricia Thomas, December 15, 1984, at2503 Kingsway (his barbershop) Blood alcohol level: .51
Patricia Andrew, June 28, 1985, at 2503Kingsway (his barbershop) Blood alcohol level: .79
Vera Harry, November 19, 1986, at theClifton Hotel, Blood alcohol level: .04
Investigation
On October 12, 1987, Vanessa LeeBuckner was found naked on the floor of the Niagara Hotel after anight of drinking with Jordan. There is some debate regarding thevictim. Some sources indicate that she was a white woman, not a heavydrinker, nor was she a sex worker. However, official court recordsdescribe Buckner's death as the result of Jordan "supplying alethal amount of liquor to a female alcoholic, who died as a result". Buckner had recently lost custody of her newborn baby, who hadbeen born with a drug dependency. She "was an alcoholic and ataker of various kinds of drugs." Jordan's fingerprintswere found and linked to Buckner's death. A month after her death,another woman, Edna Shade, was found dead in another hotel.
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