In the mid-1970s, a shadow fell over the vibrant city of Calgary, Alberta. It was a different era, a time when hitchhiking was a common mode of transport for young people seeking adventure or a simple ride home. But that sense of freedom was shattered by a series of tragic disappearances that would haunt the community for nearly half a century. Young women were vanishing, only to be found later, their lives stolen in acts of unspeakable violence. For decades, the families of these victims lived in a state of agonizing uncertainty, waiting for answers that seemed like they would never come. Today, thanks to the relentless persistence of investigators and the advancements in genetic genealogy, that silence has finally been broken.

The nightmare began on Valentine’s Day in 1976. Patricia McQuillan and Eva Dvorak, two fourteen-year-old best friends, were inseparable. Patricia was known for her wit and love of dancing, while Eva was a bubbly spirit who was constantly singing. They were last seen walking in downtown Calgary, full of the innocence and hope of youth. The next morning, their bodies were discovered under an overpass west of the city. The scene was eerily calm, with no obvious signs of a struggle, deepening the mystery. Authorities were baffled, and for a long time, the case yielded more questions than answers. The loss of two such young lives sent shockwaves through the city, but the tragedy was far from over.

Later that same year, Melissa Rehorek, a twenty-year-old adventurous spirit from Ontario, packed a bag and set out to hitchhike to the mountains. She never made it. Her body was found in a ditch, her dreams of exploring the natural beauty of Canada cut short. Then, in early 1977, Barbara MacLean, a nineteen-year-old from Nova Scotia who had moved to Calgary for work, disappeared after leaving a tavern. She was found days later, another victim of a predator who seemed to be hunting with impunity. For years, these cases remained cold, unconnected by forensic evidence but linked by the devastating grief they left behind.

The breakthrough that would finally connect these tragedies took over forty years to materialize. In 2022, investigators resubmitted evidence from the 1976 case of Patricia and Eva for modern DNA analysis. The results were startling. The DNA profile developed from the scene matched the profile found in the cases of Melissa and Barbara. Police realized they were not dealing with isolated incidents but the work of a single serial offender. This revelation launched a massive collaborative effort involving the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Calgary Police Service. Using the cutting-edge tool of genetic genealogy, they began to build a family tree from the DNA left at the crime scenes, tracing distant relatives to narrow down the identity of the suspect.

The trail led them to a man named Gary Allen Srery. Born in 1942 in Illinois, Srery was an American citizen with a dark and violent history long before he crossed the border into Canada. In the United States, he had a rap sheet that included kidnapping and sexual assault convictions in California during the 1960s. He was a man who knew how to manipulate the system, often posting bail and then vanishing before his court dates. In 1974, while facing new charges in Los Angeles, he fled to Canada, slipping through the cracks of international law enforcement.

Once in Canada, Srery lived a transient lifestyle, moving between Alberta and British Columbia. He was a master of disguise, using multiple aliases such as “Rex Long” and “Willie Blackman” to hide his true identity. He worked off the books as a cook and lived illegally, avoiding any significant contact with police for over two decades. This ability to blend in allowed him to operate in the shadows, preying on vulnerable young women while the authorities searched for a ghost. It wasn’t until 1996 that he was finally arrested in British Columbia for a violent assault on a woman in her home. Even then, he was booked under one of his aliases, and his true identity as an American fugitive wasn’t discovered until years later.

In 2003, after serving his sentence in Canada, Srery was deported back to the United States. He settled in Idaho, but his predatory nature had not changed. In 2008, he was arrested for a brutal assault on a woman in Coeur d’Alene. This crime would be his undoing, leading to a life sentence. However, justice for the Canadian victims would be delayed by a cruel twist of fate. Srery died in prison in 2011 from natural causes, more than a decade before he would be identified as the serial killer responsible for the deaths of Patricia, Eva, Melissa, and Barbara.

The announcement of his identification in May 2024 brought a complex mix of emotions for the families of the victims. All of the parents of the four girls had passed away before knowing the truth, a fact that adds a layer of sorrow to the resolution. However, for the siblings and extended family members, the news provided a long-awaited answer. They finally knew the name of the monster who had taken their loved ones. In a statement, Patricia’s family expressed their relief that Srery could no longer harm anyone, describing him as an “evil monster” who took a piece of everyone when he committed his crimes.

The investigation into Gary Allen Srery is technically closed regarding these four specific cases, but police believe his timeline in Canada suggests there could be more victims. Between his arrival in 1974 and his arrest in 1996, there are large gaps where his whereabouts are unknown. He lived in various communities across British Columbia and Alberta, driving different vehicles and constantly changing his appearance. Authorities are now urging the public to come forward with any information about Srery during those years, hoping to solve other cold cases that may be linked to him.

This story serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that lurked in the past and the incredible power of modern science to illuminate the truth. It highlights the dedication of cold case units that refuse to let files gather dust, ensuring that even after half a century, victims are not forgotten. While Gary Allen Srery escaped a courtroom verdict for these specific crimes, his name is now permanently etched in history as the perpetrator, stripping him of the anonymity he used as a weapon. For the families, the chapter of not knowing is finally over, replaced by the certainty that the person responsible has been found.