The letter renewed hope that an investigation into the arson could be reactivated, but Mounties in Prince Rupert made little headway.
On Thursday, the 25th anniversary of the fatal blaze, a member of the bereaved family made an emotional appeal to the secret author to reveal his or her identity. “I am begging, pleading and hoping that this person or anyone who may have any information, big or small, regarding this arson-homicide to please contact the RCMP,” Lorraine Rochon said at a news conference in Surrey.
Rochon, one of four sisters, addressed the killer directly, saying her family would never give up its quest to get closure.
“And if you didn’t intend for anyone to be hurt or die, know only the truth will set you free from your guilt.”
The bodies of four people were discovered inside the third-floor apartment suite above a store after firefighters extinguished the blaze that was started early on Feb. 5, 1990.
Helga Rochon, 45, and her daughters Sherri, 26, and Pauline, 19, were killed, along with Pauline’s seven-month-old daughter, Kimberly.
Narrowing the search for the arsonist is a renewed goal of Mounties in B.C., Supt. Ward Lymburner said.
“We are certain that someone has information to allow our investigators to solve this crime,” Lymburner said.
The fatal fire was a second attempt of arson at the building in three months, he said. But Lymburner declined to give more details about the fire or about the letter.
