Born on May 26, 1951, Ivan Wheeler was a native of Belgrave, Ontario, Canada. In the wake of his sister’s untimely death in a car accident in September 1976, Ivan relocated to London to support his grieving brother-in-law. He found employment as a driver for U-Need-A-Cab, operating vehicle #457.
On the evening of February 17th, 1977, twenty-seven-year-old Ivan was last seen alive around 9:45 p.m. in Thamesville, approximately fifty miles from London, after dropping off a fare.
Later that night, patrons leaving a racquet club on Cheapside Street in London noticed his cab parked in the lot but assumed the driver was resting and did not investigate. It wasn’t until about 5:20 a.m. the following morning that a police officer on patrol checked the vehicle and discovered Ivan’s body.
The victim was found slumped in the driver’s seat, having been shot in the back of the head with a small-caliber pistol. The wound was concealed by his parka hood, and there was minimal blood, leading initial responders to believe he had suffered a medical episode. The truth was only revealed during the autopsy.
Notably, his wallet, coin changer, and briefcase were untouched, suggesting robbery was not the motive. Investigators theorized that he had started the meter shortly after turning off Highway 401, indicating he may have picked up a fare en route to London.
Despite efforts by the London Police Service, no suspects were identified, and the case remains open.
Crime Immemorial 