On the early morning of December 28th, 2001, twenty-two-year-old Robert “B.J.” Raymond was fatally stabbed in the chest during a chaotic brawl in a parking lot behind a bar in downtown Sarnia, Ontario. More than twenty-four years later, the case remains unsolved despite repeated appeals from police and a substantial reward for information.
At approximately two twenty-five a.m., a physical fight erupted in the parking area behind and between the Border Club (at 494 N. Christina Street) and a nearby building housing Damar Security (506 N. Christina Street). The altercation began with a verbal exchange between two men whose vehicles were parked side by side: a red 1989 Chevrolet step-side pickup truck (with a silver-grey lower body) and a white four-door car.
What started as a dispute quickly escalated. Occupants from the white car attacked the pickup truck’s driver, and additional individuals joined in. Some fighters used improvised weapons, including a large square “Corbet Canyon” wine bottle and belt buckles. Witnesses described at least two men as shirtless, with coats and gloves left on the ground. The melee moved through the parking lot toward the rear of the buildings.
B.J. Raymond and a friend had been at the Border Club that night. As they left around two twenty-five a.m., B.J. stopped for a hot dog from a vendor in the parking lot while his friend went to warm up their car. B.J. reportedly saw friends of his outnumbered in the fight and stepped in to help. Near the front fender of the red pickup truck, he confronted three males and was stabbed in the chest with a large knife.
The wound severed the pulmonary artery and punctured his heart, causing near-instantaneous death. Witnesses found him face down nearby. His friends and bystanders attempted to help and later transported him to the hospital, but he could not be revived. As the initial fight subsided, a group of three men was seen walking away, yelling obscenities. They were described as a white male in a red baseball cap and jeans; a tall, thin white male in a yellow baseball cap and jeans; and a pudgy white male with a “skateboarder” look, bare-chested, carrying his shirt, wearing a dark belt and black boots.
Sarnia police recovered what they believe is the murder weapon: a thirteen-inch knife with a black plastic handle, model number “M-100” embossed on it, and a well-sharpened blade. The knife was too large to be easily concealed.
Investigators also found a silver necklace made in Italy at the scene. No one has claimed it or identified its owner, despite public appeals. Police have urged anyone who knew someone who suddenly stopped wearing a similar chain around that time to come forward.
The murder occurred in a busy downtown area with multiple witnesses, yet it has eluded resolution for over two decades.
The case has remained open, with Sarnia police and Sarnia-Lambton Crime Stoppers renewing public appeals on anniversaries, including in 2024 and 2025. A reward of up to $25,000 is offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Crime Immemorial 