Before I begin this real intensive deep dive on Robert
Picton, I wanted to talk to you about just kind of, you know, my
me and my mindset and kind of the, the plans that I have in
2025 and 26. My goal is to start really
getting involved in public speaking, doing events where I
talk about these historic cases, these complex serial killers,
missing persons, baffling cases that really, you know, defy
logic, where people just vanish off the face of the earth, these
missing men, missing women. To take a little break off ICTON
after this, a few more Dee dives into the case, a few more
eisodes. I'm going to be, they're going
to be very intensive Dee dives. I'm going to be talking about
missing men. And, and the other thing I want
to talk about too is oh, I, I, you know, I'm trying to keep my
podcast ad free. I do get approached a lot, you
know, like those crazy manscape nomads, you know, if you know,
you know, all right. And nothing against them.
I have nothing against people putting them on their podcast.
You know, you got to do what you got to do to keep the lights on.
But I don't really like listening to them.
And I'm sure you don't either, right?
And I get approached by a lot of stuff, a lot of food ads, you
know, want to put, you know, deliverable foods.
And the thing I think is, is that I always want to be a value
to you, the listener. I, I been wanting to do this
podcast for 10 years. I listened to probably thousands
of podcasts before I did one. And a lot of my favorite
podcasts got spoiled by just, you know, too many ads and
stuff, right? So I'm trying to keep that off
that off that, but I do have goals.
I want to build an in person studio so I can have better deep
dive conversations with people and really, you know, get to the
heart of all these topics. I'm very passionate about
missing people, dark psychology, complex cases.
And one of the things that I'm working on, I'm pretty early
stages this. I've been writing a lot about
social engineering and what social engineering is, is
basically human hacking. What it is, it's basically con
artists, right? You know someone conning you
online. They could pretend to be a
utility company thinking that you're having to pay a bill.
They could be on a dating website for very nefarious
purposes. They can also fake, you know,
with the cloning AI technology that they're like a grandkid or
a granddaughter or grandson a targeting seniors to get money
out of them. And then there's romance scams.
And then there's even the scariest, right, human
traffickers that would do dwell on a lot of dating sites, right?
You meet Prince Charming, they maybe even go on a few dates
with this person and all of a sudden they want to travel to
some luxurious exotic location, right And that person has never
seen again. So I want to educate people on
the dangers of social media and the landscape of social of
Internet land. I'm going to be publishing some
more articles and some in depths and I'll actually going to be
doing some podcasts on social engineering to help educate you
guys, keep you guys safe. I've written probably written
over 100 pages, a very intensive white aer on it, but I'm going
to break it all down and make it very easy to understand this.
I would like to make into workshops, maybe online
webinars, in person, things like that and tailor them to your
needs, right? So let's say, for example, let's
say you're an organization that has a lot of senior people.
I could tailor it to to what's important to you?
What kind of scams, financial scams, even romance scams happen
to a lot of senior people. It's pretty scary, like it's,
you know, and it could be quite devastating, right?
So, so I really appreciate all the support that I've gotten
over the years doing the Vancouver true crime and the
dark mind detective. I'm trying to balance things now
to make it workable, keep my lights on, but also always
provide you value, create a good listening experience for you,
Also provide you things that I believe that are important for
you in this modern times that we all in right.
And and like I said, I I can't underestimate the importance of
understanding social engineering because it could work on all of
us, including myself. There are some smooth operators
out there that are very good at it.
They're very know every trick in the book and they can be highly
persuasive, right? There really are cyber wolves
out there. So anyways, thank you for
listening and I'm going to get into my episode now.
So be safe out there. Take care of yourselves.
As I mentioned before in an earlier podcast, I have
dedicated significant research hours to understanding the
tragic and extensive case of Robert Bicton.
In this episode, my goal is to provide a overarching view of
the case rather than diving into the intricate details.
Think of it as viewing the case from 30,000 feet, a perspective
that reveals its size, scope and complexity.
To bring depth an insight to this analysis, I applied the FBI
standard investigation framework for Over the past year, I
carefully studied a white paper published by the FBI on
prostitute homicides. While there are distinct
differences between investigative procedures in
Canada and the United States, the FBI is widely regarded as a
gold standard in criminal investigation.
Applying their methodology to the Picton case feels
appropriate, a way to ensure the victims receive a thorough
consideration they deserve. The FBI Standard Analysis
Framework The FBI study on Prostitute Homicide offers a
comprehensive model for understanding, investigating,
and analyzing cases involving the murder of sex workers.
This framework will serve as a benchmark for evaluating the
Robert Picked an investigation #1 Victim risk assessment.
Sex workers are often classified as high risk victims due to
interactions with unknown clients, working in isolated
environments, substance abuse challenges, marginalized social
status, and delays in reporting their disappearances.
The FBI studies identifies several types of offenders who
target sex workers situation. Impulse killers who act on
opportunity without premeditation.
Mission oriented killers believe they are cleansing society.
Hedonistic killers derive pleasure, often sexual, from
killing power. Control killers kill to assert
dominance and control profit. Motivated killers murder for
financial gain. The FBI recommends several best
practices for investigating prostitute homicides.
Proactive response. Swift action when sex workers
are reported missing. Cross jurisdictional
cooperation. Cooperating across police
agencies. Victim analysis, Understanding
victims backgrounds and risk factors.
Linkage analysis, identify connections between cases.
Forensic prioritization. Thorough evidence collection and
analysis. Community engagement.
Partnering with vulnerable communities for information.
Red flags for serial predation. Investigators are urged to
monitor for patterns that may suggest a serial offender.
Multiple disappearances of individuals from the same
demographic. Consistent victim profiles.
Geographic clustering of cases. Time pattern disappearances.
Silence from victims who were previously commutative.
This analysis will explore how the investigation into Robert
Picton's crime were aligned or diverge from FBI standards.
The key points of focus include the effectiveness of victims,
risk assessment, the investigative response, whether
it met best practices, coordination between
jurisdictions, forensic and analytical approaches,
opportunities where improved methodologies could have had
expedited justice. Using the FBI framework as a
gold standard, we critically evaluate the success and
shortcomings of the Picton investigation.
The ultimate object is to honor the victims by identifying
lessons that can lead to more effective investigations in the
future. The Shadows of Picton Land
Welcome to the Dark Mind Detective, where we uncover the
shadows and expose the truth that many fear to face.
I am Mark. I'm an investigative journalist
dedicated to exploring the darkest corners of human
behavior and the criminal underworld.
With a background in examining cases of serial killers,
organized crime, and systemic failures, I strive to shed light
on stories that often go unheard.
You may know me from Vancouver True Crime, where I've taken you
through gripping stories of violence, corruptions and
injustice. Today will be launching a new
series, Picton Land Behind the Scenes, providing exclusive
commentary, unanswered questions and raw insights into Canada's
most horrifying criminal cases. Together, we'll explore how a
system failed countless victims and allowed a monster to thrive.
The case of Robert Picton represents a perfect storm of
horror. A predator who targeted
society's most vulnerable and a system that failed to protect
them, and a community forever scarred by the knowledge of what
happened on that pig farm in poor Coquitlam.
As we dwell into this case, I want to warn you what you're
about to hear is disturbing. It's meant to be.
The horrors that occurred at the Picton farm should disturb us.
They should make us feel uncomfortable.
Because only through confronting these uncomfortable truths can
we hope to prevent such tragedies in the future.
This analysis isn't just about recounting the gruesome details
of Picton crimes. It's about understanding the
systemic failures that allowed him to operate for years.
It's about recognizing the patterns that connect.
It's about recognizing the patterns that connect them to
other predators. And most importantly, it's about
honoring the victims, the women whose lives mattered despite
society's tendency to overlook them.
In the upcoming chapters of this series, we'll examine Picton's
background psychology, analyze the investigation through the
lens of FBI standards, compare him to other notorious killers,
and explore the profound impacts of his crimes had on families,
communities, and Canadian society as a whole.
The shadow of Picton Land are dark indeed, but together we'll
shine a light on them, exposing the truth that needs to be faced
and if we are ever to find justice for the victim, to
prevent such horrors from happening again.
The shadows of Picton Land are dark indeed, but together we'll
shine a light on them, exposing the truth that needs to be faced
if we are ever to find justice for the victim and present such
horrors from happening again. Join me as we begin this journey
into one of Canada's darkest chapters, a journey that will
challenge us, disturb us, but ultimately, I hope, enlighten
us. This is the dark mind detective.
Let's begin the making of a monster.
Robert Pickens background in a world of true crime were often
searched for the moment when a human being transformed into a
monster. If we look at that pivotal point
when something breaks inside a person, turning them from an
ordinary member of society into a predator.
With Robert Pecton that transformation wasn't a single
moment, but a slow evolution shaped by his upbringing,
environment, and the dark currents of his psychology.
The Early Years Born on October 21st, 1949 in Port Coquitlam,
BC, Robert Picton entered a world that would shape him in a
profound and disturbing way. The Picton family's pig farm,
located about 27 kilometers of Vancouver, became both his
Kingdom and eventually his killing ground.
From the beginning, young Robert's life was marked by
hardship and isolation. His parents, Leonard Francis
Picton and Louise Helen Arnold, ran a demanding pig farming
operation where work took precedent over everything else,
including their children's well-being.
While his older sister Linda was set to live with relatives in
Vancouver, the farm being deemed inappropriate for raising a
girl, Robert and his younger brother David remained and
subjected to their mother's harsh The man's Louise Pickton,
by all accounts, was a domineering figure who
prioritized the pigs over her son's basic needs.
She would send the boys to school unwashed, their clothes
reeking of manure, earning them the cruel nickname Stinky Piggy
from their classmates. This early social rejection and
humiliation would leave lasting scars on Robert's psyche.
His relationship with his father was distant at best and abusive
at worst. Robert instead formed a strong
attachment to his mother, a relationship that would shape
his later interactions with women in disturbing ways.
Educational Struggles and Formative Trauma School was
another arena of failure for young Robert.
He struggled academically from the beginning, placed in a
special class after failing grade 2.
This early academic failure likely contributed to a sense of
inadequacy and social isolation. At age 12, Robert experienced
what many criminologists might identify as formative trauma.
He raised a calf as a beloved pet, forming a rare emotional
attachment to that animal. Two weeks later, after not
finding it after school, he was told to check the barn.
There he discovered his pet has been slaughtered, a brutal
lesson in the disposability of life that would echo through his
later crimes. This incident offers a window
into the psychological development of a future killer.
The betrayal, the sudden transformation of something
loved, and to meet the normalization of slaughter.
All these elements would later manifest in Picton's treatment
of his human victims. Picton dropped out of school in
1963 at approximately 14 years of age.
He began working as a meat cutter, a profession give him
skills he would later use for more sinister purposes.
For nearly seven years he learned the trade of butchery
before returning to work full time at the family farm.
When his parents died in 1978 and in 1979, Robert and David
inherited the pig farm. He sold portions of the property
for $5,000,000, making them wealthy men.
With his new found financial freedom, the brothers could have
chosen any path, but they selected one that would lead to
unimaginable horror. Those who visited the Picton
farm described it as a creepy looking place.
Bill Hiscock noted it was patrolled by a 600 LB bore and
describe Robert as a pretty quiet guy, hard to strike up a
conversation with, who occasionally exhibited bizarre
behavior despite no evidence of substance abuse.
As the economy of the Lower Mainland grew in the 1980s and
90's, the Picton became increasingly wealthy by selling
parts of their farmland to property developers.
This financial success allowed the brothers to establish an ad
hoc nightclub called Piggy Palace, which became notorious
for its wild parties. Piggy Palace operated under the
thin veneer of legitimacy provided by a nonprofit charity.
The Piggy Palace Good Time Society registered with the
Canadian government in 1996. It's stated purpose was to
organize, coordinate and manage and operate special events,
functions, dances, shows, expositions on the behalf of
service organizations, sports organizations and other worthy
group. In reality, it became a
gathering place for Vancouver's underbelly, hosting raves and
wild parties featuring Vancouver sex workers, sometimes attracted
as many 2000 people, including members of outlaw motorcycle
gangs and the criminal underworld.
This dual existence, respectable businessman and farmer by day,
host the botched parties at night.
Exemplifies compartmentalization that allowed Picton to maintain
his public persona while engaging in increasingly
deprived behavior. Early warning signs.
The warning signs were there for those willing to see them.
In March 1997, Picton was charged with the attempted
murder of a sex worker we called Miss Anderson, whom he had
stabbed 4 times during the altercation on the farm.
She told police he had handcuffed her but he managed to
escape. But she managed to escape after
severing several lacerations, disarming him and stabbing him
with his own weapon. This should have been the moment
that the system stopped him, but instead of the attempted murder
charge was stayed on January 27th, 1998.
Because Miss Anderson had drug issues, prosecutors believe she
was too unstable for her testimony to help secure a
conviction. This decision to dismiss the
testimony of a vulnerable woman who narrowly escaped death would
have catastrophic consequences. It sent Picton a clear message.
The women he targeted were disposable in the eyes of the
justice system. In the years that followed,
women, primarily sex workers from Vancouver's Downtown
Eastside, began to disappear. Many were Indigenous women,
women with substance use disorder, marginalized by
society the system meant to protect them.
An employee picked and even found several purses belonging
to missing women and reported this to police.
Three searches of the farm found no evidence.
In June 1999, police received the tip that Picton had a
freezer full of human flesh in the farmhouse.
This tip, like others, was ignored.
The monster emerges. What transformed Robert Picton
from a socially awkward farmer into one of Canada's most
prolific serial killers? The answer lies in a perfect
storm of factors. Early trauma and rejection.
His childhood experiences of humiliation, rejection, and
witnessing the slaughter of his pet cab created a foundation for
viewing others as objects rather than people.
Occupational desensitization. Years of butchering animal
normalized the process of slaughter and dismemberment.
Power dynamics. His wealth and property gave him
the means and the location to commit his crime with minimum
risk of discovery. Societal indifference.
The marginalized status of his victims meant their
disappearance generated little concern from authorities or the
broader public. Systemic failures the state
charges from 1997 attack reinforces his sense of
impunity. By the time the authorities
finally caught up with them in 2002, Picton had agreed boasted
at least to murdering 49 women to a cellmate, The number
himself claimed to an undercover officer, adding he wanted to
make it an even 50 but got caught because he got sloppy.
This transformation from a troubled child to serial killer,
it wasn't sudden or dramatic. It was a gradual erosion of
humanity, a slow burning fire, a pathology that when combined
with opportunity and a lack of consequences, erupted into one
of Canada's most horrific killing sprees.
And the next part we'll examine the victims of Robert Picton,
the women's whose lives matter despite society's failure to
protect them. Their stories deserve to be told
not just as victims of a monster, but as human beings
whose lives were cut tragically short by a predator allowed to
operate in the shadows far too long.