‘I was a drunken young man’: Cold case killer admits to fatally stabbing teen girl 49 years ago
A nearly five-decade-old cold case homicide was finally brought to a close in a Calgary courtroom on Monday, with the perpetrator and the victim’s daughter both speaking out publicly for the first time since charges were laid. Ronald James Edwards, now 75 years old, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 1976 killing of 16-year-old Pauline Brazeau. Originally charged with murder, Edwards accepted a joint proposal for a 6½-year sentence, with 4½ years left to serve after credit for time spent in custody.
Both Brazeau and Edwards shared Métis heritage, adding a layer of complexity to this tragic case. Brazeau’s daughter, Tracy, who was just seven months old at the time of her mother’s death, expressed the profound impact of the loss in a victim impact statement. She lamented the absence of shared memories and the missed opportunity to experience a mother-daughter bond.
In 2023, after years of investigative genetic genealogy work by both RCMP and Calgary police officers, Edwards was arrested at his Sundre home. He was 26 years old at the time of the killing, and the arrest marked a significant breakthrough in a case that had remained unsolved for decades.
During the court proceedings, a remorseful Edwards offered a tearful apology to Tracy, acknowledging the pain and loss she had endured due to his actions. He expressed regret for robbing her of the chance to know her mother and attributed his behavior at the time to his struggles with alcohol.
The details of the crime revealed a chilling sequence of events that led to Brazeau’s tragic death. Edwards, under the influence of alcohol, picked up Brazeau under the false assumption that she was a prostitute. After driving her outside Calgary city limits, they engaged in sexual intercourse before Edwards, in a state of intoxication, stabbed Brazeau with a knife and left her for dead. Her body was later discovered by hunters, bearing nine stab wounds and signs of defensive injuries.
The case remained unsolved for years, with multiple investigations yielding little progress. It wasn’t until the advent of DNA technology and the use of investigative genetic genealogy that Edwards was identified as the suspect. Through meticulous detective work and advancements in forensic science, authorities were able to link Edwards to the crime scene, leading to his eventual arrest and guilty plea.
The resolution of this long-standing case brought closure to Brazeau’s family, who expressed gratitude to law enforcement for their dedication and perseverance in pursuing justice. The successful outcome was a testament to the collaborative efforts of multiple generations of officers who never gave up on seeking answers for Brazeau’s senseless death.
As the courtroom proceedings concluded, both Tracy and Edwards left with a sense of finality, marking the end of a painful chapter that had haunted them for over four decades. While the scars of the past will always remain, the resolution of this case serves as a reminder of the enduring commitment to seeking justice, no matter how much time has passed.
