Twenty years after a single shot shattered a quiet Thanksgiving evening in Barrie’s north end, April Dobson’s unsolved murder still casts a long shadow over the community.
On October 14, 2005, 40-year-old April Dobson finished her shift at a Swiss Chalet on Molson Park Drive, unaware her life would end before sunrise. Later that night, after lending a hand with a friend’s car, Dobson settled onto a porch at 300 Browning Trail, sharing leftover turkey and wine with two companions. Just after midnight, the peace dissolved. A single gunshot echoed. Dobson, her back to the street, was struck in the head. Despite the efforts of paramedics and police, she died at the scene.
What followed was chaos and confusion. Witnesses caught sight of a young man sprinting east before mounting a mountain-style bicycle and vanishing along a nearby catwalk toward Bronte Crescent. Police concluded the shooter likely knew the area well, perhaps even calling it home once.
The Barrie Police Homicide Unit, charged with cracking the case, chased leads and fielded tips for years. In 2013, authorities sweetened the pot with a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Despite their persistence, no one has faced charges. Each anniversary has brought renewed appeals, with investigators urging anyone holding back to come forward—reminding the public that Crime Stoppers offers anonymity and up to $2,000 in rewards.
As another year slips by, the void left by Dobson’s death continues to be felt. The police service, refusing to let the case fade, has produced a video series to shed new light and stir memories. Somewhere, someone knows the truth. The question remains: will this be the year a conscience is stirred, and Barrie’s most persistent cold case is finally brought in from the cold?
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Barrie woman’s murder remains unsolved 20 years later
