The Mysterious Disappearances of Four Seniors From the Laan Farm

After a Toronto men’s homeless shelter relocated two residents to the Laan boarding home in Muskok, the director contacted authorities, saying he was concerned for their safety. Owned by Kathrine Laan and her brothers, Paul, David, and Walter, the boarding home housed elderly and homeless people.

The condition of the facility and answers the Laans provided to police questioning them about residents caused authorities enough concern to open an investigation.

Authorities spoke to prior residents at the Laan facility. Many described how they left in the middle of the night, unsure how the Laans would react to their departures. Some described it as an “escape.”

On September 24, 1998, authorities spoke to Joan Lawrence, a 77-year-old woman known as the ‘cat lady.’ Her heart had a soft spot for strays; she had taken in over 30 cats.

She paid the Laans $600 monthly rent to live in a small, 8x10 dilapidated garden shed without running water, heat, or electricity.

Joan lived a lonely life with her cats since she had no close friends or family. In her better days, she held a career as a news reporter for two major newspapers in Toronto. She enjoyed writing poems.

She had been homeless since her home burned down in 1994, becoming reliant on boarding houses and The Salvation Army for a place to sleep. Before moving to the Laans boarding home, she resided at Cedar Pines Christian Retirement Home, owned by the Laans, but moved due to the high cost of rent. They offered her an 8x10 shed on her farm.

A social worker learned about Lawrence’s living conditions in September 1998. She immediately contacted the police. Authorities found Lawrence in the shed and contacted Adult Protective Services. She was moved from the shed into a decommissioned van on the Laan farm.

The shed had no electricity, running water, or heat.

A single bed piled high with clothing took up most of the space in the room, although Joan had a school desk with a lamp on its top. An extension cord ran from the garden shed to the main house.

Joan lived in these conditions for more than a year and told authorities she wanted to file a complaint against the Laans.

Officials from Adult Protective Services returned two days later, on September 26, finding the shed cleaned out and Joan nowhere in sight.

Allan Marshall, a 57-year-old resident at the Laan boarding home, reported Joan missing. He told police that he heard gunshots and saw a backhoe digging around on the property around the time Joan disappeared. Despite an extensive search of the property and nearby lakes, police did not recover Joan’s body. They learned that half a dozen of her cats had been shot. Ron Allen, the Laan's uncle, claimed he shot the cats.

Police never stopped searching for Joan or investigating the Laan boarding home. They learned in July 2000 that three other people residing at the property were gone: John Semple, 90, Ralph Grant, 70, and John Crofts, 71. The men arrived at the boarding home from homeless shelters. Although no one had seen the men in months, their monthly pension checks were being cashed.

David, Walter, his wife Karen, Paul, and Katherine were charged with defrauding the federal government. The charges against David and Karent were e eventually dropped. The other three pleaded guilty but did not spend time in prison. The boarding home was shut down by authorities, and Watler, Paul, and Katherine moved from Muskoka.

The Laans served conditional sentences, after which Paul, Walter, Kathrine, and David moved from Muskoka.

Authorities investigating the case learned many residents died at the Laan retirement home. Most of the residents were formerly homeless, mentally ill, or did not have any family. Authorities shut down the Laan retirement home.

The Laan family has refused to cooperate with the investigation. No charges have ever been filed in the case.

Sources:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/muskoka-mystery-missing-seniors-1.5342454

https://www.muskokaregion.com/news/crime/opp-give-update-into-1998-99-disappearance-of-4-seniors-in-muskoka/article_dde729c7-ce15-52cb-a14f-9e7c34730bc6.html