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Hey, it's Nancy. Before we begin today, I just wanted to let you know that you can listen to Crime Beat early and ad-free on Amazon Music, included with Prime. A listener's note. The following episode contains coarse language, adult themes, and content of a violent and disturbing nature and may not be suitable for everyone. Listener discretion is advised.
On a cool rainy day in the summer of 1999, an old Chevy van was seen speeding on a highway in west central Alberta, from the backcountry towards Rocky Mountain House. There was a large tarp or tent attached to the rear bumper, and it was flapping as it dragged behind the vehicle. Less than an hour later, the van pulled into the Rocky Hospital.
It was the starting point of a story that's haunted me ever since. That is one of the worst things that could end up happening to any young child. And then when it's all over, you kind of sit down and you say, what the hell just happened? Oh my God.
I'm Nancy Hixt, a crime reporter for Global News. Over the next two episodes of Crime Beat, I'll share a story with many unexpected and tragic twists and turns. This is part one of Scarred But Not Broken.
At the center of today's story is John Hudak, a former Mountie. He's retired now, but when I first met him in the late 90s, he was already a veteran police officer and served 25 years with the RCMP. His final posting was in Rocky Mountain House, where he did extensive work with search and rescue. Rocky Mountain House is located in a beautiful area of Alberta, about a two-hour drive northwest of Calgary.
The town boasts the slogan "Where Adventure Begins." It's pretty amazing to be able to explore places that look like postcards. There's a National Historic Site where visitors can learn about the role of the fur trade in Canadian history and tour through an archaeological site that contains remains of several forts. You can also camp in Indigenous trappers' tents, tipis, and cabins.
Rocky is Treaty 6 territory and a traditional meeting ground and home for many Indigenous peoples. The town is nestled on the edge of the Rocky Mountains. And if you drive another hour west, there are some incredible hiking trails. I covered a horrible event in the backcountry that HUDAC responded to. That was one of those incidents where you just say, whoa.
Four young men were out hiking and wanted to capture the beauty of their surroundings.
the photo they wanted was very risky to try and pull off. And where the guy went out and he went and hung off of an outcropping, a rock outcropping, and the rock outcropping snapped and he went down about 100 metres.
There were four of them. Two of them stayed. They didn't want to go up to the top and he went up to the top and where this rock outcropping was, he ended up going and he decided, you know, this would be a pretty cool picture if I just... And so he had his buddy end up going and taking the picture with the camera.
Then of course, you know, when he fell down, his buddy immediately got down to the spot to get down the scree slope to go and check on him and realized that he was in distress. Called to the two other guys that were
probably a couple hundred yards down the mountain and yelled to them what was going on and he went down and then one of the guys ended up running down the mountain to get to a spot where they could get cell service and call for help. To think, it was pretty eerie to think that when we recovered that camera, the photograph that was there,
It was a really sad story and whenever I'm out hiking, I remember what happened that day.
The things John Hudak has seen and investigated over the years continue to impact him greatly.
and that's why I have PTSD. And you know, I'm doing pretty good with it, but I never expected that this incident would come up and you can see how things get triggered and that's just what's happened on this incident here this morning, Nancy.
During my time reporting in central Alberta, there was another serious incident that happened in Rocky Mountain House, but this one was criminal. John Hudak has a clear recollection of what happened on August 31st, 1999.
I got a call that there was a requirement to go to the emergency ward at the hospital in Rocky Mountain House and that there had been somebody that ended up arriving at the emergency ward there and there was a young person that was there and had some serious wounds to his throat.
A seven-year-old boy was covered in blood from his face and neck all the way down to his arms and legs.
His throat had been cut. I never went in to talk to him. I just stayed back, respected the medical personnel. I was in their environment and I just wanted to make sure that they were unencumbered in regard to what they had to do. Hudak learned the boy's father took him to the hospital.
He was also in need of medical attention with lacerations to both of his wrists. A fellow by the name of William Brian Hogg was the father of the young boy who was in the emergency room, being attended to by the physicians. And I just made sure that he was...
kept away from the emergency room and that he was in a separate room and that we just kept him in there isolated. He did have some injuries but they weren't serious or life-threatening.
But one of the things I mentioned to the nursing staff, I said, look, I said, if he says anything at all to you in regard to what happened, I want you to make notes in regard to what he has told you. And I want you to have that written down because I'm going to ask you.
While this was going on inside the hospital, outside people noticed something very unusual.
There was an old blue '81 Chevy van parked in the ambulance bay, with a canvas tent or tarp attached to the bumper. The fabric extended about 16 feet behind the van. No one was prepared for what was found inside. An attending physician made the horrific discovery. There was a child, unresponsive, on top of some sleeping bags.
The doctor noted the little girl was cold to the touch. She was rushed into the emergency room, but she had no vital signs. She was later pronounced deceased by the local medical examiner. The little girl was just two years old. Hudak was still at the hospital when he was notified of the death. The case was now a homicide investigation. You kick into your professional mode and you do what you have to do at the time.
And then when it's all over, you kind of sit down and you say, what the hell just happened? Oh my God. Larry Russell was the sergeant of the Rocky Mountain House RCMP detachment at the time. It was an extremely difficult situation, yes. Throughout my 33 years in the RCMP, I had more than one of these instances of dealing with children in bad situations and injuries.
Sergeant Russell put Constable Hudak in charge of the case as they monitored the condition of the little boy named Christopher Hogg. I just wanted to make sure that he had the best chance of coming out of this. And what they eventually did is they got him stabilized to the point where they ended up transferring him into the hospital in Red Deer. And he's such a bright, alert young guy. You just look and say...
The Rocky Mountain House RCMP detachment was not very big and didn't have the people to deal with the normal day-to-day caseloads in addition to a homicide investigation.
Officers with the Major Crimes Unit were called in. You front load resources. You bring as many resources as you can in to capture as much evidence as you can as quickly as you can. So those wheels were put in place. And so we had people coming in from Red Deer and Calgary to help out on the investigations.
By then, the seven-year-old boy's condition was stable in the Red Deer Hospital. And investigators hoped Christopher would tell them what happened.
Can you imagine a young seven or eight year old boy laying in a hospital bed with all these bandages on his throat that he's got a throat, he's got a slit that goes from one side of his throat to the other side of his throat. And, you know, he's just had his whole life turned upside down.
Dave Gravatt is retired now, but back in 1999, he was an investigator with the major crimes unit in Red Deer. He was asked to talk to Christopher.
One thing that with child interviews, we had our forensic identification fellow and we went over to the hospital and we taped everything from the time we got there until the time we left. And it was early evening because the victim in this case was a young boy and he was able to talk and so we did an interview in the hospital room while he was in the bed.
There were four people in the hospital room that day. Gravatt, another officer, a social worker, and the child. In Gravatt's 31 years in policing, he's conducted a lot of child interviews—
It's a very special skill set, and he was careful not to coach or lead the boys' answers. Let them tell you the story that they know, and then it can be evaluated later. It's not a question and answer thing. You don't come in and put things into their mind. With any child, especially when it's been a traumatic event, if they're willing to talk about it,
then great. If they're not willing to talk about it, that's fine too. And the main thing is that, you know, you're in a... I have no idea what's going on in this particular case. Like, I don't know all the intimate details, which was a good thing because you don't want to start going into areas and start leading the victim to try and get them to say things. So it was, you know, tell me about...
very simple questions, tell me about what happened and let them, what I would call is a pure version statement where they just keep talking and you just listen and then you can pick out what questions you need to ask after they're finished talking.
Gravatt said all he knew about the case going into the interview was that Christopher's throat had been cut. My first observation was how calm he was and, you know, and very receptive to speaking with me. The officer is a father of five. At the time, he had three kids.
He said seeing the child's injuries and hearing him speak about what happened was extremely difficult. You have to be professional. You have to put that all aside and you have to get the facts. Just like every investigator who did that file found it repugnant, but did a good job, got the facts. The little boy told police graphic details of what happened in the West Country at a camping area called Falls Creek.
His father tried to kill him by slitting his throat but didn't put the knife in deep enough and it was really turned out to be a superficial wound. A horrific wound but superficial in that he was going to fully survive with no damages to his to any of his functions or speaking or anything like that. He was tremendously brave. I was really we were very very pleased very
John Hudak said the statement was key evidence in the case.
A copy of that statement was given to us, and we watched it on the, there's probably five or six of us that watched it in the coffee room on a TV in Rocky Mountain House Detachment after it was given. And there wasn't a dry eye in the room. Christopher Hogg said it was his father who hurt him.
He also witnessed his father kill his half-sister, Bailey Holsema.
The father had taken the two kids, had driven down from Edmonton and gone out to a rural area out west of Rocky Mountain House and first of all attempted to asphyxiate himself and the kids with carbon monoxide and by pulling a big tarp over the van. At one point, the little boy went outside of the van.
And a warning, the details I'm about to share are extremely upsetting. As it turns out, later on the story unfolds that he says, yeah, he got out of the van and when he came back to the van, his father was in the back of the van with a pillow over the head of a little girl and had smothered the little girl. And then they were sitting in the van and the, I guess, things weren't proceeding along as
quickly as the father expected things to go in regard to the carbon monoxide poisoning. And so anyhow, he took a knife out and he reached over and he slashed the little boy's throat. Hudak said seven-year-old Christopher begged for his life. The little boy said he didn't want to die. And then the dad said words to him to the effect of, you know, this isn't the way it happens in the movies.
You should have died right now. And then the dad started slashing his own wrists. And then...
By then, the father had also admitted to staff members at the hospital that he had harmed the children. He told one nurse he tried to kill his children and himself. Well, it definitely wasn't a whodunit, that's for sure.
So we knew right then, we knew we had a murder and we knew we had our suspect right at that particular time. I was there the day Brian Hogg was arrested. He tried to cover his face with his hands. You could see his bandaged wrists as he was taken in and out of the local courthouse by Constable Hudak.
Hogg was charged with one count of second-degree murder in the death of his daughter and one count of the attempted murder of his son. But the charges brought little comfort to the families of the victims. A funeral was held for Bailey Holsema in Edmonton. She was just a few weeks short of her third birthday when she was killed.
Here's a friend of the family who spoke at the memorial. Bailey's mom was Brian Hogg's girlfriend.
During the service, Bailey was remembered as a little girl who loved to go garage sailing, collect jewelry, and listen to Barney. In the days that followed, police conducted search warrants, interviewed family and friends, and gathered other evidence.
Dave Gravatt from the RCMP Major Crimes Unit took over from Hudak as the lead investigator. I had full control of the file from the major crimes and I worked with John Hudak in Rocky Mountain House who had the, he was the file coordinator handling all the logistics of the actual file itself in Rocky Mountain House. I kept in contact with Chris's family and his mom
Tina, they lived in Edmonton, so I was always in contact with them, just checking out. You know, I wanted to see how things were going with the family and how he was adjusting and stuff like that. And at that time, he appeared to be doing very well. He was back at school and, you know, they were seeking counseling and dealing with those things. So I was in contact, I couldn't tell you how many times, but...
a fair amount of times before this went before the courts because you know I just didn't want to leave them because he potentially would have to testify in court and that could be a traumatic event too so we were in contact quite often.
In October of 1999, just over a month after Bailey was killed and Christopher was injured, Brian Hogg was sent to Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, for a psychiatric assessment to determine if he was fit to stand trial.
In late November, a forensic psychiatrist stated that he believed Hogg understood the nature of the charge and the difference between a plea of guilty and not guilty, and understood the consequences of a conviction. The doctor also stated that he felt Hogg was able to comprehend the nature of the evidence. He was deemed fit to stand trial.
About two months later, and about five months after the crimes were committed, Hogg admitted in court what he did to his two children. There was going to be a guilty plea by the accused, and there was going to be 15 years before the eligibility of parole.
We did not have to go through trial, thank heavens, because it would have been a huge problem for the family, especially for the young boy, Christopher Hogg. He would have had to have relived that whole ugly situation that happened back on the 31st of August in 1999. So he was spared that.
I was there in court when Hogg pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. The courtroom was packed with family and loved ones of the children involved in this tragedy, three-year-old Bailey and seven-year-old Christopher.
People were crying as the events that happened on August 31st of last year were described. Apparently Brian Hogg was feeling depressed and had left notes saying he wasn't going to be around anymore. He drove his two children to a campsite near Rocky Mountain House where he had planned to kill Bailey, Christopher and then himself.
For several hours, he tried to accomplish this task by carbon monoxide poisoning. He put a tent over his van and when this didn't work, he suffocated Bailey with a pillow and slit Christopher's throat. He also slit his own wrists. But that's when Christopher said he didn't want to die. So Brian drove the kids in the van with the tent dragging behind to the Rocky Mountain House Hospital. By that time, Bailey was already dead.
Two very rambling suicide notes written by Hogg, where he blamed others for his problems, were entered as exhibits during the hearing. Several victim impact statements were also read in court.
Bailey's mother, Tanya Holsuma, described her heartbreak and broken dreams. She said all she wanted in life was a baby girl and said she wasn't supposed to be able to have children due to an illness when she was younger. She said it was an answer to her prayers when Bailey was born. Tanya listed all of the firsts she would miss, like Bailey's first Christmas concert, her school plays, or sports.
Christopher was Hogg's child with his ex-wife. Christopher's mother said she trusted Hogg, and his actions have shattered her family's hearts and lives. She said,
She went on to describe the drive to the Red Deer Hospital as one of the longest trips of her life and recalled praying, "Hang on, my boy. Mommy's coming. Don't die, my baby. Mommy's coming." She said her prayers were answered when she got there and learned Christopher was in stable condition and would be okay. Christopher's mother told court that he asked her, "Why did Dad do this? Why did Bailey have to die?"
She went on to say no punishment would be harsh enough for what he did. Christopher also wrote a victim impact statement. The seven-year-old carefully printed his words on the sheet of paper provided by the court. He wrote, "'What about me? Why did Dad do this to me?'
I asked mom, but she can't answer me. I thought my dad was a good dad until he did this to me. He lied to me and said he was taking us camping. Camping was fun, but not this time. He lied again by saying that he put the tarp over the van to keep the rain out, but he was trying to suffocate us, but it was taking too long. I told him he was a criminal after he killed Bailey and cut my neck.
Brian Hogg was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for at least 15 years. Bailey's grandmother spoke to me outside of court. Brian, you got life today.
But our life is just beginning. We have years of misery ahead of us yet. The RCMP officers who investigated the case, including Dave Gravatt and John Hudak, were there for the sentencing. That means you have to wait 15 years. That doesn't mean you're getting out in 15 years. That means you'll only be considered guilty
Nearly 20 years into his life sentence, in February of 2019, a parole hearing was held for Hogg. He was 62 years old at that time.
A decision obtained by Global News provides some insight. The board said his upbringing was unremarkable. He was raised in a pro-social family, though his father developed a degenerative illness, and that resulted in Hogg becoming angry and resentful. They noted at the time of his offenses, he was under financial stress due to the seasonal nature of his employment.
The board went on to describe his history of drinking at a young age. He also admitted to using cocaine and told the board he was coming down from the effects of cocaine use when he killed Bailey and injured Christopher.
The board went through numerous psychological assessments. The most recent one was completed in January of 2018 that rated his risk for general and violent reoffending as low and his risk for domestic violence as low to moderate. The board noted that 13 years into his sentence, he was moved to a minimum security facility and completed many escorted temporary absences without concern.
The board also said Hogg accepts responsibility for his actions, expresses remorse, and has a good level of insight into his risk factors. Though they noted he has made derogatory comments about Bailey's mother, which appears indicative of a lack of remorse. He told the board that he had been sober for all but two years of his time in prison up to that point.
Hogg said he found it difficult to tell people about the crimes he committed because they're so horrific. But he said he has told some of his community support network.
During this hearing, Christopher's mother read a statement. She spoke of the extreme harm he caused her son, her family, and herself. She described how every time she's notified of a hearing, her stability and security is shaken. Her anxiety increases, and her emotions are like a roller coaster. She said she's opposed to Hogg's release and believes he should serve his full life sentence, adding,
Christopher wants no contact with him. At that 2019 hearing, Brian Hogg was granted day parole. Since then, the board has continued to approve his day parole for six-month stretches at a time, but has continued to deny full parole. The most recent review was completed in April of 2021.
The board said his behavior in the community has been noted as positive and compliant and he's followed all rules and regulations of the community residential facility. He's met the obligations of his day parole release without concern. His parole officer noted he's transparent and honest and remains committed to sobriety, is employed full-time and is engaged in pro-social leisure activities.
Hogg indicated he doesn't feel ready for full parole at this time. Victims wrote in impact statements that they remain fearful of him and expressed clearly their need to be protected from him. More than 20 years after this senseless crime, the officers who investigated the case still think about the victims and the ongoing trauma that Hogg inflicted on so many.
Dave Gravatt said he's wondered how Christopher is doing all these years later. "Gee, you know, Chris would be in his 30s now.
Seeing someone hurting their kids, you know, any assault is bad. But hurting your own kids that rely on you, like, you know, you trust. I mean, it's, it's, that's, you know, that's what you have. That's, that's, you have the love of your kids and the trust that you will protect them. And there's nothing, you know, in nature that's supposed to be stronger. It's the most selfish act that any human being can do, so...
John Hudak broke down several times as we discussed the case for this episode. He thinks of the visible and invisible reminders Christopher has of what his father did that day. Well,
Well, that little boy's got some scars that he's going to cure for the rest of his life. And you know what? I just can't imagine. I can't imagine my own kids having to witness something like that. And, you know, it shows you, you know, it's that part of, that's that part of policing that you come across if you sit down and say, my
But while John Hudak and his family have been spared from this type of horrible tragedy, they have not gone through life unscarred.
For Hudak, there's another reason this case has weighed heavily on him for so many years. It was through his interactions with witnesses in this case that led to another investigation, one that would see his life torn to pieces. This is as damaging as a person could have in their career. So what happens is I get a phone call
Why was a respected veteran member of the RCMP suddenly charged? What led to this shocking turn of events?
Find out next time on Crime Beat. Crime Beat is written and produced by me, Nancy Hixt, with producer Dila Velasquez. Audio editing and sound design is by Rob Johnston. Special thanks to photographer-editor Danny Lantella for his work on this episode. And thanks to Chris Bassett, the acting VP of National and Network News for Global News.
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