The Hopetown Murders - James & Marguerite Simpson

The Hopetown Murders: A Cold Case That Refuses to Die

In the quiet, rain-drenched village of Hopetown, Ontario, a savage double murder shattered the stillness of a September night in 1987. James George Simpson, a meticulous 40-year-old building inspector, and his sister Helen Marguerite Simpson, a gentle 58-year-old mother, were gunned down in their isolated farmhouse on Concession 1 in Dalhousie Township. Marguerite lay lifeless on the kitchen floor, while George’s body was found outside, concealed beneath a wooden pallet and tires—both riddled with bullets from a .303 Lee Enfield rifle. Three days passed before their discovery, the rain washing away clues as the killer slipped into the shadows.

Nearly four decades later, this chilling case remains unsolved, a dark enigma in the heart of Lanark County. Join host Jay Nicoll of Nicoll Investigations in this gripping episode of Ontario Cold Cases - Canada's True Crime Podcast as he peels back the layers of that fateful night. Was it a calculated execution, hinted at by the open door and Marguerite’s death in the kitchen? A random act of violence in a remote corner where neighbors were scarce? Or something far more sinister?

The Ontario Provincial Police recovered the murder weapon from a nearby swamp, but the trail went cold fast—bogged down by washed-away evidence and a rifle too common to trace. Whispers of a serial killer soon emerged, with six other unsolved deaths haunting eastern Ontario between 1975 and 1987. Middle-aged bachelors and a lone widow, all living in solitude, met violent ends—some shot, others burned. Could the Hopetown Murders be the work of a predator who roamed undetected for over a decade?

Hopetown was forever changed. A village once defined by trust and tranquility locked its doors, gripped by fear that lingers to this day. No arrests. No answers. Just a mystery that refuses to fade.

Tune in now to explore the lives of the victims, the dead ends of the investigation, and the chilling possibility of a killer still at large. Because every case deserves answers—and every victim deserves justice.

If you hold a piece of this puzzle, contact the Lanark County OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. One call could unravel the truth.

Because every case deserves answers—and every victim deserves justice.

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