May 9/2024 Lindsay Buziak, the media, and the Saanich Police
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE MEDIA
The relationship between law enforcement and tHE media is complex and multi-faceted. If used correctly the media is a very powerful tool, but if it is used for all the wrong reasons, like misdirecting, or causing confusion, it can do a lot of damage to an on-going murder investigation. In the case of the Lindsay Buziak murder investigation, statements made by Sgt. Chris Horsley should have been challenged, rather than the commentator taking his word for everything that was said.
Sgt. Chris Horsley has been the media liaison for Saanich Police as far back as the Reena Virk case in 1997.
A likeable charismatic character who made friends with everyone he came in contact with, even the local criminals. When you are a silent partner in a place like Darcy’s Pub you get to know all the players. When Horsley had something to say, the press bent over backwards to accommodate him, and they didn’t care whether his words were truthful as long as they got good press. In other words, Sgt. detective Chris Horsley controlled the narrative which gave him the power to misdirect the Lindsay Buziak investigation if he saw fit to do so.
So, when publicly speaking about this murder investigation he had the skillset to choose his words wisely, his favorite line being, “what I can say is this”, and “all homicides are solvable.” His twist on words played well to his audience, and in the end, we got nothing, but “bubble-wrapped hogwash” created by Sgt. Chris Horsley and the powers that be at the Saanich Police Department. He has repeatedly told the press that Lindsay’s murder is connected to the 2008 Calgary Drug Bust, but if he had a shred of evidence to support this, arrests would have been made years ago. Horsley couldn’t even get the file past Crown Council so what does that tell us. It tells us the Saanich Police Department botched the investigation and they have nothing. And that is why the crown won’t take the file. The answers lie in Victoria, not Calgary.
It’s interesting to note that when Shirley Zailo bought her fancy somewhat new $135,000 2010 Porsche Carrera turbo in 2013, she went straight to Chris Horsley to show it off. That comes as no surprise, he’d met her for coffee a few times before that. Like I said, friends with everyone that guy. And what the hell, he had cleared the entire Zailo family in 2010, so of course he was free to have coffee with them anytime he wanted.
Just this year on May 7th, Horsley told the Canadian Press that Reena Virk’s death is, to this day,” the biggest media story Saanich has ever seen.“
Hardly you idiot, did you forget about the murder of Lindsay Buziak, the victim of a heinous crime that has been headline news for nearly 17 years now? Horsley has spent years putting out false information to the press, and for some unknown reason he continues to get away with it. It has become perfectly clear over the years that this cop does not want to see Lindsay’s murder solved. Just what information does he not want to come out, and just who is he protecting?
Horsley protests too much. Wish the Times Colonist would report facts, not just what Horsley says. That’s not news.
Not only did Horsley control the media, but as lead investigator on the Buziak case for nearly 14 years, he controlled the narrative and everything that went WITH IT. How may tips passed through that department that this cop chose to ignore? I have spoken to a number of people who said they went to Saanich with information they felt was important but never heard another word. A few of them knew right away that the cops had no interest in what they had to say, and they were shown no respect. It was only a matter of time that the word quickly got out that the Saanich Police couldn’t be trusted. One critical piece of information in particular was ignored by Sgt. Chris Horsley, unfortunately he was unable to bury that information like he had hoped to.
I could list at least 20 lies that Jason has told, starting on the Dateline show, continuing on to lies he told the investigators on the case.
It’s possible the cops believed his bs years ago but learned what a fabricator of the truth he really was years later. Just think, the media could expose those alleged lies, then ask Sgt. Horsley to explain why he considers a guy who has lied throughout the investigation to be credible. Sgt. Horsley told the press that Jason Zailo cooperated with the Saanich Police in every way. Jason has told multiple lies to the police over the years, Horsley needs to tell us how he considers that cooperation.
I’d also like the press to ask retired Saanich cop Horsley why he insists there was no referral client, when Lindsay’s dad says there was, and why Horsley says there was no man who called Lindsay to say he was coming alone, while the press has been running with that story for years. It would take up too much space to once again list all the discrepancies, misinformation and lies, I will simply put the links to that information if people are interested in reviewing it.
Imagine this blatant lie: Detective Sgt. Chris Horsley dismissed a media report dated June 9/2010, stating that Buziak expressed trepidation at the showing. Detective Sgt. Chris Horsley told the press that while Buziak felt the showing was unusual because she was not the listing agent, she wasn’t apprehensive about it. What a crock of bs that was. Does he think we are all stupid?
Lindsay’s friends, co-workers, receptionist all told the Saanich Police that Lindsay had expressed to them she was afraid to go to the showing alone. But Sgt. Chris Horsley told the media Lindsay was not worried at all.
The receptionist estimates the timing of Lindsay’s visit is around the timing of Jason and Lindsay are said to have met for lunch. According to the police redacted summary the receptionist helped search the female caller’s cellular number in the Re/Max computer data base to see if there was a history with any other realtors in Victoria but didn’t find anything. This confirms the SPD’s official version the receptionist describes Lindsay as “really weird” and “freaked out” about using the couple.
IF SOCIAL MEDIA IS USED WISELY – THE TRUTH CAN BE EXPOSED
Sgt Chris Horsley had the audacity to lay the blame for this investigation not being solved on the white noise of blogs, websites, and all social media platforms, when he himself has been the one spreading false information. Take a look below at all the cops who have been involved in this murder investigation. Cops who have been privy to critical information in the case, information that should never have been shared with anyone.
It would be extremely naive to believe that when these officers who were transferred on to other departments did not share what they learned with friends & family on the outside. And those they shared with, then passed on what they’d heard to others. Were these officers ever asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement NDA, prior to their transfer, or were they free at will to share whatever critical information they chose to? Especially the one cop who attended the autopsy in Vancouver and would be the only one who knew about the amount of stab wounds inflicted on the victim.
Let’s start putting the blame where it so rightfully belongs, in the hands of the Saanich Police Department. Certainly not on blogs, websites and social media like Sgt. Chris Horsley would have us to believe. If the Saanich Police had been more transparent perhaps the public would not have needed to participate in social media outlets hoping to find the truth. As for this website, there is very little to be found that isn’t the truth, and I challenge Horsley to prove me wrong!
Cops that were involved in the Buziak file since 2008.
Inspector Rob McColl, Cst. Matt Jones, Sgt. Chris Horsley, Sgt. Craig Sampson, Sgt. Tyra Reid, RCMP Sgt Phil MacDonald, Sgt. Phil MacDonald, Sgt. Ross Poulton, Sgt. John Price, Sgt. Dean Jantzen, Sgt. Steve Eassie, RCMP Sgt, Sherry Wigley, Chief Sgt. Derek Egan, Chief Sgt. Michael Chadwick, Chief Bob Downie, Chief Scott Green, Chief Dean Duthie, Sgt. Julie Fast, Cst. Heather Barclay, RCMP E Division Sgt. Adriano Dinella, Sgt. Janice Carmena, Sgt. Steve Morgan, Sgt. Damien Kowalewich, Sgt. Jas Dhaliwal, Sgt. Aaron Murray, Paul Brooks, Sgt. Ross Poulton, Sgt. Harris, and others.
THE SEVEN SAANICH COPS WHO RETIRED IN LATE JANUARY 2008
Inspector John Charlton, Staff Sgt Mike Irwin, Sgt. Bob Wall, Sgt Don Wiebe, Sgt. Keith Hanson, Cost Tim Motts, Staff Sgt Barry McLachlan
I would like to see Global News, Chek News and all the other media outlets who gave Horsley a voice over the years,
have him back as a guest speaker and question him about some of the past statements he made. As he thrives on attention, surely, he would be open to that request. The media has the power to do one hell of a story on Lindsay Buziak’s murder, but to do it justice they would have to questions the actions of certain members of the Saanich Police department. Was Sgt. Horsley not the one who made the decision to publicly clear all members of the Zailo family one week after the Dateline show aired in 2010?
After all, he was the lead investigator on the case, was he not? We all know Jason was not the killer, but Horsley needs to tell us how he excluded him from being part of the conspiracy. Like Lindsay’s previous boyfriend Matt MacDuff once said, “since when do you clear anyone before arrests are made.”
Another very important question that needs to be asked is this. Did Sgt. Horsley endorse or have anything to do with the Capital Daily News story that ran back in January 2021? Seemingly, he wanted to kill the investigation just as much as the Zailo family did. Horsley retired from the Saanich Police in 2022, but he quickly found himself a nice new cozy position with the Oak Bay Police Department. From what I’ve heard he’s still got his nose stuck deep into this case. If’s he’s off the case why doesn’t he just go away, or is he still actively involved behind the scenes? If you think you can trust this guy, think again!
In 2021, while Sgt. Horsley was still lead investigator one the case, a new investigation team was brought on board. A Saanich cop spokesperson said, “Investigators are examining all possible suspects and continue following up on every new tip and lead received. Investigators are reviewing and retesting evidence including items from the crime scene as well as digital evidence.” Not to mention the promise of new DNA techniques. It’s been 3 years since those promises were made yet all we get is silence. Just how many investigators are left on this case, and is anyone actually working it? I believe this case has been strangled by the higher levels of power that are doing everything they can to make sure it is never solved.
5leeveen A recent poster on Reddit had this to say:
I picture there could be multiple scenarios that would involve different degrees of police involvement/culpability:
- a police informant pointed the finger at an innocent person
- the police know their informant pointed the finger at an innocent person
- the police helped their informant implicate an innocent person
- a police informant arranged for the murder of an innocent person
- the police know their informant arranged for the murder of an innocent person
If any of them are true, each carries embarrassment/scandal for the police and, yeah, I can see the possibility that it would lead one or more of the involved police forces to stall the investigation.
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