A Vancouver man, Lawrence Diehl, has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with a cold case from 1996 in Ottawa. The case involved the fatal stabbing of 22-year-old Christopher Smith on the Portage Bridge, which connects Ottawa and Gatineau. The breakthrough in this decades-old investigation came after police utilized advanced DNA technology, including Investigative Genetic Genealogy, to identify a suspect.
Diehl, 73, who once served as a meteorologist and is a former BC Soccer Hall of Fame inductee, was arrested at his residence in Kerrisdale. Neighbors expressed shock, describing the area as peaceful and noting that Diehl had lived there with his wife for over twenty years. His home, recently valued at $3.25 million, remained unopened to inquiries on the matter.
The coordinated efforts between Ottawa and Vancouver police led to Diehl’s arrest on December 10. The renewed focus on this case began in 2020 when Ottawa police revisited the investigation, applying new DNA testing methods that eventually singled out Diehl as the suspect. This development prompted Ottawa Police Deputy Chief Trish Ferguson to reassure that the case was still a priority due to advancements in technology.
Diehl, who previously participated on Canada Soccer’s Board of Directors and held a leadership role in BC Soccer, obtained degrees from the University of British Columbia and the University of Alberta. His alleged actions, dating back nearly 30 years, have culminated in his transportation to Ottawa, where he remains in custody pending a court appearance scheduled for January 8, 2025.
