William Joseph Pennell was a low-renter in the criminal milieu.
His crimes were petty, light-score affairs. But apparently, someone wanted the rounder dead.
York Regional Police detectives announced on Friday that they had identified Pennell’s as the human remains ditched in a Markham field four decades ago.
Cops say that on July 16, 1980, a Markham resident made the grisly discovery on the side of the Eleventh Concession, between 14th Ave. and Steeles Ave.
Investigators had little to go on. The body was a white male, between 25 and 40 years old, 5-foot-6, weighing between 100 and 120 pounds, with medium-length dark brown hair. Due to the state of decomposition, no identification could be made and he remained unidentified for 44 years.
In 2007, the remains were exhumed by the YRP’s cold case unit for the purpose of attempting a facial reconstruction and obtaining DNA. A year later, a DNA profile was developed and uploaded to the national DNA database, though there were no matches.
However, as in many other unsolved investigations, new technology was starting to help close old cases.
In 2021, investigators turned to Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG), which resulted in identifying relatives of the deceased.
On April 3, 2023, the dead man was named as William Joseph Pennell, 26, of Toronto.
When detectives began piecing together the life of Pennell, they discovered he had been in prison for a variety of criminal offences.
Among them was a June 30, 1979, armed robbery committed while he was on parole. Cops tagged Pennell on an attempted murder charge as well.
Because he violated his parole, Pennell was then returned to Collins Bay Institution in Kingston. There, he told his case officers there were two others involved in the armed robbery of a Brampton Becker’s store.
Pennell copped to his role in the crime but refused to identify his accomplices. He told his case officers that if he finked, his life would be in danger.
He was convicted of the Becker’s job in April 1980.
Two months later he escaped from prison. Records of the escape appear to have been lost, police said.
Now on the lam, Pennell told a pal he planned to flee to South America. That was reportedly his last contact before the unidentified remains were discovered a month later.
While the cause of death was not determined, detectives believe foul play was involved.
The investigation is ongoing as cold case investigators work to identify additional friends and associates to build a timeline between Pennell’s escape and when his body was found.
They are hoping the public’s assistance can help solve this decades-old case.
Further details of this case will be featured in ‘Tracking a Killer: The Cold Case Files’ airing on Nov. 15.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cold Case Unit at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 6000 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
@HunterTOSun