July 18, 2008
Reconnaissance trip to Digby Island
will be carried out this summer.
Reconnaissance trip to Digby Island
will be carried out this summer.
August 30, 2007 - Book Launch
The book was launched today and it now
available for sale at the Alberta Aviation Museum
and on this website here. We hope to get it to
other bookstores soon. If you went to the book
launch today, thank-you. If you are interested in
this book, or would like more information about it,
do not hesitate to contact Mark. Stay posted for
more information on the investigation.
The book was launched today and it now
available for sale at the Alberta Aviation Museum
and on this website here. We hope to get it to
other bookstores soon. If you went to the book
launch today, thank-you. If you are interested in
this book, or would like more information about it,
do not hesitate to contact Mark. Stay posted for
more information on the investigation.
Copyright © 2009 Mark Fremmerlid All Rights Reserved.
Have your own thoughts on this mystery? Visit the forum here.
Investigation News
May 26, 2009
After the final shoot out, The only person who could identify Johnson was Millen, but of course he
was already dead. Seeing as Johnson's trip into Fort Mcpherson was a brief one 7 months earlier,
from all I've seen there were never any others who could actually identify him. It has just been
assumed they killed the same man. It's pretty bizzarre what a low profile he managed to keep, and
then killed the only one who could identify him. As a result, many have speculated the police got the
wrong man and Albert Johnson got away. I think that is very unlikely, but people sometimes turn what
they saw in the fictional Charles Bronson movie Death Hunt into fact. Albert Johnson certainly is a
mysterious man, now more than ever, isn't he?
After the final shoot out, The only person who could identify Johnson was Millen, but of course he
was already dead. Seeing as Johnson's trip into Fort Mcpherson was a brief one 7 months earlier,
from all I've seen there were never any others who could actually identify him. It has just been
assumed they killed the same man. It's pretty bizzarre what a low profile he managed to keep, and
then killed the only one who could identify him. As a result, many have speculated the police got the
wrong man and Albert Johnson got away. I think that is very unlikely, but people sometimes turn what
they saw in the fictional Charles Bronson movie Death Hunt into fact. Albert Johnson certainly is a
mysterious man, now more than ever, isn't he?
May 27, 2009
It's hard to suggest Albert Johnson, the mad trapper was a cold blooded killer. We only have the
police version of the first shooting incident when four policeman came to the cabin with a search
warrant. If they leaned on him too heavily, they may have ensured their story was put forth in a
manner that would justify their actions.
One only has to consider the death of an immigrant, at the Vancouver airport recently involving taser
equipped policeman to realize the possibilities.
With no video we may never know what really transpired when Johnson wounded King. One of the
policeman in his report clearly stated that Johnson could have slaughtered them all. Instead he
waited 2 weeks for them to return with reinforcements and dynamite.
In the 15 hour seige of the cabin that followed he fired a bullet through the center of their flashlight
lens after they blew up his cabin and were closing in. Possibly he didn't want to shoot to kill.
In the gunfight in which Millen was killed, Millen was down in firing position and got off two shots at
Albert Johnson before Johnson fired back killing him.
After that Inspector Eames ordered "every available man as soon as possible from all districts fully
equipped. And that Johnson is to be shot on sight."
In the final battle weeks later sharpshooter Hershey claims to have hit Johnson three times in the
backpack as Johnson was running away before Johnson wheeled around and fired back wounding
Hershey with his deadly aim.
I'm just not convinced Albert Johnson was a cold blooded killer but who really knows who he was or
why he wanted to be left alone.
It's hard to suggest Albert Johnson, the mad trapper was a cold blooded killer. We only have the
police version of the first shooting incident when four policeman came to the cabin with a search
warrant. If they leaned on him too heavily, they may have ensured their story was put forth in a
manner that would justify their actions.
One only has to consider the death of an immigrant, at the Vancouver airport recently involving taser
equipped policeman to realize the possibilities.
With no video we may never know what really transpired when Johnson wounded King. One of the
policeman in his report clearly stated that Johnson could have slaughtered them all. Instead he
waited 2 weeks for them to return with reinforcements and dynamite.
In the 15 hour seige of the cabin that followed he fired a bullet through the center of their flashlight
lens after they blew up his cabin and were closing in. Possibly he didn't want to shoot to kill.
In the gunfight in which Millen was killed, Millen was down in firing position and got off two shots at
Albert Johnson before Johnson fired back killing him.
After that Inspector Eames ordered "every available man as soon as possible from all districts fully
equipped. And that Johnson is to be shot on sight."
In the final battle weeks later sharpshooter Hershey claims to have hit Johnson three times in the
backpack as Johnson was running away before Johnson wheeled around and fired back wounding
Hershey with his deadly aim.
I'm just not convinced Albert Johnson was a cold blooded killer but who really knows who he was or
why he wanted to be left alone.
May 30, 2009
Someone E-mailed in a picture of Owen Albert Johnson. No DNA tests yet. Is he the mad trapper?
Please make your comments on the forum.
Someone E-mailed in a picture of Owen Albert Johnson. No DNA tests yet. Is he the mad trapper?
Please make your comments on the forum.
June 18, 2009
I have been waiting three weeks now for the DNA reports to verify whether Sigvald has really been
ruled out. Unfortunately the only lab report I have received so far indicates an inappropriate chain of
custody of the bone evidence transported from Albert Johnson's grave to the lab. I will report as soon
as this I can get the matter resolved. Till then I can't actually be 100 percent sure that Sigvald was
not the mad trapper.
I have been waiting three weeks now for the DNA reports to verify whether Sigvald has really been
ruled out. Unfortunately the only lab report I have received so far indicates an inappropriate chain of
custody of the bone evidence transported from Albert Johnson's grave to the lab. I will report as soon
as this I can get the matter resolved. Till then I can't actually be 100 percent sure that Sigvald was
not the mad trapper.
June 19, 2009
Here are the photos submitted by D. Staver. The latest candidate for identifying the mad trapper is
this fellow Elbert Herndon. With a name like that I might want to change it to Albert Johnson as well.
He was born and raised in the Mid-west States. He is about the right age but I don't have much more
information.
Here are the photos submitted by D. Staver. The latest candidate for identifying the mad trapper is
this fellow Elbert Herndon. With a name like that I might want to change it to Albert Johnson as well.
He was born and raised in the Mid-west States. He is about the right age but I don't have much more
information.
June 23, 2009
New information on this investigation. See the report here.
New information on this investigation. See the report here.
August 18, 2009
I finally made contact with Dr. Sweet concerning the DNA tests. He was able to resolve most of my
concerns about the DNA tests. I will write a summary as soon as able.
I finally made contact with Dr. Sweet concerning the DNA tests. He was able to resolve most of my
concerns about the DNA tests. I will write a summary as soon as able.
August 30, 2009
In my discussion with Dr. David Sweet I was very pleased to find that he personally kept the bone and
tooth samples from Albert Johnson's grave in his hand luggage when he transported them from the
grave site in Aklavik to the UBC BOLD lab to ensure their security. The sample sent to the Orchid lab
for the mitochodrial tests was sent by an independant courier (Purolator I believe) and signed for at
both ends. I am satisfied that the security was adequate and therefore consider the results
conclusive. The mitochondrial results were such that there was no likelihood that Sigvald and Albert
Johnson were the same person.
With these conclusive DNA results I consider that Sigvald is exonerated in the death of Constable
Millen. While Sigvald's personal characteristics and lifestyle appears to have mirrored Albert
Johnson, they were different men. This investigation was useful in that it uncovered new information
about Sigvald from the late Iver Wahl in Prince Rupert as well as exposing Colin Tree's cave
discovery on Digby Island . Certain important aspects of an unrelated persons life, one Albert
Johannes Håskjold and his descendants have also been clarified. With the DNA tests other suspects
have also been ruled out as being Albert Johnson.
I have to admit it took a long time for me to accept this result, nevertheless I do find it conclusive, so I
can put the matter behind me and move on. I recognize that I have a history of stubborness. I can't
seem to change my viewpoint without evidence. In my youthful science studies I once held to a
concept that the earth was as little as 6000 years old. It wasn't until I was 35 years old in about 1995
that I personally dug out a critical rock with an embbedded piece of wood. It was lodged in a 30 million
year old Peace River area formation and I gave it to a lab tech for testing. Her observations were
such that I changed my viewpoint to reduce my suspicion of the science community and accept the
realities of a 4.5 billion year old earth along with it's evolutionary history. Of course that related to a
much larger issue.
I hope to continue to research matters of importance and much appreciate the help so many persons
have provided.
In my discussion with Dr. David Sweet I was very pleased to find that he personally kept the bone and
tooth samples from Albert Johnson's grave in his hand luggage when he transported them from the
grave site in Aklavik to the UBC BOLD lab to ensure their security. The sample sent to the Orchid lab
for the mitochodrial tests was sent by an independant courier (Purolator I believe) and signed for at
both ends. I am satisfied that the security was adequate and therefore consider the results
conclusive. The mitochondrial results were such that there was no likelihood that Sigvald and Albert
Johnson were the same person.
With these conclusive DNA results I consider that Sigvald is exonerated in the death of Constable
Millen. While Sigvald's personal characteristics and lifestyle appears to have mirrored Albert
Johnson, they were different men. This investigation was useful in that it uncovered new information
about Sigvald from the late Iver Wahl in Prince Rupert as well as exposing Colin Tree's cave
discovery on Digby Island . Certain important aspects of an unrelated persons life, one Albert
Johannes Håskjold and his descendants have also been clarified. With the DNA tests other suspects
have also been ruled out as being Albert Johnson.
I have to admit it took a long time for me to accept this result, nevertheless I do find it conclusive, so I
can put the matter behind me and move on. I recognize that I have a history of stubborness. I can't
seem to change my viewpoint without evidence. In my youthful science studies I once held to a
concept that the earth was as little as 6000 years old. It wasn't until I was 35 years old in about 1995
that I personally dug out a critical rock with an embbedded piece of wood. It was lodged in a 30 million
year old Peace River area formation and I gave it to a lab tech for testing. Her observations were
such that I changed my viewpoint to reduce my suspicion of the science community and accept the
realities of a 4.5 billion year old earth along with it's evolutionary history. Of course that related to a
much larger issue.
I hope to continue to research matters of importance and much appreciate the help so many persons
have provided.
December 5, 2009
The investigation will split into two now. I plan to return to Digby Island next year in a final attempt to
dig up information about Sigvald's disappearance. After triggering such an extensive investigation
into the mad trapper, I still would like to find out more about Sigvald.
The other part concerns the results on the Mad Trappers DNA. With the sequences in the lab, one
would hope they will eventually be compared with data bases to narrow down who he was. He made
such an incredible physical effort to survive, but can he elude identification forever. I continue to look
into the possibilities, and will post new information when able.
The investigation will split into two now. I plan to return to Digby Island next year in a final attempt to
dig up information about Sigvald's disappearance. After triggering such an extensive investigation
into the mad trapper, I still would like to find out more about Sigvald.
The other part concerns the results on the Mad Trappers DNA. With the sequences in the lab, one
would hope they will eventually be compared with data bases to narrow down who he was. He made
such an incredible physical effort to survive, but can he elude identification forever. I continue to look
into the possibilities, and will post new information when able.