The murders of an entire family in 1958, and a popular Vancouver bartender in 2005, are the latest cases to be added to the VPD Cold Cases website — two unrelated cases, 47 years apart, that coincidentally happened on the same street.
The Pauls family case has frustrated investigators for almost 60 years, as they continue to search for answers in the brutal killings of the mother and father, and their 11-year-old daughter.
The family owned a home in the 1000 block of E.53rd Avenue, and appeared to live a fairly ordinary life. David Pauls worked in the warehouse of the downtown Woodward’s store and his wife, Helen, worked evenings at the Home Fancy Sausage Shop on East Hastings Street. Little Dorothy was in Grade 6 at Walter Moberly School, where her fellow students described her as quiet.
At some point during the evening hours of June 10th and the early morning hours of June 11th, the family was murdered — both parents were beaten and shot, and Dorothy was viciously bludgeoned to death.
Mayvette Monzon was only 31 years old when she was shot and killed in front of the home she shared with her mother in the 1400 block of W. 53rd Avenue. Investigators believe someone was either following her or lying in wait, ready to ambush her.
Mayvette worked at several nightclubs throughout the Lower Mainland. Her sister, Maria Franco, remembers her generous nature and zest for life. “She was a friend to everyone.”
Anonymous information has been forwarded to police, but no one has yet come forward to identify Mayvette’s killer.
Four people are dead and someone somewhere may have the information needed to find the people responsible. Vancouver Police need your help to find justice for their families.
The VPD Cold Cases website was launched in April 2014. To date, investigators have received about 44 tips. Sometimes, all it takes is one tip to solve a case. Please visit www.vpdcoldcases.ca and help catch a killer.
