The torso surfaced in Lake Ontario on a crisp September morning in 2017. A fisherman spotted it, called the police, and for a brief moment, everyone hoped it would be another unidentified victim stored away in a cold drawer. But DNA testing brought her name back: Rory Chantel Hashe. She was eighteen, pregnant, and had been missing for ten days.
Her mother, Shannan, had been in the hospital recovering from a house fire that killed their beloved dog when Rory vanished. The stress had pushed Rory back into drugs, and she’d lost her part-time job. She was vulnerable, desperate, and somewhere in that darkness, she crossed paths with Adam Strong. Adam lived in the basement apartment at 19 McMillan Drive in Ashawa, Ontario.
He worked as a gas station operator, kept to himself, and his neighbors had no complaints. They didn’t know about the BDSM gear, the weapons, the adult toys, or the autopsy table folded behind his couch. They didn’t know he fancied himself a dom—the kind that others in the community actively avoided. His pleasure came from violence,and desecration of corpses.
Rory stumbled into his orbit on August 29th, 2017. She’d been taken to the hospital after a mental break, but left the waiting room after just fifteen minutes, before she was even admitted. Somehow, she ended up with Adam. He bound her in his bedroom, beat her with an object authorities suspect was a hammer, and then he dismembered her body.
He kept her torso in a freezer, planned to flush more parts down his toilet over time, and he pocketed one of her rings as a momento. He already had two others on a necklace chain. No one knows where he got the third one, but investigators believe he had at least one other victim. The only other confirmed victim was Candace Fitzpatrick, a nineteen-year-old who disappeared in2008.
Her family was told they couldn’t file a missing person’s report because of her drug addiction and lifestyle. Her father, Bill, searched the streets of Ashawa himself, used social media to spread the word, and waited years for any sign of her. Adam had killed Candace during an encounter, dismembered her, and kept a ring from her finger. The DNA from her remains was found on a specialty hunter’s knife in his apartment.
Her body itself was never recovered—at least, not until years later. Adam thought he could dispose of Rory’s torso by weighing it down and throwing it into Lake Ontario. He was surprised when it was found at all. But the investigation was going cold.
Rory might have become another cold case if not for a chance encounter with a plumber named Shawn Farn. New residents had moved into the upstairs apartment at19 McMillan Drive. They complained to Adam about a disgusting odor, then clogged pipes. He blamed the plumbing, said he’d fix it, but nothing changed.
Finally, they called a plumber themselves. On December 29th, 2017, Shawn arrived. He checked the upstairs pipes, found nothing wrong, then asked Adam if he could check his bathroom downstairs. Adam seemed nervous, but agreed.
The toilet was already removed, and there was a strong, pungent smell—not even like a drain smell. The blockage was stubborn, so Shawn shifted to the kitchen sink. He put a metal snake down the drain and pulled out a stringy type substance. He couldn’t tell what it was at first.
He checked the upstairs apartment and found more. As he pulled more, he looked closer and found hair, bones, and something like decomposing flesh. Adam hovered around him, playing the part of the onlooker, saying, “That’s disgusting. That’s a vial.
What is it? ”
Shawn sealed the substance in a bag, called his boss, and they agreed this was something the police needed to hear about. He called 911. Adam joined him outside, asking if the pipes would be fixed.
Shawn said another company would handle it tomorrow. Adam seemed happy and went back inside. Constable Kevin Park and Sergeant Andrew Groves arrived. Constable Park saw the fleshlyike substance, maybe 13 or14 inches long, but didn’t want to jump to conclusions too quickly.
More officers arrived. They questioned Adam about what he had flushed down his toilet. According to the constable, Adam said as nonchalantly as a child caught stealing cookies, “Okay, you got me. The gig’s up.
It’s a body. If you want to recover the rest of her, it’s in my freezer. ”
Sergeant Groves opened the freezer. He found human remains in a garbage bag, a dead raccoon, and a bomb fashioned from plastic pipes and match heads.
Adam was cuffed and taken to the police station. The bomb squad had to clear the apartment before investigators could search further. They collected DNA samples, and samples from the basement matched Candace’s DNA on record. They found Rory’s blood on an air mattress, the walls, and the ceiling.
They opened a bag next to Adam’s bed and pulled out Rory’s sneakers covered in her dried blood. An autopsy found fractures and bruises around Rory’s skull, but experts couldn’t agree whether the injuries occurred before or after death. Because some of her remains were missing, others had been thawed, the usual tests couldn’t be fully relied on. Still, they did their best.
Adam was surprisingly forthcoming when interrogated by Detective Paul Mitten, though he adamantly said he only dismembered the two women. He explained the measures he took to weigh down Rory’s torso and was surprised it was found at all. He said flushing remains down the toilet was an effective way to dispose of a body. He mentioned he could have removed the remains and DNA evidence sooner, saying, “Godamn it, procrastination, eh, I’m a real bad procrastinator and that is really a detriment to myself.
Definitely me over and sorry to. ” Matter-of-fact and cold. But that was exactly what it was. He also vaguely mentioned police had video from the roller rink regarding Candace, which Detective Mitten denied knowing about.
Adam believed he could get a better deal for prison accommodations if he offered information willingly, saying, “For whatever years I’ve got left, I’d like to be comfortable and not worry about somebody stabbing me in the neck. You can understand that, right? ” The detective said it wasn’t up to him or the police to give Adam a deal. Confused, he asked, “Don’t the families want to know what happened?
It doesn’t matter as long as I’m convicted. ”
The news broke, and19 McMillan Drive was dubbed a house of horrors. The upstairs residents moved out. The landlord reopened the upstairs apartment for renters, but kept the basement boarded up.
Rory’s godmother, Chrissia, started a petition on change. org calling for the house to be demolished, citing the stigma and anguish it carried for the community and the families. It gained over 7,000 signatures. The Hashe family organized a protest outside the property, with30 people carrying signs.
They had contacted the city multiple times requesting they purchase the property and tear it down, but their calls were dismissed. Mayor John Henry said they didn’t have the tools to buy the property just because sad things happened there. Shannan, Rory’s mother, said, “I’m going to be here at every court day. I want the judge, I want the crown, and I want the public to see that Rory was not misplaced in life.
She had a family. We love her. We’re going to represent her to the best of our ability during this case. Rory to me is everything.
I am nothing without my daughter. I have nothing without her. ”
The trial began. Prosecutor Brian Gueritton said in his opening statement, “Both girls were vulnerable, were essentially homeless with no fixed address.
Both girls suffered from drug issues and sometimes worked in the sex trade to help fund their drug habit. ”
Adam admitted the crown had proved he dismembered the two women, but he still said he was not guilty for their murders. Press described his attitude as cavalier, carefree, and unbothered. He refused to cooperate with the courts and his own attorneys, behaving like a spoiled child.
In one hearing, while the judge and attorneys discussed future dates, he said, “My schedule’s open. ” The judge told him it wasn’t funny. He pressed, “It was here. Everybody’s laughing.
”
In November, after a hearing via video call, one of his attorneys said he would call Adam later. Adam said, with the prosecution and judge still listening, “I was up all night. I’m tired. I want to go to bed.
”
On August 28th, 2019, he was meant to appear via video call for a hearing. He was absent with no excuse. Judge Jocelyn Spire hinted she would order him to appear in person. His attorneys said they would pass along the message.
In the courtroom audience were Candace and Rory’s loved ones, including Bill and Shannan. Bill had had enough. He stood up, yelling to speak with the prosecutor, telling the judge to shut up as she cut him off and demanded that Adam be forced to appear in person. He shouted, “Bring him in person, you idiots.
” He left the courtroom upset. Shannan was allowed to speak to Judge Spire about how the length of the court process frustrated the families. Judge Spire said, “I understand the gentleman is under a great deal of stress. ” Shannan said that gentleman waited 10 years to find his daughter.
The evidence that Adam murdered Candace and Rory was technically circumstantial. The crown relied heavily on DNA evidence. Even one of the prosecution’s expert witnesses, a forensic pathologist, admitted under cross-examination that there was nothing definitive. He had written in his report that the lack of the usual indicators “raises the possibility the head injuries occurred during the post-mortem period.
” Defense attorney Tom Balkan clarified, “There is no positive evidence that the defects to the head occurred before death,” and the witness responded correct. There was more evidence associated with Rory because her death was more recent; evidence relating to Candace pald in comparison. Because of this, Judge Joseph Duca ruled that the prosecution could apply evidence for Rory’s death to Candace’s if their arguments were sound enough. Shawn Farn, the plumber, took the stand.
He recounted how he found flesh in the plumbing, was visibly shaken, and needed a break during his testimony. He described Adam’s peculiar behavior and how he decided this required police attention. The defense pressed the forensic pathologist on the toxicology report, which found traces of crystal in Rory’s system but couldn’t pinpoint the specific type. Tom Balka said, “Surely you cannot rule out a drug overdose in this case and in these circumstances.
” The pathologist replied, “I cannot exclude the possibility of drug toxicity causing death. ”
Detective Constable Desiree Hammed testified about evidence collection, explaining, “We wanted to do a thorough search. ” While on the stand, she was presented with crime scene photographs, shown to the jury but not the gallery—Judge Duca had ordered them sealed. Adam interrupted, telling the judge he didn’t want the gallery to see them.
Judge Duca warned him he would be removed if he interrupted again. Sergeant Groves described the contents of Adam’s freezer: Rory’s head, pelvis, arms, hands, feet, and legs. One of the bags was open and had a dead raccoon in it. When a forensic witness described how Rory’s torso was maimed and disembowled, an onlooker in the gallery stood up, looked at Adam, and shouted, “You animal.
” Judge Duca gently told them to maintain decorum, but consoled them, saying, “The courtroom needs to be a safe and respectful place. I can’t imagine what it must be like for the family members and others to sit there while we’re going through this. ”
The prosecution’s closing statement affirmed that it was Adam and Adam alone who killed Rory and Candace. Attorney Ginuan Kim said, “Mr.
Strong assaulted Ms. Hashe. He caused her to die. Mr.
Strong similarly killed Ms. Fitzpatrick and dismembered her body. ” Adams lawyers restated their client’s plea that he dismembered the corpses but didn’t commit murder. Attorney Tom Balka said, “What happened to Miss Hache and how she died remains a mystery, unproven by the crown.
Something happened to Candace Fitzpatrick that was not the fault of Mr. Strong. He did not cause her death. He did not kill her.
” Defense attorney Guile added, “Here’s a man who’s scared to get out of prison. He wants to be comfortable in jail because he doesn’t want to get out of jail. I think he’s essentially trying to make the best out of a bad situation by seeing if he can get something out of this. ”
On March 16th, 2021, Judge Joseph Duca found Adam Strong guilty of murder charges for Rory and manslaughter charges for Candace due to lack of evidence.
He said, “I am satisfied it was Mr. Strong who caused Rory Hashe’s death. I am satisfied Miss Hashe died of blunt force trauma applied to the head. Regardless of how the sex act started, I find it became non-consensual as soon as Mr.
Strong started beating Miss Hashe. I do not know why Mr. Strong decided to kill Miss Hashe during this encounter. Perhaps the violence simply formed part of the sex Mr.
Strong wanted to engage in. ”
The courtroom audience applauded the verdicts. Adam, in contrast, was shaken. His nonchalant demeanor turned into worry as he realized all at once his life would never be the same.
Rory’s mother, Shannan Dion, remarked, “He looks a little rattled right now. ” Rory’s godmother, Chrissia Mielick, said, “I’m relieved we have the first degree verdict on Rory, but it comes with some sadness, too. I’m very sad for the Fitzpatrick family today. The whole trajectory of our lives has been changed by a chance encounter with a monster.
This man blended into our community. He was a block away from the police station and he committed these heinous acts. ”
His sentencing was pushed from April to May due to the pandemic backlog. There were 13 victim impact statements.
Candace’s father, Bill, said in his, “Nothing in the world compares to losing your child. After all the years of searching, this was not the outcome I expected. He took so much from us. I was shattered by the news.
Candace will never get to know her nephews and nieces. Candace will never get the chance to be a mom. ”
Rory’s mother, Shannan, was sick towards the end of the trial, so she was barred from entering the courthouse for sentencing. Her request for delay was denied, so she stood outside holding a laptop, trying to attend virtually, but couldn’t due to connection issues.
Her victim impact statement was read aloud on her behalf. She said, “When I learned she was dead, when I knew this was a nightmare I was never going to wake from, I will never see Rory fall in love, graduate school, be married, have children, everything has been taken from me. This monster took my angel and mutilated her. He planned on her being a missing person forever.
”
Chrissia said to the press, “It does not change the fact our girls are not coming home, but today we let them rest. Today, this monster is off our street and is no longer a part of our day. He’s no longer a part of our lives. His incomprehensible acts of violence will stay within my mind forever.
I can and will likely envision the facts of this case for the rest of my life. ”
Bill said, “Even if for some reason the judge found him not guilty, I know he did it. Everybody in that courtroom knows he did it. It’s been bad.
It plays on your mind. But I had to be there every day to represent her. I want her to be proud of me. I want to see justice for Candace and Rory.
I didn’t know Rory, but they’re together now. They’re our girls. ”
In his sentencing judgment, Judge Duca said, “The chances that Mr. Strong would have twice found himself in need of a chest freezer to store the dismembered body parts of young women who met their deaths innocently is so infantessimally small that it suggests the opposite conclusion.
” Adam Strong was sentenced to life in prison with parole eligibility after 25 years. Six months into his sentence, Adam finally confessed to where he hid Candace’s remains. He accompanied investigators to a space between Sacredo Drive and Britannia Avenue East and pointed to the general area where he remembered putting her. The investigators searched and eventually found remains belonging to a young woman.
After laboratory tests, they were confirmed to belong to Candace. On February 16th, 2022, Detective Sergeant Doris Kerier said in a press statement, “This discovery and the details obtained through our interview will not change the outcome of these tragic events or the trauma endured by the victim’s family and friends. Our goal in this recovery was to be able to provide some closure to Candace’s family and all that were affected by this crime. ”
Shannan said, “Today, Candace comes home.
It felt like November 9th, 2017 all over again to me. That’s what it felt like. It’s just a rush of emotions and it’s a miracle she’s home. ”
Adam’s confession did not lessen his sentence.
He is still incarcerated. The third ring on his necklace is still an enigma. We still do not know if there is another victim whose remains are unaccounted for.
If there is, let’s just hope that one day the remains can be laid to rest in peace and dignity and that their loved ones will find the closure that they so desperately deserve.
