Mariam Debra Peters (1958/1959 – November 11, 1975) was a Canadian schoolgirl who was murdered at St. Patrick station on Line 1 Yonge–University in 1975. Her unsolved murder prompted safety reforms by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and led to alterations in the design of the Line 1 stations St. Patrick, Queen's Park and Museum.
Mariam Debra Peters | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1958 or 1959 |
| Died | November 11, 1975 (aged 16) Toronto, Canada |
| Cause of death | Murder |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Known for | Unsolved death for 48 years, 5 months and 20 days |
Background edit
Mariam Debra Peters was one of three children of Holocaust survivors Max and Merle Peters.[1][2] At the time of her murder, Peters was a grade 11 student at A. Y. Jackson Secondary School,[3] and she was acquainted with the daughters of G. Gordon Hurlburt, who was the Chairman of the Toronto Transit Commission at the time.[4]
Murder edit
On Friday, November 7, 1975, Peters and her mother, Merle, left their home at Willowdale. Peters was to visit her sick grandfather at Mount Sinai Hospital,[1] so Merle dropped off her daughter at Finch station for her subway ride.[2] At approximately 8:20 p.m., while leaving St. Patrick station in a "darkened passageway" between the northbound and southbound platforms, Peters was stabbed 16 times by an unknown assailant. She was discovered by the police on the station escalator,[3][5] and was subsequently transported to the Toronto General Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries on November 11.[2][5]
A person of interest was identified after being linked to the stabbing of another woman ten minutes later at a nearby location. However, no arrests were made in either case "due to the lack of direct evidence."[3][6] The police offered a $10,000 reward for information about the killer, but the case remains unsolved.[2][6]
Aftermath edit
A funeral, attended by 1,500 people, including members of the public, was held at the Pride of Israel Temple.[2][3]
Immediately following the murder, permanent patrols of uniformed police were deployed to the subway line for the first time in TTC history.[6] The Peters family petitioned TTC to install closed-circuit television in deserted areas of the subway stations. However, a joint study from TTC and the Toronto Police Service rejected the proposition due to the high cost of installation and hiring additional employees.[3] Instead, passenger-activated alarm systems were installed in subway cars, and mirrors for better visibility of the car interior by the driver and guard were also tested.[7]
The site of the murder, along with another passageway at Queen's Park station, were sealed off to "eliminate potential hiding places for lawbreakers".[3] These spaces were converted to storage rooms. Following a police audit in 1982, a similar passageway was sealed off at the Museum station. Metal bars were used instead of solid walls to avoid blocking ventilation fans that had been installed, creating a "cage"-like appearance for this area.[8] This section is being replaced with a second exit for Museum station since August 2022.
References edit
- ^ a b Hunter, Brad (2016-03-05). "Hammer horror in Florida". Toronto Sun. Archived from the original on 2023-11-05.
- ^ a b c d e Kirshner, Sheldon (1975-12-05). "Shaken by senselss murder of daughter Mariam, Max and Merle Peters look to future with hope". Canadian Jewish News. p. 4.
- ^ a b c d e f Brait, Ellen (2017-01-04). "Why part of TTC's St. Patrick station is still sealed off after 1975 murder". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on 2023-08-20.
- ^ Dalby, Paul (1975-11-10). "Stabbing puts police in subway, 'sad day for TTC'". Toronto Star. p. A1.
- ^ a b "Mariam Debra Peters". Toronto Police Service. Archived from the original on 2022-11-30.
- ^ a b c Dalby, Paul (1975-11-11). "Few using guarded subway line". Toronto Star. p. 1.
- ^ Anderson, Marilyn (1976-06-09). "Slain girl's mom begs TTC 'don't let her die in vain'". Toronto Star. p. A2.
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions about Toronto's Subway and the Scarborough RT". Transit Toronto. 2020-04-12. Archived from the original on 2023-08-27. Retrieved 2023-11-05.