Kelly Cook: The Murdered Babysitter
Kelly Cook, 15, before her abduction. Photo: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Kelly Cook was murdered by a man who claimed he needed her babysitting services. Despite several people having interacted with the man and even watching as Kelly got in his car, the murderer has never been found.
Who was Kelly Cook?
Fifteen-year-old Kelly Cook was living in Standard, Alberta, Canada when this incident occurred. Although originally from Montreal, Kelly and her family had been living in Standard for the past three years.
She had two younger siblings, a sister named Marnie and a brother named Heath.
Located approximately 70 kilometers northeast of Calgary, Standard was a quaint farming community with a population of less than 400 at the time.
The Cook family had established themselves nicely within the community. Kelly was a well-liked student at school, excelled academically and had a passion for figure skating.
Kelly Cook’s Disappearance
A video detailing the murder of Kelly Cook and the hunt for Bill Christensen
At approximately 8:30 a.m. on April 22, 1981, as Kelly was preparing for school, she received an unexpected phone call.
The person on the other end identified himself as Bill Christensen and requested Kelly's services as a babysitter from 8:30 p.m. until midnight that same evening. Given that neither Kelly nor her family were familiar with this individual, they were understandably cautious.
It was later revealed that this same man, using the same name of Bill Christensen, had contacted another 17-year-old girl in town three days prior with the same request.
The girl had declined the offer due to being too busy. When the caller asked about other available babysitters in the area, this girl provided Kelly's contact information.
When Kelly Cook received a phone call from an unknown man named Bill Christensen asking her to babysit for him that evening, she and her family were understandably wary. With no prior knowledge of this person, they needed a way to ensure that it was safe for Kelly to accept the job.
Kelly's mother, Marion, came up with a plan. She sent Kelly to school with the instruction to ask her classmates if they recognized the name Bill Christensen. If they did, it would be a good indication that the caller was trustworthy.
But there was a problem. Christensen was a relatively common surname in the small farming community of Standard, Alberta where Kelly and her family lived. When Kelly asked around at school, she found that some of her classmates had indeed heard of a man with that name.
Despite the mixed responses, Kelly felt reassured enough to accept the job. She reported back to her mother that people at school had recognized the name, and Marion gave her approval to babysit for Bill Christensen that night.
Little did anyone know at the time that this decision would have tragic consequences.
That fateful evening, around 8:30 p.m., a car pulled up in front of the Cooks' house. Kelly said goodbye to her family and climbed into the vehicle with the man who had identified himself as Bill Christensen over the phone. She was supposed to call home as soon as she arrived at Bill's place, but the phone never rang.
As the hours went by, Kelly's mother became increasingly anxious. She called around to various local establishments in the small town of Standard, hoping to find someone who knew this mysterious Bill Christensen. But none of the staff could vouch for the man.
By 12:30 a.m., Marion Cook had had enough. She called the police to report her daughter missing. Little did she know that this would be the start of a long and painful journey, not just for her and her family, but for the entire community of Standard, Alberta.
The Body of Kelly Cook is Found
The disappearance of Kelly Cook shook the small community of Standard, Alberta to its core. As soon as her mother reported her missing, authorities sprang into action.
They launched an intense search, combing every inch of the surrounding area for any sign of the 15-year-old girl. They stopped every car that passed through town, searched woods, ditches, barns, and other hiding places, but to no avail. Kelly seemed to have vanished into thin air.
Months went by, and the town held its breath, hoping against hope that Kelly would be found safe and sound. But on June 28, 1981, their worst fears were confirmed.
Kelly's body was discovered on the edge of Chin Lake, an irrigation reservoir over two and a half hours away from her home. Her remains were badly decomposed, and she had to be identified by her dental records.
When Kelly Cook's body was discovered, it was fully clothed, and there was no immediate indication of sexual assault. Some reports suggested that she had been strangled, but the exact circumstances of her demise were never fully explained.
The Hunt for Bill Christensen
A police sketch of Bill Christensen, the man who killed Kelly Cook.
The man who called himself "Bill Christensen" was the only real suspect in this case.
Kelly’s family described him as being approximately 30-45 years old, weighing 180 pounds and being about 5 foot 10 inches tall.
He was unattractive, with weathered, tanned skin. He had short dark hair, a nose with a large bridge and a round face.
In an intriguing twist, a local gas station owner reported seeing someone fitting this description in his store on the day of Kelly's disappearance.
According to the owner, the man was around 5'9", had curly black hair, lightly tanned skin, and the rugged look of a farmer.
When the man asked to use the phone, the owner agreed but noted that he was unpleasant and selfish. As the man dialed a local number and discussed babysitting, the store owner listened in, sensing that something was amiss.
Rumors and speculations have been circulating on online discussion boards about more evidence in Kelly Cook's case. According to unverified reports, a man had called the local school a month before Kelly's disappearance, inquiring about a young figure skater who was featured in the local newspaper.
The man obtained the skater's phone number, and some suggest that this may be the same individual who later contacted Kelly under the pseudonym "Bill Christensen."
The tragic case of Kelly Cook continues to remain unsolved to this day, despite the fact that investigators have looked into 2,200 different suspects over the years.
With the potential age of the killer in mind, one of the detectives who worked on the case has expressed hope that a deathbed confession may reveal the truth about what happened to Kelly.
It's a heartbreaking reality for Kelly's loved ones and the community that has never stopped seeking justice for her.
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