Deep in the misty waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence lies Anticosti Island, a place of treacherous shipwrecks, ghostly legends, and one of Canada’s most enigmatic figures—Louis-Olivier Gamache, better known as the Sorcerer of Anticosti Island.

Born in 1784 in LeLay, Quebec, Gamache’s life was an odyssey of hardship and adventure. As a boy of eleven, he joined the British Navy, sailing across the world before returning to find his parents dead. With nothing left for him in his hometown, he sought a fresh start, opening a store in Rimouski—only to see it consumed by flames. Misfortune seemed to follow him, but instead of yielding to fate, Gamache carved out an existence on the remote and wild Anticosti Island.

There, he made a home in Baie Ellis, surviving by hunting, fishing, and trading with passing ships. The island’s infamous shipwrecks became an opportunity, as Gamache provided supplies to desperate sailors who washed ashore. But his solitude and resilience soon took on an air of mystery. Was he merely a hardened survivor, or did something more sinister lurk in the shadows of his isolated existence?

Stories of Gamache’s unyielding defense of his home began to spread. He was said to have kept an arsenal of weapons—rifles, pistols, and even bayonets—ready to fend off any who dared intrude. When an armed Innu man once ignored his warning, Gamache shot him in the leg, nursed him back to health, and then sent him away with a grim warning for others: the next man would be shot in the head.

But it wasn’t just his fierce reputation that made Gamache a legend. It was the whispers of the supernatural. According to some, he was not just a man but a sorcerer, capable of calling upon dark forces. One tale tells of his ship, chased by pursuers, vanishing in a fireball—only for the wreckage to never be found. Another speaks of how he could summon the wind at will, leaving other vessels becalmed while his ship sailed on.

Perhaps the most chilling story involves Gamache checking into an inn in Rimouski, ordering two extravagant meals. When the innkeeper inquired about his guest, Gamache coldly replied it was none of her concern. Yet when she later entered his room, she was horrified—both plates had been eaten from, both chairs drawn up to the table. But only Gamache was present. The town soon buzzed with rumors that the Sorcerer of Anticosti had dined with the Devil himself.

Even in death, his legend refused to fade. A trapper named Goudreau discovered Gamache’s lifeless body in 1854 and buried him beside his wife. But some say his spirit lingers, bound to the winds and waves of Anticosti, where the lost souls of shipwrecked sailors still wander.

Who was Louis Gamache? A man hardened by life’s cruelties, a trickster who played upon superstition, or something far more otherworldly? The full story of the Sorcerer of Anticosti Island awaits.

The Serial Killer of Toronto's Gay Village is a dark chapter in Canadian true crime history—one that exposed both the vulnerabilities of the city’s LGBTQ+ community and the investigative missteps that allowed a predator to go undetected for years. The man responsible, Bruce McArthur, was an unassuming landscaper and part-time mall Santa Claus, who managed to hide his violent tendencies behind a friendly smile and a grandfatherly demeanor.

The case began in the early 2010s when men started disappearing from Toronto’s Gay Village. The vibrant neighborhood, known for its inclusivity and nightlife, was suddenly gripped by fear. Many of the missing men were of Middle Eastern or South Asian descent, raising concerns that the disappearances might be racially or culturally motivated. Families and friends of the victims voiced their concerns to police, but initial investigations turned up few leads. The Toronto Police Service, unfamiliar with the dynamics of the LGBTQ+ community and the intricacies of online dating apps where many of the victims met their killer, struggled to make progress.

Bruce McArthur was initially overlooked as a suspect. He was a senior citizen, a landscaper with a solid work ethic, and a man who posed for cheerful holiday photos with children as Santa Claus at a local mall. But beneath his seemingly benign exterior was a deeply troubled individual. McArthur had a history of domestic and emotional struggles: a difficult upbringing, a failed marriage, financial problems, and a prior conviction for assault. Witnesses later came forward to report his violent behavior, but these red flags were initially dismissed.

As more men vanished—each with similar backgrounds and physical characteristics—police began to suspect they were dealing with a serial killer. The breakthrough came when investigators connected McArthur to the disappearances through digital evidence on dating apps and GPS records linked to his landscaping business. In January 2018, police executed a search warrant at his apartment and discovered horrific evidence: photographs of his victims and personal belongings kept as trophies.

Further investigation revealed that McArthur had hidden the remains of his victims in planters at properties where he had worked. The large flower planters were taken in for forensic analysis, eventually leading to the identification of eight victims. His crimes shocked the nation and raised critical questions about police practices and the systemic barriers that delayed the investigation.

In 2019, McArthur pleaded guilty to eight counts of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years. The case prompted an internal review of the Toronto Police Service’s handling of missing persons cases, particularly those involving marginalized communities.

The story of Bruce McArthur is more than just a tale of a serial killer—it is a sobering reminder of the importance of listening to communities, improving investigative practices, and understanding that evil can sometimes hide behind the most ordinary of appearances.

Join us as we uncover the chilling details of The Serial Killer of Toronto's Gay Village in our latest episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, available now on Spotify and YouTube.

The Mystery of Charles Coughlin's Coffin is a tale of life, death, and a posthumous journey that has baffled historians for over a century. Charles Coughlin, a British actor with a flair for the dramatic, lived a life filled with adventure, scandal, and uncertainty. But it is not his performances on stage that made him famous—it’s the mystery of what happened to his coffin after his death.

Coughlin was a well-known performer in the late 19th century, traveling across North America and Europe for his craft. His life off-stage was equally eventful, marked by tumultuous marriages, financial ups and downs, and a fondness for seaside retreats. He particularly loved his summer home in Prince Edward Island, a place he once described as his "peace away from the world."

In 1899, Coughlin traveled to Galveston, Texas, to perform in The Royal Box. While there, he fell seriously ill. After a month of suffering, he passed away, far from the ocean breeze he cherished so much. His family, unsure of where to bury him, placed his body in a temporary crypt in Galveston while they debated their options. Some wanted him buried in New York, where his career flourished. Others believed he should rest in PEI, where he had found happiness.

But before a decision could be made, nature intervened. In September 1900, Galveston was struck by one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history. The storm surge obliterated the city, killing thousands and leaving the landscape unrecognizable. Cemeteries were not spared. Coughlin’s mausoleum was torn apart, and his coffin was swept into the Gulf of Mexico, disappearing into the sea.

For years, Coughlin’s family mourned his loss—twice over. His body, they assumed, was gone forever. Yet the story did not end there. Legend has it that years later, a coffin matching Coughlin’s description washed ashore in Prince Edward Island, thousands of kilometers from where it had been lost. Locals claimed the nameplate, though corroded, still bore his name.

Was it mere coincidence, or was it something more? The waters of the Atlantic, driven by currents and time, had seemingly carried Coughlin back to the place he loved most. Skeptics dismiss the story as a maritime myth, but locals stand by their claim.

Did Charles Coughlin’s coffin truly make the long journey across the Atlantic to rest at his beloved summer home? Or is this tale nothing more than a ghostly legend, carried along with the ocean’s whispers?

Join us as we unravel the mystery of The Mystery of Charles Coughlin's Coffin in our latest episode of Unsolved Canadian Mysteries, available now on Spotify and YouTube.