This show is supported by Odoo.
When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the costs add up and it gets complicated and confusing.
Odoo solves this.
It's a single company that sells a suite of enterprise apps that handles everything from accounting to inventory to sales.
Odoo is all connected on a single platform in a simple and affordable way.
You can save money without missing out on features you need Check out Odoo at odoo.com.
That's odoo.com.
I am your host, Stassi Schroeder.
Welcome to Tell Me Lies, the official podcast.
What's the most unhinged thing of season three?
Steven, because he's so evil.
I do think he is misunderstood.
You see everyone face consequences.
It's intoxicating.
The writers just know how to trick you.
There's always a twist in this show.
There's nothing you would expect.
Tell Me Lies, the official podcast, now streaming and stream the new season of Tell Me Lies on Hulu and Hulu on Disney.
On a cold February evening in 2008, a young realtor in Victoria, British Columbia, prepared for what could have been the biggest sale of her life.
The clients were mysterious, wealthy newcomers to the city eager to buy a million dollar house.
They found her through a recommendation she couldn't trace, spoken in an accent she wasn't sure was real and insisted on meeting immediately.
And by the next day Lindsay Buziak would be dead.
And 17 years later their faces are still unknown.
And what happened inside that house wasn't just a killing, it was an execution and someone out there planned it to perfection.
This is the story of Lindsay Buziak crime conspiracy cults, serial killers and murder all things that I love to consume and I know you do too, you sick twisted beautiful, intellectually minded.
Today we're getting into kind of a more personal case.
Honestly, i was around and alive and knowing what was going on during this case and it was close to home, and it bothers me that it is still a cold case.
So, without further ado, let's unbuckle our seat belts, go mach 5 down the highway, slam on the brakes and bust through this windshield into this cold case together.
Lindsay Elizabeth Buziak was born on November 2nd 1983 in Victoria, British Columbia.
She was the first daughter of Jeff Buziak, a local real estate agent, and Evelyn Reitmayer, a stay-at-home mom.
And in 1986 Lindsay became a big sister when her Though her parents' marriage ended in the mid-1990s.
The divorce did not fracture Lindsay's family bonds because she would remain close to both her mother and her father as she grew up, luckily.
So, as a child, Lindsay split time between Victoria and the peaceful summers at Lake Cowichan where the family kept a trailer at an RV lot.
And those summers were filled with laughter and play.
And Lindsay's younger sister Sarah, fondly remembers learning to swim, just to keep up with her energetic big sister.
And from an early age, Lindsay's personality just sparkled.
And she was often described as a happy outgoing little girl.
Quote full of joy unquote.
As her mother recalls,
And there was a fashionable flair about her even in childhood.
One story even recounts how young Lindsay once begged for grape-flavored bubble gum, simply because it matched her purple outfit, which is absolutely adorable.
And her mother would gently refuse saying she would buy what Lindsay needed, not just what she wanted.
But ever resourceful, Lindsay took that as motivation.
And by her early teens she landed her very first job at Sirens, which was a trendy clothing store in Victoria's Mall.
And Lindsay was determined to earn the things she wanted.
Just a hint at the ambition that would later define her.
So Lindsay grew up in the greater Victoria area and attended local schools, including Royal Oak Middle School and Reynolds Secondary School.
In her teen years,
And in school, she became known for an infectious smile and a warmth that just drew others in.
She was just an overall amazing person.
And friends and teachers remember Lindsay's genuine ability to make people feel valued.
She, quote, could make friends with everybody, unquote.
And that's what her father, Jeff, later said about her.
Yet Lindsay wasn't just friendly.
She had a compassionate streak and a strong sense of right and wrong.
And her mother tells of an instance when Lindsay witnessed a boy being bullied at school, where Lindsay immediately stood up for him, stepping in to stop the teasing, saying quote I was really proud because that's the way you're supposed to be, and Evelyn would say that about her daughter's bravery.
So Lindsay's nurturing, people-orientated personality came with a protective side, and she held firm anti-drug values and chose her inner circle very carefully.
In fact, in one of her later relationships, one thing she proudly told her family was that he didn't do drugs, which was a key point for Lindsay, who stayed away from substance use and just frowned on that lifestyle overall.
So just an an extremely mature young lady.
So she was a young woman who was both ambitious and compassionate in equal measure.
And she had big dreams for her future.
Hard work either, because having started employment so young, Lindsay developed a very strong work ethic really early on.
So she balanced school with work and just proved to be very, very driven.
And this would be a trait that would later serve her well when she decided to follow in her father's footsteps into real estate.
So by her early 20s, Lindsay's ambitions crystallized into a career goal.
She wanted to be a successful real estate agent in Victoria.
Columbia's Sauter School of Business Real Estate Program and studied hard to pass the licensing exam.
And in June of 2006, at just the age of 22 years old, Lindsay achieved that goal and she would pass her estate exam.
And at the time she was one of only 20 real estate agents in the entire greater Victoria region under the age of 25.
So it was clear that Lindsay was just a rising star in an industry typically dominated by older, more experienced agents.
But she would hit the ground running.
And lindsay's first job in the field was with a small brokerage called maverick, where she spent about a year and a half marketing in new townhouses in victoria's west shore area and, being eager to advance, she next took an opportunity at remax camison and, being one of victoria's top agencies and notably the same office where jason zalo's family worked and we'll talk about jason's relevance to the story in a bit So joining Remax brought Lindsey under the wing of the high performing Zylo real estate clan.
And Lindsey didn't miss a beat.
And during about a year long period, Lindsey managed to close eight property transactions totaling about 32 million in value.
So it was a strong start for a 24 year old new agent.
And colleagues commented that Lindsay seemed just destined for success in real estate because she was sharp and driven and personable.
All things you need to be a great real estate agent.
My dad's a real estate agent, so I would know.
But to say the least, she was absolutely kicking ass in the industry and she was just exactly the kind of agent clients trusted.
And a former coworker later noted that Lindsay was determined to become, as a licensed real estate agent.
And she worked tirelessly toward that goal.
And in that short amount of time she had built a very promising reputation in Victoria's property market.
And it was around the same time her real estate career was taking off that Lindsay's love life took a significant turn.
And in late 2005, while attending a real estate networking event and training workshop, 22-year-old Lindsay crossed paths with 25-year-old Jason Zalo.
And now she already knew of Jason from around town because he came from a very prominent, wealthy local family deeply involved in real estate.
And Jason's mother, Shirley, was a successful realtor also.
And the family owned investment properties as well.
So they were just kind of known in that industry.
And Jason himself had been a competitive hockey player in his youth and now worked as a mortgage broker and realtor.
So in Lindsay's eyes, the Zalo family were real estate royalty in Victoria.
And she was impressed.
Quote.
She really looked up to the fact that Jason was in the real estate industry and his mom was too.
Lindsay's friend Vicky, saying that Lindsay seemed to be excited to be welcomed into the Zalos world.
And by mid-2006, Lindsay and Jason began dating seriously.
And their relationship moved quickly, and soon they were living together.
And the Zalos provided the couple with a one-bedroom condominium in Victoria's Inner Harbor area, which the family owned.
And that area had been there a bunch of times.
Beautiful, absolutely beautiful area. and quite expensive.
And they also spent summers at a lavish lakefront vacation home Shirley Zalo had purchased on Shawnegan Lake, where Lindsay and Jason enjoyed the amenities and even had a private basement suite.
So from the outside, Lindsay seemed to have it all.
A supportive boyfriend from a well-off family and a budding career king.
With quantum fiber in the net, he's gonna binge.
He wants more.
He's got to have more, more bedtime, true pride, more podcasts in the shower.
Quantum fiber wi-fi has the power.
More more, more fast internet speed got the geeks to go big.
Bring them the games.
Switch today at quantumfibercom.
Limited availability, service, and speed in select locations only.
As 2007 drew a close, Lindsay confided to those closest to her that things with Jason were not as perfect as they appeared.
And during a visit to see her father in Calgary on December 5th 2007, Lindsay admitted she was unhappy in the relationship.
And she told her dad that Jason didn't share the same drive or quote unquote ambition she had and that was causing problems at possibly ending the relationship.
And she would repeat similar sentiments to her friends back home, telling them she wasn't fully satisfied with Jason and was considering breaking up.
She just said, Daddy, I made a mistake.
I feel horrible about it.
But she said, I can't do it anymore.
And Jason, when later asked, said he was aware that they had some troubles in the late 2007, but claimed they never discussed breaking up and that he believed the relationship wasn't in danger of ending.
And interestingly, not everyone saw the cracks.
Lindsay's sister Sarah, thought the couple seemed happy together and noted that Jason quote treated her well, unquote in her experience.
And there's I don't know treating someone well, and then there's someone just not having any ambition or drive.
You're not an evil person if you're not driven.
But if personalities don't match, then it doesn't match.
You can look a certain way on the outside or appear a certain way, but that doesn't mean that you're good.
So in early January 2008, Lindsay and Jason went on a trip to Whistler with Jason's family, a vacation Lindsay hoped would rekindle their closeness.
And by all appearances, it appeared to work.
And Lindsay came back from the Whistler getaway optimistic that she and Jason had turned a corner saying quote we had such fun.
This was the perfect thing.
We needed to spend more time together, unquote.
And she would tell this to her mother. just sounding overall upbeat about their future.
So, by all accounts, heading into February 2008, Lindsay was trying to make the best of their relationship.
And she and Jason were still living together and for the moment, putting on a united front.
But unfortunately, Lindsay would never get the chance to decide what she truly wanted next, because her life was about to be cut short in a way as shocking as it was brutal.
So late January 2008, Lindsay received a phone call that would change her life.
An unfamiliar woman's voice spoke on the other end of Lindsay's cell phone, and the caller had a thick foreign accent which Lindsay would later say she couldn't quite describe maybe Spanish or Mexican, though she wasn't sure.
Though something about it struck Lindsay as possibly fake and the woman would introduce herself, though Lindsay would not recall the name and notably, did not write it down and got straight to the point.
And she said her husband was being transferred to Victoria for work and they needed to buy a house immediately.
And not just any house a million dollar property, newly built, move in ready, with a separate suite for a housekeeper.
So extremely specific and extremely quick and just all around extremely odd.
So the timeline was urgent.
The woman claimed they wanted to purchase within a few days, which is crazy, insane in the real estate world.
I mean, my dad's a real estate.
That's crazy.
That is like next level crazy, even in this time.
So this unsolicited inquiry was both exciting and Obviously unsettling for Lindsay because, as a relatively new realtor with no seven figure listings of her own, a potential million dollar sale was a huge opportunity.
The kind that would kickstart her career and yield a hefty commission.
But something about the call just didn't sit right and Lindsay couldn't shake a sense of unease.
Because for one, the client's supposed referral made no sense.
And when Lindsay asked how she'd gotten her personal cell number, the woman vaguely replied that a friend of her husband's had recommended Lindsay.
And after the call, Lindsay diligently checked with all her recent clients and contacts, but none had any idea who this mystery woman could be.
So it appeared the referral story was a lie, which is a massive red flag.
And there were other red flags, one being the accent.
The woman was like deliberately disguising her voice with this fake accent, and the unusual urgency and specifics of the request as well.
And Lindsay confided in her father and boyfriend about the strange call.
And she told her dad outright that she had a weird feeling about these new clients.
And Lindsay referred to the unknown couple as, quote unquote, the Mexicans referencing the accent when discussing the situation with friends.
So to keep track of the inquiry, Lindsay saved the caller's phone number in her contacts under the label quote, unquote million dollar.
And it was just a defining feature of these clients, a million dollar budget.
But the name also hints at Lindsay's skepticism.
This potential deal seemed almost too good to be true, as she remarks to her boyfriend, Jason.
And Lindsay's instincts would be spot on, but she just didn't know it yet.
So the clients insisted on meeting soon and they set an appointment for the next evening, Saturday February 2nd 2008, at 530pm to view properties.
And with a mix of eagerness and dread, Lindsay agreed to show them a few homes.
But she privately expressed that something about this just didn't feel right.
And court documents later confirmed what Lindsay feared.
Because the people behind that phone were setting a trap.
How many discounts does USAA Auto Insurance offer?
Too many to say here.
Multi-vehicle discount, safe driver discount, new vehicle discount, storage discount, legacy How many discounts will you stack up?
Tap the banner or visit USAA.com slash auto discounts.
Restrictions apply.
So on Friday, February 1st, the day before the showing, Lindsay hustled to prepare for her big clients.
So she spent the day selecting suitable homes in the upscale Gordon Head neighborhood of Saanich that fit the couple's criteria for a home which was new construction, vacant around 1 million.
And one property was recent builds on a small cul-de-sac.
And that was 1702 De Sosa Place.
And this house was listed at 964000 and was brand new and unoccupied a perfect candidate for a home.
And it had been built by a developer named Joe D'Souza, a friend and business associate of none other than Shirley Zalo, Jason's mother.
And Lindsay herself had never listed this property.
Another agent in her office had it, but as a realtor she could show any MLS listing and still earn commission.
The quiet street had only four houses on it, arranged around a short dead end lane that intersected a main road.
So the scene was set for very private viewing, which, as we'll see soon, was by design.
But there was no busy traffic and two of the four homes on the cul-de-sac were still under construction.
In other words, few potential witnesses around.
And that evening, Shirley Zalo decided to stop by the condo where Lindsay and Jason lived.
And Shirley arrived around 715 pm, supposedly just as a casual visit to see her son and his girlfriend.
And as she entered the unit, Shirley happened to catch Lindsay in the middle of a phone conversation.
And it was the mystery woman calling back to finalize the next day's plans.
And for about 10 minutes or so Shirley overheard bits of Lindsay's side of the discussion before Lindsay hung up.
And Lindsay then revealed the details to Shirley, which was that the clients were confirmed for a 530pm showing on Saturday at 1702 D'Souza Place.
So everything was arranged.
And Shirley later said that she immediately felt concerned.
Sensing Lindsay's slight discomfort, Shirley repeatedly offered to go to the showing in Lindsay's place, essentially volunteering to meet the clients herself.
And it's not clear if Shirley's worry was driven by Lindsay's safety or simply wanting to help her attend other plans.
Because Lindsay had mentioned possibly heading to Vancouver for a friend's bachelorette party after the showing.
But either way, she was trying to help.
She was offering her help.
But Lindsay declined the help and she insisted she would handle it.
After all, this was her client and her commission on the line.
However, the fact that Shirley Zalo knew exactly when and where Lindsay was meeting the unknown clients, and even the content of their phone call, would later become one of many troubling footnotes in this case.
And some would question whether it was mere coincidence that the house chosen for the showing was built by Shirley's acquaintance or that Shirley happened to be present during the planning.
But on February 1st 2008 those connections were not yet the subject of suspicion.
Just hindsight, by nightfall all was set and at the condo jason returned home from a hockey game around midnight and he and lindsay talked about her nerves, and jason at this point was just trying to reassure her and even made the same offer as his mother did, and he suggested he go and meet the clients for her, or at least accompany her, so that Lindsay could leave early for her trip to the mainland after the showing.
But Lindsay just shrugged it off.
So she was feeling uneasy but also just curious, because why had she been chosen by this point?
It just wasn't adding up and again, i mean, we look at this case with all the red flags there, but hindsight's 20 20, i mean you, you just don't know at this point, you don't assume that people are going to hurt you.
So still, lindsay told jason she would do it and that he didn't need to interfere.
And if she was concerned she surely would accept how, At least that's what Jason thought.
So when she declined his help, he assumed she felt confident enough to proceed.
And they went to bed, perhaps both a little on edge, but hopeful that by the next evening Lindsay might be closing the deal of her life.
So February 2nd, 2008 began normally for Lindsay Buziak.
That morning the mysterious client actually called the landline at the condo and reached Jason because Lindsay was out at the time.
And Jason told the caller Lindsay wasn't home and offered to give her Lindsay's cell phone number.
But the woman coolly said she already had it.
And Jason noted that the caller's accent sounded like quote.
And this brief exchange was the last contact before the ill-fated meeting.
So as afternoon approached, Lindsay grew increasingly anxious.
At around 2 pm she went into her Remax Camison office on Chatterton Way and there she pulled aside two receptionists and asked them to search the names and the phone numbers of these clients, because they had given her numbers and names and they should be in the real estate database if they had bought anything in Victoria specifically.
So Lindsay just basically wanted to see if these people had any history of buying or selling in Victoria, just to know that these people exist or have done business here.
But nothing came up.
It was as if they didn't exist.
So Lindsay was visibly uneasy at this point.
Quote-unquote freaked out, according to the colleague who overheard her talking about the situation.
And sensing her discomfort, a few co-workers, including one named Cal, offered to accompany her to the 530 showing.
But Lindsay again declined the offer, reassuring them that it was okay because her boyfriend Jason, would be there for backup.
Quote, she had full confidence her boyfriend was going to be there, unquote.
Cal would recall.
So Lindsay may have been spooked, but she had a safety plan.
And that was that Jason would meet her right after the clients arrived.
Just to be sure everything was fine.
So at least there's that.
So at around 3 p.m., Lindsay left the office and met up with Jason for a late lunch downtown.
And they chose a restaurant by the Inner Harbor and finished around 4.24 p.m.
And that was the time that was actually stamped on their paid bill later.
And over lunch, Lindsay was distracted.
She ate quickly and went over the property feature sheets she had prepared, showing Jason the list of homes she planned to take the couple to, including 1702 D'Souza Place.
And Jason, just sensing her nerves, once again offered to do the showing for her.
But again Lindsay said no, perhaps trying to prove to herself she could handle such a big client despite the odd circumstances.
And by 5 pm, with dusk falling on a cloudy winter evening, the couple split up to get ready for their respective plans and lindsay headed back to their condo to change clothes, wanting to look professional for her high-end clients, and jason meanwhile drove to a nearby auto detailing shop called shc auto graphics to briefly meet a colleague and pick up a friend, Cohen Oatman.
Cohen was both a friend and an employee of Jason's and they played on the same men's recreational hockey team.
And the two had gone to a hockey game scheduled for later that night after Lindsay's showing.
And they intended to go together once Jason checked on Lindsay.
So while Jason was in the meeting at the auto shop, his friend Cohen began calling his phone repeatedly, eager to link up.
And by about 5.30 PM, Cohen arrived at the shop and hopped into Jason's Range Rover.
And Jason explained to Cohen that he had gotten a call from Lindsay earlier asking him to meet her at the house because she was uneasy about the situation.
And according to what Lindsay had texted Jason, she provided the address 1702 D'Souza Place and essentially asked him to quote unquote follow her there.
So Jason would tell Cohen that a quick detour was needed and they would swing by the house just to check that Lindsay was okay and then head out to their hockey game after.
So Cohen would agree without hesitation.
And at roughly 5.35 p.m., Lindsay pulled up to the cul-de-sac on D'Souza Place.
And the street, as we know, was newly built and so recent that it didn't even appear on Jason's SUV GPS map.
So, as Lindsay parked and stepped out, her phone rang and it was Jason, and he was lost in the maze of Gordon Head's residential streets, calling for directions.
So Lindsay began to guide him over the phone.
But before she could finish, she saw something that made her cut the call short, saying quote Oh, I've got to go.
They're here.
Unquote.
She told Jason abruptly because the new clients had arrived and Lindsay would hang up with Jason still in the line and would turn to greet a couple approaching the driveway.
And multiple witnesses later provided remarkably consistent descriptions of the pair.
Lindsay met at approximately 530 pm.
So the couple appeared to have come on foot, walking up to the cul-de-sac, not driving, which is very odd.
And the witnesses watched as Lindsay, ever professional, stepped forward with a warm smile and shook hands with the couple at the front steps.
And Lindsay did not seem to recognize them personally.
And her greeting was courteous, but obviously formal.
And the neighbors later remarked it looked like the first meeting between agent and clients, nothing indicating that they were friends at all.
And that's when Lindsay would lead the man and woman through the front door of the house and close the door behind them.
And unbeknownst to Lindsay, she had just sealed herself inside an empty home with a pair of killers.
Well, the holidays have come and gone once again.
But if you've forgotten to get that special someone in your life a gift well, Mint Mobile is extending their holiday offer of half-off unlimited wireless.
So here's the idea.
You get it now.
You call it an early present for next year.
What do you have to lose?
Give it a try at mintmobile.com.
Limited time, 50% off regular price for new customers.
Upfront payment required.
$45 for three months, $90 for six months, or $180 for 12-month plan.
Taxes and fees extra.
Speeds may slow after 50 gigabytes per month when network is busy.
See terms.
So inside 1702 D'Souza Place the air must have been chilly, because the home was vacant and the early February evening was beginning to become dark.
Lindsay's cell phone records show that at 529 pm, just before the couple arrived, she accessed the lockbox to retrieve the house key.
And the lockbox timestamp was later noted by investigators.
So now at around 5.30 something, she began the routine of showing the property.
And we can only really imagine her initial nervousness gave way to her professional training.
And she likely pointed out features of the entryway and main floor.
Trying to build rapport with the clients.
And on the surface, nothing appeared amiss during those first few minutes.
And outside, Jason and Cohen were just minutes away.
Having just gotten off the phone with Lindsay abruptly, Jason still didn't have the precise directions driving to the neighborhood.
With that help.
Meanwhile, Lindsay did manage to send Jason a quick text with step-by-step directions to find Azusa Place, and this would be the last message she would ever send.
So at about 538 pm Jason texted back to say quote I'm a couple minutes away, unquote letting Lindsay know he'd be there shortly.
But that text would never be opened, and shortly thereafter the quote-unquote showing moved upstairs and the home's main bedroom was on the second floor, at the top of the staircase.
Perhaps Lindsay led the couple up chatting about the layout and walked ahead of them into the master bedroom to show off its en suite bathroom.
But it was at that moment, around 540 to 541 p.m., that the trap was sprung.
And as Lindsay turned her back, one of the pair attacked her swiftly from behind.
And it was at that point that Lindsay would be stabbed with a knife or knives, just in a frenzy.
And Lindsay would have virtually no time to react or defend herself.
But the attack would be vicious and personal.
The whole scene was just the definition of overkill.
And early news reports would sensationalize that Lindsay was stabbed.
Quote more than 40 times unquote.
But police have since debunked that exact number as an exaggeration.
But she did suffer multiple stab wounds concentrated in her chest and abdomen, along with numerous cuts and nicks.
But it just indicated a very frenzied assault.
And it all happened extremely fast because she had no defensive wounds at all on her arms or hands, which is very it's not normal in these sort of circumstances, unless it's completely just out of nowhere.
It just implies she had absolutely no chance to fight back or even raise her hands against to protect herself.
And it means that the first stabs likely just incapacitated her almost immediately.
And in the midst of this attack an eerie and crucial event occurred.
And Lindsay's phone, still in her jacket pocket, accidentally dialed a number.
And at 541 pm, as Lindsay was being attacked, her Blackberry made an outbound call, a pocket dial, to a friend she wasn't in frequent contact with.
And the friend received a muffled voicemail that captured distant noises from inside the house and the sounds of movement and perhaps one of Lindsay's last words, or gasps, or a distant thud.
The message itself was unintelligible, but clearly not a normal call.
And later Saanich Detective Sergeant Chris Horsley would confirm this pocket-dialed voicemail as likely occurring.
Quote-unquote at the point of attack.
I just the whole thing is incredibly horrible and sad, but I mean to have just uh like a uh recording of it is i i can't even imagine how what that would be like, for i just think about the families at this point and it's just like i just can't imagine.
But basically it was.
It was an inadvertent cry for help that went unheard in time and at around 5 45 pm Lindsay was almost deceased or deceased and she would be laying in the master bedroom of that home.
So the unknown man and woman had executed their sick, disgusting plan.
But at that same moment headlights swept into D'Souza Place and Jason and Cohen arrived at the address later than expected, but finally there.
And as they pulled up in front of 1702, Jason saw something odd through the decorative glass at the front door.
And he glimpsed a shadowy figure moving in the entrance foyer.
And then a person quickly receding from view deeper into the house, as the Range Rover's headlights illuminated the front window.
So it looked like someone was peeking out and then retreated.
And Jason assumed this was just part of the showing that maybe Lindsay and the clients were walking around inside and just not wanting to interrupt or seem like an overly nosy boyfriend, he decided not to barge in.
And Lindsay had allegedly asked for him not to interfere with the showing by making his presence known.
And instead Jason chose to park down the street for a few minutes, to give the showing a little bit more time.
And he told Cohen that it looked like the appointment was still going on, so they should just wait.
So Jason would drive a short distance away, then circle back a couple of minutes later.
And by now it was close to 5.55 to 6 p.m.
And he parked in front of the house again, but no sign of anyone was through the windows now.
And that's when Jason sent a text to Lindsay's phone saying, are you okay?
But there was no response.
And he tried then calling her cell, but then there was no answer.
And now Jason started to worry, but he naturally assumed maybe they were just talking inside.
Maybe she was still doing the showing and maybe it was just going really well and that they had more questions.
But obviously, as we know, that wasn't the case.
And 10 more minutes passed in silence and the house from the outside looked dark and very still.
And at around 605 pm, approximately 20 minutes after the first arrival, Jason or emerged and Jason decided to take action.
So pulling up the driveway with Cohen, he got out and went straight to the front door of 1702 D'Souza.
And to his alarm, it was locked.
So he repeatedly knocked and rang the doorbell, but it yielded no answers.
So Jason would peer through the frosted glass insert and saw a very disturbing sight.
And that was Lindsay's shoes that were laying in the entryway inside.
So she clearly had taken them off upon entering, which meant she was likely still inside.
But why wasn't she coming to the door?
Was she hurt?
Did something happen?
So with a surge of panic, Jason pulled out his phone and dialed 911.
So it was now 605 PM when he told the emergency operator that he was at a house where his girlfriend was showing a home and he couldn't get in.
And he was, And he emphasized that he had come to check on her because she had, quote been kind of scared about this showing.
And as he was on the phone, Cohen was searching the perimeter of the house for another way in.
And he found a gate to the backyard, but it was secured.
But Cohen managed to spot something important, because through the fence slats he could see that the back patio's French doors were wide open.
So he waved to Jason and pointed urgently.
And the killers, it turns out, had fled through those back doors moments earlier, escaping into the night.
And in their haste they left the doors gaping open behind them, likely slipped through a gap in the backyard fence out to that main road.
So, seeing that open door, jason hung up with 911 mid-call after providing the address and sprang into action and he ran to boost cohen over the backyard fence and cohen dropped into the yard and dashed through the open french doors into the house and he immediately unlocked the front door from the inside, allowing jason to rush in behind him.
And the two men split up in the foyer and Cohen took the main floor and Jason took the second.
And as Jason was running up the staircase, he was yelling, Lindsay, Lindsay, into the silence.
And as he neared the top of the stairs, a nightmare materialized.
And he could see Lindsay's body slumped onto the floor in the master bedroom.
And he also saw blood.
And Lindsay would be found lying on her back, collapsed against the wall.
And Jason just dropped to his knees at her side, frantically trying to rouse her.
And Cohen horrified, immediately called 911 again at 611 pm, urgently telling the dispatcher that they needed an ambulance right away.
And Jason, in a state of shock, began attempting CPR on Lindsay, even though it was far too late.
So he tilted her head and started mouth-to-mouth breaths.
And in a chilling, incredibly chilling detail, And within minutes, the sirens of the first responders pierced the quiet neighborhood and paramedics arrived and police cars swarmed the cul-de-sac.
But despite resuscitation attempts by EMTs, Lindsay Buziak was pronounced dead at the scene.
And Jason was just in hysterics and I imagine complete disbelief.
And he kept trying to will time backwards, saying quote if I was 10 minutes earlier, if I went with her, would she still be alive?
I just can't even imagine.
I can't even imagine the thought process after witnessing that.
I feel so incredibly horrified.
They were like ghosts who vanished before anyone realized what had happened.
And the only physical evidence left behind were a bloody footprints inside the house and a trail on the stairs indicating the path the killers took, as they calmly walked out of the front entry, only to retreat and escape out the back when Jason's arrival spooked them.
So it appeared.
The murderers were literally in the process of walking out the door when Jason and Cohen pulled up, forcing them to flee via plan B over the back fence.
So if Jason had arrived just a minute or two earlier, he may have come face to face with them.
Not that that would have changed Lindsay's fate, but maybe we would know who they are now.
But I think thinking what ifs in this situation is just not helpful at all in any sense, because you can't change the past.
So in a matter of minutes, a bright, beloved young woman's life had been brutally snuffed out.
And the reverberations of this carefully planned homicide were only just beginning to be felt.
And as the crime scene tape went up around 1702 D'Souza Place on that cold February night, the investigation into Lindsay Buziak's murder was launched.
And this was an investigation that would grow into one of the most perplexing and high-profile unsolved cases in Canadian crime history.
So Saanich police quickly secured the D'Souza Place property as a crime scene.
But from the outset, investigators faced a major challenge, and that was that the scene had been compromised by the frantic rescue effort.
And in their desperation to find and help Lindsay, Jason and Cohen had necessarily trampled through the house inadvertently contaminating evidence.
Which, I mean, you can't blame them.
I mean, they were trying to look for her and then trying to help save her.
Like, I just feel so bad.
But within hours, the Saanich Police Department's major crime unit took charge of the case.
And they realized they were dealing with anything but an ordinary murder.
And forensic examiners scored the empty house late into the night and the following days.
But they would find no usable DNA or fingerprints from the perpetrators.
And they assumed that the assailants had likely worn gloves and perhaps protective clothing or shoe covers that they took with them.
So this was clearly an extremely calculated murder.
And the murder weapon presumed to be a sharp edged knife was not found at the scene either.
And the only clue was the bloody shoe prints tracked along the floor.
But even these were limited and the specific shoe brand or size was not released publicly, suggesting it might not have even been distinctive enough to trace conclusively.
And the absence of defensive wounds on Lindsay and the sheer ferocity of the stabbing told investigators that this was a targeted execution, not a robbery gone wrong.
And how would it even be a robbery?
This was a vacant home.
So the only conclusion could be that this was a And outside the house potential witness information was minimal, because neighbors only saw the well-dressed couple arriving, not leaving.
And no one recalled hearing screams or loud noises implying Lindsay may have been attacked so suddenly that she couldn't even cry out for help.
And that's assuming people were in close enough proximity to hear screams anyway.
But investigators were intrigued by the victim's last known communications because the pocket dial voicemail Lindsey's phone made during the attack was recovered but yielded little beyond muffled background noise.
And the final text message from Jason to Lindsey was, are you okay?
And it remained unread on her phone.
The police also quickly traced the cell phone that had lured Lindsey.
And it was, as suspected, a burner phone registered under a bogus name, which was Paolo Rodriguez, and a fake business address in Vancouver.
And records showed it had been purchased three months earlier in Vancouver and activated just the day before the murder.
And it made calls exclusively to Lindsay and was powered off permanently soon after she was killed.
So authorities believed that the phone was used only for planning and executing this crime, then disposed of.
Just a hallmark of organized, premeditated murder.
And it even pinged off a cell phone tower near the murder house the night before, suggesting the suspects did a dry run or surveillance of the area in advance.
It's just sickening.
Horrifying, chilling, sickening.
It's all just a nightmare to think about.
So the forensic and physical evidence thus painted a grim picture, and that is that this homicide was carefully organized and executed by individuals who knew exactly what they were doing, likely had done it many times before, because the degree of planning just indicated an experienced hand using an untraceable phone, choosing an empty house and a new build and minimizing forensic traces.
Yet Paradoxically, the overkill violence was very emotional and amateurish in its frenzy.
So you have this very calculated, planned murder, and then the murder itself felt like a rabid attack of emotion.
Like it wasn't thought of. just happened out of nowhere.
It just didn't fit the profile of a dispassionate professional hit.
So this contradiction just puzzled police, because the murder had both highly professional elements and intensely personal ferocity.
So within the first day, police had to consider a difficult reality.
The two suspects seen by witnesses had essentially vanished into thin air at this point, and they left virtually no trace of their identities inside the house, and no one saw a getaway vehicle.
So the only thing known was how they looked and that one had possibly a fake accent.
So the composite sketch of the female suspect was developed from witness descriptions and released to the public a year later, in 2009.
And it depicted a Caucasian woman in her mid-30s with short, stylish blonde hair and a calm expression.
And alongside police described the male suspect as Caucasian, about six foot, with dark hair, wearing a brown jacket.
And the woman's dress was also highlighted a black, white and red pattern dress.
That was very distinctive.
And for investigators it was as if the suspects had worn a mask and then disappeared into a crowd, though
And they had to start considering who could have orchestrated such a plot and why Lindsay was the target.
So the Saanich police threw themselves fully into the hunt for Lindsay's killers.
And the department was not large and a murder of this complexity was a major undertaking.
And at least five full-time investigators were assigned to the case.
And they conducted exhaustive interviews with everyone in Lindsay's life, including family friends colleagues, past clients ex-boyfriends rivals, anyone who might shed light.
And, within the first year after the murder, police had conducted nearly 1500 interviews and received 752 tips and executions.
This was an enormous volume of investigative work, reflecting just how many angles they were exploring for this case.
And the major crime unit, led by Inspector Rob McCall, coordinated the efforts, and Detective Sergeant Chris Horsley became the public face of the case, often appealing for information and addressing rumors.
And early on, the SPD acknowledged they were dealing with an exceptionally challenging case.
And in a rare statement, a spokesperson called it a crime of quote unquote.
Extraordinary complexity involving individuals who were experienced and quote unquote had no regard for human life.
And leads were pursued not just in Victoria but across provincial lines, recognizing the possible wider connections such as ties to Calgary or Vancouver criminal groups.
And Saanich police welcomed help from outside agencies as well.
And the RCMP, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, were brought in to provide oversight and specialized resources.
And the case was also significant enough that the FBI agents from the United States were later consulted, particularly when it came to the new technology and behavioral analysis.
And over the years, the investigation grew to staggering proportions.
And by 2020.
Saanich police said they had over 2000 persons of interest or entities logged in the case file and they had obtained in excess of 35 court warrants and production orders targeting cell phone companies, Internet providers and even social media like Facebook to pull data relevant to the crime.
But the sheer volume of information was immense. requiring meticulous organization and analysis.
But detectives were determined to not let a single clue slip through the cracks, and they would also examine cell tower pings.
And advanced techniques like DNA analysis were repeatedly applied to what few samples they had, though initially none yielded a suspect profile.
And the house had been professionally cleaned just before the showing, as it was a newly staged house, so there was little trace of evidence in the environment.
Start with.
So, from day one, investigators and armchair detectives alike grappled with the burning question who ordered the murder of lindsay buziak and why?
And over the years, several theories emerged, some pursued by police, others fueled by internet speculation.
But we'll explore the main ones here, noting what evidence, if any, supports them and how authorities have responded.
So first we have Jason Lindsay's boyfriend.
Naturally, he would be the first suspect and the first person that police would scrutinize.
Because in most homicide investigations you start with the inner circle or those closest to the victim.
And Jason was right at the center.
He was the one who found her body and that often raises suspicion, obviously.
So could Jason have been involved in setting up Lindsay?
And motive wise, the relationship had known troubles, as we know.
Lindsay had considered leaving him and there were rumors of jealousy as well.
Some who distrusted Jason speculated he might have arranged to eliminate Lindsay if he couldn't bear to let her go.
And it didn't help Jason's case in the public eye that his family was wealthy and influential, because people love to suspect the rich boyfriend in a true crime story.
However, police have repeatedly stated that jason zelo is not a suspect and that's because jason's actions and alibi on the day the murder largely completely check out, because after lunch he was indeed seen on surveillance video at the auto shop at around 5 30 pm, leaving with cohen in his range rover, And the timing on the CCTV proves he was not at the murder scene when Lindsay was killed.
She was likely being killed at 540 to 541 p.m.
And it would have been difficult to make it there and pull it off in that time.
And by difficult, I mean quite literally impossible.
And additionally, Jason voluntarily underwent a polygraph test and passed it convincingly, according to police.
And he handed over his phone and even participated in a detailed reenactment video with investigators walking through his discovery of Lindsay's body on camera to aid the investigation.
Basically, he had no hesitation to volunteer any help to the police.
He was extremely forthcoming throughout the entire investigation.
And investigators found no forensic or digital evidence tying Jason to any part of the murder planning.
And a cell phone records, for example, showed genuine attempts to find her and not any coordination with unknown parties.
And about a year after the murder, in early 2009, Saanich police formally cleared Jason of any sort of involvement.
And they noted publicly, quote, We've never said Zalo was a suspect.
He was a person of interest, as would anybody found at the scene, but he's been ruled out, unquote.
But despite this, Jason endured intense public suspicion for years.
And Lindsay's father Jeff, openly suggested Jason might know more than he let on, largely because Jeff felt Jason didn't show enough grief and because of Jason's family connections.
But Jason has always maintained his innocence, saying quote unquote I want people to know that I love Lindsay.
I think about her every day.
I want this case solved as fast as possible.
I had nothing to do with it.
It's worth noting that police had thoroughly interrogated Jason for hours the night of the murder.
Something that really frustrated him once he knew that the killers had fled.
And he felt valuable time was being lost focusing on him initially.
But from the police perspective, that was a necessary step.
And once done, they moved on.
And zero evidence has ever surfaced implicating Jason.
And law enforcement and even Lindsay's own mother have accepted that Jason was not involved.
And while quote unquote the boyfriend did.
It is a common trope.
This case appears to be the exception.
And Jason's role was tragically, just that of an unlucky witness who found the woman he loved in her final state.
So if not Jason, what about someone else in the family?
And online sleuths turn their gaze to Shirley, Jason's mother.
Shirley was a successful realtor and a formidable personality by many accounts.
And true crime forums have swirled with the speculation that Shirley could have orchestrated a hit on Lindsay out of some dark motive.
Perhaps anger if Lindsay was planning to leave Jason or other personal conflicts.
And it didn't help that Shirley was directly connected to key elements of the scenario, like we talked about before.
She, when Lindsay discussed the showing details and the address, and the builder of the murder house, Joe DeSouza, was Shirley's friend.
And some theorists pose the question that if Shirley were involved, that might explain how the killers knew Lindsay's schedule and chose that specific house.
However, police have never named Shirley as a suspect even, and they have explicitly said that no member of the Zalo family is under any sort of suspicion.
And Shirley provided an alibi for the time of the murder.
She was actually out at dinner by some reports. and cooperated with police interviews.
And Lindsay's mother Evelyn, publicly stated she does not believe Shirley had anything to do with it, calling the notion an unfounded rumor.
And over the years, Shirley largely just stayed quiet about the rumors that have swirled.
But by 2022, she'd had enough.
And that year Shirley filed a defamation lawsuit against Jeff Buziak, which is Lindsay's father, and two administrators of his website, accusing them of maliciously spreading false accusations that she was the murderer.
In other words, Shirley took the extraordinary step of suing the victim's father to clear her name.
And this underscores how deeply the unproven allegations had hurt her family.
The case is still ongoing and has not been resolved in court, but shirley's position is clear and she and her family have been unjustly vilified.
With zero evidence and in interviews with capital daily, the zelos expressed that they felt like quote went through a bad part of life, unquote being targets of these accusations.
And all that said.
Police did investigate the zelo family thoroughly And they looked into Shirley's finances, her business ties and any possible link to Burner Phone or people behind it, but nothing incriminating was ever found.
And the fact that Shirley heard part of the phone call appears to have just been coincidence, which I mean.
I don't think that's hard to believe.
And she was Jason's mom and it was known to often drop by.
And Lindsay wasn't hiding her client's communications.
And while it's indeed eerie that the killer's house was built by Shirley's acquaintance, Joe D'Souza, police have never indicated Joe or Shirley were involved.
Beyond that weird coincidence,
So, aside from internet suspicion, the case against Shirley is unsupported by hard evidence and police cleared her, as well as Jason's brother and anyone else in their orbit, and that was fairly early on.
So the Zalos in truth suffered not only the loss of someone they cared about and they insist that they deeply cared about Lindsay but also damage to their reputation due to rampant speculation.
But I also just can't help but feel horrible for Lindsay's family and them just wanting the truth, especially her father.
But I mean that doesn't excuse, you know, defaming someone, but I think just wanting to know answers.
I just, I can't even imagine how that feels.
So I feel for both the families.
But one of the most intriguing and initially compelling theories had nothing to do with Lindsay's boyfriend or his family at all.
And instead it centered on something Lindsay supposedly saw that she shouldn't have moment.
So in late 2007, about two months before her death, lindsay took an impromptu weekend trip from victoria to calgary in calgary's in alberta, which is the province right next to british columbia, and this was to visit her father and old friends, and during this visit she met up briefly with some acquaintances from her past including reportedly, the father of her ex-boyfriend, And around that time a massive drug bust was unfolding in Calgary.
And on January 2nd 2008, police executed Operation High Noon, seizing over 80 kilograms of cocaine worth 8 million and arresting several high level drug traffickers.
And it was billed as the largest cane bust in alberta's history.
And in a startling coincidence, one of the people caught in the bust had a connection to lindsey's circle and that was erickson de lalcazar, an acquaintance of lindsey's from victoria, and he was arrested as a major player in the calgary drug ring and this led to rampant speculation that perhaps lindsey, during her calgary trip, learned something about the drug operation, maybe overhearing a conversation or sealing a deal and the cartel or gang involved decided to silence her, believing she maybe would snitch to police.
And it is an extremely dramatic theory, the revenge of drug cartel carried out by contract killers posing as clients, and police have largely debunked this motive.
Because, first of all, they found no evidence Lindsay was an informant or had any role in the Calgary bust, and Calgary police themselves confirmed Lindsay wasn't on their radar at all.
And Lindsay was known to be firmly anti-drug, as we know.
And multiple friends said she never used and didn't endorse that lifestyle.
And if she stumbled on criminal info, one would think she might have told a friend or her father.
But she didn't.
And Jeff would later claim that Lindsay hinted, she saw something bad, but no proof of what that was ever emerged.
And police also point out that the nature of Lindsay's murderer doesn't fit a professional cartel hit.
Because cartels, if retaliating against informants, tend to execute in a cleaner way.
A shooting, for example, and often the bodies are left as a warning.
But Lindsay's murder was frenzied and deeply personal, which is not typical of a hired hitman job.
However, there are some unresolved curiosities that keep this theory on the table.
Investigators confirmed that, after returning from calgary, lindsay looked up the facebook profile of a relative of someone arrested in the drug bust and even tried calling that person quote.
We don't know why she was on his facebook, we don't know why she called him unquote and that was detective horsely admitting of the bizarre discovery.
But i i think, like if, if something happened like a drug bust to someone you know, that would be absolutely insane and i'd be looking up like what's going on and if they got busted and then calling to see if they did.
I don't know, i don't.
I just don't think it's out of the realm of possibility that she was just calling as a very concerned, warm person that she is and crucially, the key players in the drug ring were already arrested by the time lindsey was killed.
So it's not as if the cartel was still at large, fearing exposure or anything, And in the end, while the Calgary drug connection may be alluring and was also popularized in a 2010 Dateline episode, police eliminated it as a viable motive at all.
And they publicly stated Lindsay's murder did not appear to be ordered by a cartel or drug gang.
And the timing and method just didn't align.
So, with the most obvious suspects and scenarios ruled out, the investigation turned to more complex possibilities.
And one such angle was that someone within the real estate industry or closely acquainted with Lindsay's work set her up.
And this theory suggests an inside job element.
Perhaps some agent at her job could access her schedule.
Notably, the killers knew Lindsay would be alone at the house at the exact time, which hints that they had inside information on her appointments.
And police did look at colleagues and even past clients and there was gossip about disgruntled client or a jealous competitor, but nothing concrete materialized publicly.
However, it was later uncovered that early in the case police suspected certain violent individuals on Lindsay's Facebook friend list might have been involved.
And Lindsay, by all accounts, was a friendly person who had over a hundred Facebook friends, including some people with criminal backgrounds.
And Victoria's social scene is such that you could know someone who knows someone, basically kind of think it's very tight knit.
So detectives initially thought perhaps one of those contacts with a shady past could have orchestrated the murder.
And this line of inquiry appears to have dovetailed with both the drug theory and general suspicion of anyone in her orbit with criminal ties.
But again, no definitive evidence ever came from it.
And another theory considered whether organized crime beyond the drug angle might be involved, such as money laundering in real estate or someone Lindsay inadvertently offended in a property deal.
And Saanich police have said publicly, to date they found no link between Lindsay's legitimate real estate work and her murder beyond the ruse used to lure her.
In other words, it wasn't a case of a deal gone bad or clients seeking revenge.
The real estate viewing was just a convenient trap.
And over time, investigators formed their own theory that aligns with the evidence.
And that is that Lindsay's murder was a personal vendetta by someone or multiple people close to her.
As one summary put it, quote unquote the investigators believe Buziak's murder was very personal and planned by someone close to her.
Perhaps someone with access to inside information from her office.
So this just points to a scenario where someone in Lindsay's social circle held a grudge or motive to harm her?
And not necessarily a best friend, but maybe a friend of a friend or acquaintance.
And they might have leveraged others, like the couple, to do the dirty work keeping their own hands clean.
And it could explain the rage in the killing and personal motive combined with the cunning plan.
But to this day, police have not publicly named any such individual.
And it seems likely the conspiracy involved more than just the man and woman Lindsay met.
Perhaps insiders who provided information or had the motive and outsiders who carried it out.
So the enduring mystery is identifying all these players and proving their roles.
So, to summarize this consensus, Lindsay Buziak's murder was a targeted killing, meticulously planned by one or more people who knew her personally or peripherally.
And it was not random, not a burglary, not a crime of passion in the moment, but a premeditated assassination of a young woman for reasons that may stem from personal hatred, betrayal or perceived threat.
And over 15 years later, we are closer to understanding the how of the crime than why.
The full truth remains locked behind lips that so far have refused to speak.
And from 2008 through to today, Jeff Lindsay's father organizes an annual walk, a walk for justice, in Lindsay's memory every February 2nd, which is the anniversary of her death.
And, come rain or shine, Jeff leads supporters through the streets holding banners and signs with Lindsay's photo and pleas for information.
And these walks have grown to attract dozens, sometimes over a hundred people, all marching to remind the community that a killer or killers still walk free.
Quote unquote, until there are arrests made, I will continue walking.
Jeff vowed.
And as of 2025, he has kept that promise for 17 consecutive years.
And the walk usually starts at Saanich Municipal Hall and ends at the BC Legislator, symbolically taking the call for justice to the authority's doorstep.
And Jeff also harnessed the power of the internet early on.
And he created a website lindsaybuziakmurdercom, intended as both a memorial and a hub for tips and discussion.
And that site became a double-edged sword.
Because, on one hand, it provided an avenue for members of the public to submit information anonymously and for Jeff to publish his thoughts and any updates or theories he endorsed.
But on the other hand, it also became a hotbed of speculation, hosting wild theories and at least one malicious fake confession as well.
And Jeff moderated the site with help from volunteer administrators, but there were times when emotions ran high and defamatory content was posted.
But despite these controversies, the site undeniably kept Lindsay's case in public consciousness.
And in media appearances, Jeff has been candid and relentless.
And he's given countless interviews to local and national outlets.
Perhaps most famously, he appeared on Dr Phil's television show in an episode aired on May 2019 to talk about Lindsay's case and plead for tips.
During these interviews, Jeff became increasingly vocal that he felt the police investigation was incompetent and corrupt.
And he's even floated theories of police cover-ups and high-level interference.
Though without any hard evidence.
And that's when the suing from Shirley came and the detectives asked him to stop publicly defaming them as well.
So it's just been a whirlwind of accusations.
Yet, despite any interpersonal dramas, all agree on the core point, and that is that Lindsay deserves justice.
And as of early 2025, no arrests have been made and no charges filed.
However, law enforcement appears more confident than ever in the direction of the case.
And SPD officials have hinted that they, quote unquote have an inside track on who it was but are waiting for that final puzzle piece.
So this suggests that investigation is in the phase of building a prosecutable case, gathering hard evidence like DNA, corroborating witness testimonies or perhaps hoping someone from the conspirators' circle flips.
But one challenge the case status faces with each passing year is the statute of limitations on public attention.
As memories fade, witnesses get harder to track down and physical evidence can degrade.
The silver lining is there is no statute of limitations on murder in canada, thank goodness, and the case can remain open indefinitely until solved and the police seem determined to see it through.
But that is the case of lindsay buziak.
If, for whatever reason, you have any information at all on this case, i highly suggest you call the sanich police department.
And again my heart goes out to the families involved.
If you have any other cases you want me to deep dive into and to let you guys know about, let me know in the comments below.
And until then, I will see your beautiful face, okay?
Bye.
This show is supported by Odoo.
When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the costs add up and it gets complicated and confusing.
Odoo solves this.
It's a single company that sells a suite of enterprise apps that handles everything from accounting to inventory to sales.
Odoo is all connected on a single platform in a simple and affordable way.
You can save money without missing out on features you need.
Check out Odoo at odoo.com.
That's odoo.com.
