At a quarter to midnight on Saturday, Aug. 16, 1952, two motorists discovered a taxi in a shallow ditch about two miles west of Maxville. Inside, the body of Leonard Hurd lay sprawled across the front seat. He had been shot three times in the head and twice in the chest. A bruise on the side of his head indicated that he had been slugged from behind before being shot. Mr. Hurd's death occurred a short distance from where his 19-year-old son Harris died in a motorcycle accident in April. Mr. Hurd and his wife also had two daughters, both living at home. Mr. Hurd, 41, was a popular local businessman. In addition to his taxi service he operated Stormont-Glengarry Bus Lines and a garage. He had lived in Maxville for 19 years, was active in the local chamber of commerce, and had served on both the town council and the school board. Mr. Hurd was known to carry large quantities of cash. He had been carrying almost $1,000 at the time of his death, including a $600 payment from his son's life insurance which he had cashed that morning. Ontario Provincial Police were given a description of a "tall stranger" who neighbours had seen lurking around the Hurd residence on Saturday night. Mr. Hurd was not wearing socks when he was found, leading police to suspect that he was forced from his home by the killer. Mrs. Hurd was not at home, having driven to Cornwall with friends earlier in the day. The stranger was identified almost immediately as a 27-year-old labourer. Five days after Mr. Hurd's death police had enough evidence to issue an arrest warrant and more evidence continued to turn up. Police found the stock of a .22 rifle in a haversack containing 75 .22 cartridges and a volunteer search party later found the gun barrel and Mr. Hurd's wallet. The reeve of Maxville announced a reward of $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of the killer. In December the killer was arrested in British Columbia for wounding a Williams Lake bank manager during an abortive robbery. The British Columbia attorney general ruled that he would not be returned to Ontario until after his trial. In January the killer was found guilty and sentenced to five years. British Columbia authorities also suspected him of involvement in the disappearance of a Kamloops couple, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Labrie. The killer admitted staying with the couple soon after arriving from Ontario.

Leonard Hurd. (Source: Toronto Star, August 18, 1952, p. 3) After his armed robbery conviction the killer was returned to Ontario to stand trial for Mr. Hurd's murder. He was convicted and sentenced to hang but hours before his execution he was found dying of cyanide poisoning in his cell. An investigation determined that he had probably hidden the poison from his captors for months. In September 1955 a hunter discovered the remains of Mr. and Mrs. Labrie near Kamloops. An autopsy determined that Mr. Labrie was shot to death and that Mrs. Labrie died of multiple knife wounds.