Mr. Wheeler, 27, was found dead in his cab in the early morning of Feb. 18, 1977 in the parking lot of a London raquet club. He had been shot in the back of the head with a small calibre pistol. Mr. Wheeler was last seen alive about 9:45 on Feb. 17 in Thamesville, about 50 miles from London, where he dropped off a fare. Patrons leaving the raquet club about 11:30 p.m. noticed his cab parked on the lot but assumed the driver was sleeping and did not investigate. A police constable finally checked the car about 5:20 a.m. and found Mr. Wheeler's body. Since the bullet wound was concealed by his parka hood and there was almost no blood, it was initially thought that he had died of a seizure. The bullet wound was only discovered during the autopsy. Mr. Wheeler's parents lost both of their children within a space of five months. The previous September their 22-year-old daughter died in a car accident. Following his sister's death, Mr. Wheeler came to London from Belgrave to share an apartment with his bereaved brother-in-law. Mr. Wheeler's wallet, coin changer and brief case were found in the cab untouched. Police theorized that he had started the meter shortly after turning off highway 401.

Ivan Wheeler. (Source: London Police Service, Unsolved Murders)