OPP going high tech to solve murder, man’s body was found near Erin

OTTAWA – Provincial police are once again ramping up their investigation into the murder of Frederick ‘John’ Hatch, revealing new technology they hope could help solve the case.

Hatch, 65, was last seen December 16, 2015 at a Dollar Tree Store in Ottawa, and his body was found the next day in a rural area northwest of Toronto.

He was known to hitchhike, but police still don’t know how he wound up at a location near Erin, Ontario, where he was found on the morning of December 17, 2015, east of the 10th Line off Wellington Road 124.

Police have not released any information on how he died.

On Wednesday, the OPP unveiled a new ‘innovative, investigative technique’ to identify witnesses who could have seen or interacted with Hatch.

Cellphone numbers identified to be in use in the vicinity of West Hunt Club Road and Merivale Road between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. on December 16th will receive two text messages on Thursday (Oct 27) — one in English and one in French.

The text message will ask recipients to voluntarily visit a website to answer a few questions. The numbers were obtained through a court process called a Production Order, that requires cell phone companies to provide the information, though police don’t have access to the names associated with the numbers.Police are urging anyone who receives the text message to respond.

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Meantime, back in August, in an unprecedented approach, a black and white OPP van with pictures of Mr. Hatch, including details pertaining to the investigation, was positioned in communities from Erin to Nepean, Ont.

There is also a $50,000 reward being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the murder.

Anyone who has information is asked to call police at 1-888-310-1122 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).