The Murder

Between 1867 and 1868, a tiny community at the north end of Salt Spring Island, populated by about 25 families, was the scene of three brutal and seemingly unconnected murders. But were they really unconnected? All of the victims were members of the island's Black community and all of the murders were blamed on Aboriginal people.

Two of the murders were officially unsolved. In the case of William Robinson, an all-White jury found an Aboriginal man, Tshuanahusset, guilty of killing the Black settler and sentenced him to death.

Was Tshuanahusset guilty? Why was he convicted? If Tshuanahusset did not kill William Robinson, who did?