326. Out of the Fire: Murder in Altona

Altona, Manitoba, is a small town sitting in the middle of a windswept prairie about a fifteen-minute drive north of North Dakota. In the winter, the days are short, the snow falls frequently, and there’s very little to do except play hockey or other indoor activities. The town was founded by Mennonites, who, like the Amish, are known for their pacifist and peaceful ways. However, that did not mean the town was exempt from its fair share of tragedies. However, nothing would stun the Altona residents more than what happened on a November night in 1990. What started as a typical evening for two teenage boys ended in a horrific home invasion that left one dead and the other critically injured. The attack was violent and merciless, shaking the entire community to its core. Join Jen and Cam as they discuss "Out of the Fire: Murder in Altona." Thank you to our team Listener Discretion by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward October ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Research & Writing by Lauretta Allen Executive Producers Nico & Jesse of The Inky Pawprint ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://theinkypawprint.com⁠ Sources: https://www.newspapers.com/image/737008967/?match=1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/948646262/?match=1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/737008599/?match=1&terms=%22Curtis%20Klassen%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/737008599/?match=1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/735474324/?match=1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/735472254/?match=1 https://www.iaedjournal.org/the-road-of-resilience https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/altona-manitoba-documentary-world-premiere-1.7049171 https://www.steinbachonline.com/articles/documentary-altona-uses-30-year-old-crime-to-explore-forgiveness https://www.firefightingincanada.com/a-story-of-resilience-26441/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/737008967/?match=1&terms=%22Curtis%20Klassen%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/1011921809/?match=1&clipping_id=178356248 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altona_murder#:~:text=The%20Altona%20murder%20occurred%20in,bodily%20injuries%20and%20alerted%20authorities.&text=Giesbrecht%20was%20arrested%20shortly%20after%2C%20and%20confessed%20to%20the%20murder. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2010/06/18/killer-to-get-taste-of-freedom https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/1.5551761 (this interview with Klassen's dad is just pitiful) https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/43-survivors-tyler-pelke-and-the-nova-scotia-boy/id1483801903?i=1000516794821 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altona_murder https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/1.5553431 https://www.brandonsun.com/local/2013/06/18/bible-belts-bogeyman-still-haunts-town https://winnipegsun.com/2014/03/02/rising-out-of-the-fire https://www.newspapers.com/image/734980397/?match=1&terms=%22Curtis%20Klassen%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/734980254/?match=1&terms=%22Curtis%20Klassen%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/735009940/?match=1&terms=%22Curtis%20Klassen%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/735843197/?match=1&terms=%22Curtis%20Klassen%22 https://www.newspapers.com/image/1022422054/?match=1&terms=%22Curtis%20Klassen%22 I survived Season 7 episode 10, A&E Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices