Unsolved 1983 murders in Northern B.C. eerily similar to killings that sparked manhunt

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — On Friday, RCMP confirmed that two young men who were the subjects of a nation wide manhunt this summer confessed to shooting and killing a couple travelling through Northern B.C. this summer.

But the murder of a German couple 36 years ago in an eerily similar crime has never been solved.

Bernd Göricke, 27, and his fiancé Andrea Scherps, 22, were found dead on a remote stretch of road 32 kilometres south of Chetwynd in October, 1983.

The couple were last seen hitchhiking near Dawson Creek. None of their belongings were found with their bodies.

Hundreds of tips poured in after the bodies were discovered. In 1991 a man named Andy Rose was charged with and convicted of both murders.

In 1994 Rose appealed and was convicted for a second time. However, in 1996 DNA evidence threw the convictions into questions and in 1998 Rose was released on bail pending a third trial.

In 2001, the Crown stayed the murder charges.

In 2013–30 years after the slayings–RCMP appealed for information in the cold case. Since then there have been no developments.

The suspect is Caucasian, approximately 40 years old, 5’9″ tall, 190 lbs, with straight collar-length brown hair and a medium to dark complexion. They said he walked with slumped shoulders and wore a long-sleeved green shirt, possibly the same color pants or blue jeans, a dark colored hunter-style cap with fold-up ear flaps and a vest.

They describe the suspect’s vehicle as a 1960’s Chevy pick up. In 1983 police said they tracked the vehicle through stops made for gas in Prince George, Quesnel, McLeese Lake, Lac La Hache, and 100 Mile House. The man paid for gas with Scherpf’s travellers cheques.

Police also provided detailed descriptions of all of the property that Andrea Scherpf and Bernd Göricke had with them when they set out on their trip.

Property belonging to Bernd Goericke:
· German passport No. D3900872.
· German drivers licence No. 146777.
· International drivers licence No. 2151383.
· “LOWE” back-pack, green in color with black bottom.
· (Has hole 10 cm from bottom with an “Eidelweiss” flower patch.)
· Blue nylon mummy type sleeping bag .
· Green Army type jacket with zipper.
· Pocket type German/English dictionary.
· Small circular propane type camping stove.
· Daily diary written in German.
· Orange cotton jacket with pile exterior.
· White T-shirt with printing “Snowden mouldings for better penetration, the current axe”.
· Brown guitar, make unknown, contained in a brown vinyl type bag.
· Pair of hiking boots, make unknown.
· Igloo type green coloured tent with exterior frame.

Property belonging to Andrea Scherps:
· German passport No. S4114020.
· I.D. card No. 04367598.
· German drivers licence No. 66177.
· International drivers licence No. 3783.
· Blue “LOWE” back-pack.
· Blue nylon mummy type sleeping bag.
· Canon AEl camera with lens ser. 1330139.
· Ladies brown leather purse.
· Sleeping bag liner made of old linen sheets sewn together, white with pale red, green and blue stripes.
· Ladies digital watch, make unknown.
· Blue cotton jacket with pile exterior.
· Pair of red canvas shoes.
· Pair of brown leather shoes.
· Pair of hiking boots.
· Pair of roman type sandals.
· Blue jeans.
· Red short sleeved dress with brass rivets.
· Necklace and Oval broach (1 cm) engraved with leaves.
· Black and purple cotton skirt with silver sparkles
· White and green Tank top

Anyone with information can contact the Chetwynd RCMP at (250) 788-9221 or Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 222-8477.