Gordon Clifford Charles Sinclair

In the Newton neighbourhood of Surrey, British Columbia, Gordon Clifford Charles Sinclair, a 56-year-old male, and his common-law partner, Donna Marie Sywak, lived a quiet life in a small, run-down bungalow. Neighbours described the couple as people who mostly kept to themselves. However, there was a steady stream of visitors to their home at 7561-144th Street, with as many as 20 cars coming and going each day. Both Sinclair and Sywak were known to local police, who had visited the residence on several occasions prior to the summer of 1992.

The early morning hours of Wednesday, June 24, 1992, were shattered by the sound of gunfire. Several residents heard a series of shots—one recalled hearing five, a pause, and then four or five more—but no one called the police, uncertain of what they had heard. It wasn't until around 6 a.m. that an anonymous tip finally dispatched officers to the home. The day was uncharacteristically sweltering as police arrived to a grim scene. The front door of the house, which was set back amidst tall weeds and randomly parked cars, was slightly ajar.

Inside, investigators found the bodies of Gordon Sinclair and 39-year-old Donna Sywak. Both had been shot to death. The scene was disturbing enough that a view from the doorway revealed one of the victim's legs visible over the arm of a couch. As forensic identification officers in white suits moved in and out of the house, curious school-aged children gathered at a fence line, trying to catch a glimpse of the investigation unfolding on the busy street. The murders of Sinclair and Sywak marked the fourth and fifth homicides to occur within a 10-block radius in the preceding months.

The investigation, initially handled by the Surrey RCMP, began immediately. Detectives learned that just one week before his death, on June 17, 1992, Gordon Sinclair had been convicted on two counterfeiting charges. He was awaiting a sentencing hearing scheduled for July 29. Investigators have always believed the double murder was a targeted, rather than a random, act. They explored the possibility that the killings were connected to Sinclair's counterfeiting conviction, but have remained open to all potential motives as the true reason remains unknown.

Police were able to identify and speak with the individual who made the anonymous 6 a.m. tip, but this did not lead to a breakthrough in the case. Over the years, no suspects have ever been publicly identified, and no one has been charged with the murders of Gordon Sinclair and Donna Sywak. The small bungalow where the couple lost their lives was demolished many years ago, and modern row houses now occupy the property, leaving no physical trace of the violent event that occurred there.

Decades have passed, but the case has never been closed. In 2015, the Surrey RCMP's Unsolved Homicide Unit confirmed the investigation was still active. As of October 2024, the file is one of 56 cold case homicides being transferred from the Surrey RCMP to the newly formed Surrey Police Service. The hope is that a fresh set of eyes may uncover new leads. Police continue to ask for anyone with information about the murders of Gordon Sinclair and Donna Sywak to come forward and help bring justice to the couple.