Cody Legebokoff
Cody Alan Legebokoff is a Canadian serial killer convicted in 2014 of four counts of first-degree murder. His victims were three women and a 15-year-old girl, killed between 2009 and 2010 in and around Prince George, British Columbia. The case drew national attention, partly because Legebokoff became one of Canada's youngest serial killers and because his crimes are connected to the broader tragedy of missing and murdered women along northern British Columbia's Highway of Tears. His conviction followed a major police investigation that began with a routine traffic stop, and he is now serving a life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years.
Early life and background
Cody Alan Legebokoff was born on 21 January 1990 in Fort St. James, a district municipality in rural British Columbia. He was raised there and described by friends and family as a popular young man who played ice hockey and showed no outward signs of violent tendencies. After graduating from Fort St. James Secondary School, Legebokoff lived briefly in Lethbridge, Alberta, before moving to Prince George. In Prince George, he shared an apartment with three female friends and worked at a Ford dealership. His online presence included using the handle "1CountryBoy" on the Canadian social networking site Nexopia. Although he had a minor criminal record, he was not considered a person of interest by local police prior to the murders.
The 2010 arrest and discovery
The investigation that would unravel Legebokoff's crimes began with a routine traffic stop on the night of 27 November 2010. RCMP Constable Aaron Kehler observed Legebokoff's 2004 GMC pickup truck speeding erratically after emerging from a remote logging road onto Highway 27 near Prince George. Acting on a hunch, Kehler pulled the vehicle over. He and a second officer discovered a multi-tool and a wrench covered in blood inside the truck, along with a girl's backpack and a wallet containing a children's hospital card for Loren Leslie. When questioned about the blood, Legebokoff claimed he had been poaching and had clubbed a deer, stating, "I'm a redneck, that's what we do for fun." No animal carcass was found. The officers arrested him under the Canada Wildlife Act and called a conservation officer. That officer followed tire tracks and footprints in the fresh snow back up the logging road, where he discovered the body of 15-year-old Loren Leslie. This arrest for Leslie's murder became the crucial moment that eventually linked Legebokoff through DNA to three other homicides.
The victims
Legebokoff was convicted of murdering four individuals. Jill Stacey Stuchenko, a 35-year-old mother of six, was last seen on 9 October 2009. Her body was found four days later in a gravel pit on the outskirts of Prince George. Natasha Lynn Montgomery, a 23-year-old mother of two, was last seen on 31 August or early 1 September 2010. Her body has never been recovered, but her DNA was later found on evidence from Legebokoff's apartment. Cynthia Frances Maas, 35, was last seen on 10 September 2010. Her body was discovered the following month in a Prince George park, having died from blunt-force trauma and penetrating wounds. The Crown stated that Stuchenko, Montgomery, and Maas had worked in the sex trade. The fourth victim, Loren Dawn Leslie, was 15 years old and murdered on 27 November 2010. She was legally blind and far younger than the other victims. She had allegedly met Legebokoff online via Nexopia. Several of these victims are included in the list of cases associated with the Highway of Tears murders in northern British Columbia.
Police investigation and evidence
Following Legebokoff's arrest for the murder of Loren Leslie, RCMP investigators launched an extensive inquiry that spanned thousands of hours. The team, led by the Northern District Major Crime Unit, collected evidence from Legebokoff's truck and residences. Items including clothing and suspected weapons were sent to forensic labs across North America for DNA analysis. A critical breakthrough came when a piece of blood-stained carpet from Legebokoff's apartment was analyzed. The lab matched the blood to Natasha Montgomery, providing the first direct link between her disappearance and the accused. Further DNA from the apartment connected Legebokoff to Cynthia Maas and Jill Stuchenko. Specific weapons were also tied to the crimes. A pickaroon, an axe-like logging tool, contained Maas's DNA, while an axe had Montgomery's DNA. Forensic investigators also found a blood-stained footprint on Legebokoff's kitchen floor, which was identified as his bare foot in Montgomery's blood. This overwhelming physical evidence formed the core of the Crown's case.
Trial and conviction
Legebokoff's trial on four counts of first-degree murder began in June 2014 after several delays. He pleaded not guilty. The Crown called 93 witnesses, and Legebokoff himself testified. During his testimony, he claimed he was "involved" in three of the deaths but did not commit the murders. He alleged that a drug dealer and two accomplices, whom he named only as "X, Y and Z," were the actual killers. Prosecutors rejected this narrative and his attempt to plead guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder. On 11 September 2014, a jury found him guilty on all four counts of first-degree murder. On 16 September, British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Glen Parrett sentenced Legebokoff to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 25 years. Justice Parrett also ordered Legebokoff added to the national sex offender registry, citing sexual assaults committed during the murders and the degradation of the victims' bodies. The judge stated Legebokoff lacked "any shred of empathy or remorse" and should "never be allowed to walk among us again."
Appeal and incarceration
In February 2015, Legebokoff filed an appeal of his conviction. His lawyer, Eric Gottardi, argued before the British Columbia Court of Appeal in September 2016 that the trial judge, Justice Glen Parrett, had created an appearance of unfairness. The appeal centred on written reasons from a 2012 ruling, released only after sentencing, in which Parrett criticized defence counsel's arguments for a change of venue as "misleading" and a "recasting of reality." Gottardi argued his client should have been made aware of these criticisms before trial to consider his legal options. The Crown countered that there was no duty for the judge to disclose these concerns earlier and that the argument did not meet the legal test for a miscarriage of justice. All three appeal court judges endorsed the original trial judge's decisions and dismissed the appeal in September 2016. Legebokoff was initially imprisoned at Kent Institution and was transferred to Warkworth Institution in March 2019, where he remains incarcerated.
Connection to the Highway of Tears
The murders committed by Cody Legebokoff are connected to the larger, ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls along northern British Columbia's Highway 16, known as the Highway of Tears. While not all of Legebokoff's victims were Indigenous, the cases of Natasha Montgomery and Loren Leslie have been included in official lists of victims associated with the highway. The geographic location of the crimes around Prince George, a major hub along the route, further ties them to this regional tragedy. The Legebokoff case exemplifies the violence faced by vulnerable women in the area and highlights the complex interplay between serial predation and the broader pattern of disappearances. His crimes have been featured in documentaries and media reports examining the Highway of Tears, bringing renewed attention to the need for improved safety and investigative resources in the region.
Media and popular culture
The case of Cody Legebokoff has been the subject of various media productions due to its shocking nature and connection to the Highway of Tears. It was covered in the 2015 documentary Highway of Tears. Florida author J.T. Hunter profiled Legebokoff in the 2015 true crime book The Country Boy Killer: The True Story of Cody Legebokoff, Canada's Teenage Serial Killer. The Investigation Discovery series Web of Lies featured the case in a season 7 episode titled "Virtual Hitchhiking," which first aired on 8 March 2021. Earlier, the CBS News program 48 Hours discussed Legebokoff in a season 26 episode about the Highway of Tears that aired on 17 November 2012. These portrayals have contributed to public awareness of the crimes and the investigative work that led to his conviction.
Questions about Cody Legebokoff
How was Cody Legebokoff caught?
Cody Legebokoff was caught because of a routine traffic stop on 27 November 2010. An RCMP officer pulled over his speeding truck after it emerged from a remote logging road near Prince George. During the stop, officers found bloodied tools and a backpack belonging to 15-year-old Loren Leslie. A conservation officer later traced Legebokoff's tracks in the snow and found Leslie's body. This arrest led to a full investigation that used DNA evidence to link him to three other murders.
Did Cody Legebokoff appeal his conviction?
Yes, Cody Legebokoff appealed his conviction in February 2015. His lawyer argued before the British Columbia Court of Appeal in September 2016 that the trial judge's undisclosed criticisms of the defence counsel created an appearance of unfairness. The three-judge panel dismissed the appeal later that same month, endorsing the original trial judge's decisions. The appeal did not challenge the overwhelming physical evidence presented at trial.
What evidence was used to convict Cody Legebokoff?
The conviction relied heavily on forensic DNA evidence. Blood from victims Natasha Montgomery, Cynthia Maas, and Jill Stuchenko was found on items seized from Legebokoff's apartment and vehicle. A pickaroon contained Maas's DNA, an axe had Montgomery's DNA, and Stuchenko's blood was on a couch. A bloody footprint in Legebokoff's kitchen was matched to his bare foot in Montgomery's blood. This physical evidence, gathered from a massive police investigation, formed an overwhelming case against him.
Who is Cody Legebokoff?
Cody Alan Legebokoff is a Canadian serial killer born on 21 January 1990. He was convicted in 2014 by the Supreme Court of British Columbia for murdering three women and one teenage girl between 2009 and 2010 in or near Prince George, British Columbia. He is one of Canada's youngest convicted serial killers. His trial drew national attention and his case has been featured in documentaries and true crime media.
Where is Cody Legebokoff from?
Cody Legebokoff was born and raised in Fort St. James, a district municipality in rural British Columbia. After graduating from Fort St. James Secondary School, he lived briefly in Lethbridge, Alberta, before moving to Prince George, British Columbia. In Prince George, he shared an apartment with three close female friends and worked at a Ford dealership. He was described by friends and family as a popular young man who played ice hockey.
What was Cody Legebokoff's sentence?
On September 16, 2014, Cody Legebokoff was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 25 years. British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Glen Parrett also added him to the national sex offender registry. The judge stated that Legebokoff lacked any shred of empathy or remorse and should never be allowed to walk among us again. He was originally imprisoned at the Kent Institution before being transferred to the Warkworth Institution in March 2019.
Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Nosy Mag desk. Last updated 2026-10-21.
