Peterborough journalist turns passion for writing into investigative crime book

Peterborough journalist Ed Arnold has turned his passion for writing into a book of local investigative features, Inside Peterborough: Three Murder Stories.

“I was always captivated by crime stories in Peterborough, and when I came across the murder near Champs back in 1928 of a police officer, I got more involved in trying to find out the story,” said Arnold.

Arnold’s 19th book delves into three major crimes: the story of the only police officer to be murdered in the line of duty in Peterborough; the shooting of an American near Warsaw, which led to Peterborough’s last hanging, and the killing of a young garage attendant in Otonabee Township that resulted in a precedent-setting case in Canadian legal circles.

During his research, Arnold obtained information that had never before been revealed.

READ MORE: Author of ‘Not your Average Cup of Joe’ was once a homeless man in Peterborough

“The biggest challenge in doing research is finding out all these other stories, and you stop and read them — it has nothing to do with what you’re there to research — and then finding that nugget that might lead you to another archive,” said Arnold.

He says he hopes his book gives justice to the innocent victims.

“I want them to remember the victims in most murder cases: the murdered or the accused is always remembered. The victims, who are they? Ten years later, these people should be remembered,” said Arnold.

Without the financial support of Bob Russelle from Russelle’s Toyota, Arnold says this book release would not be possible.

“I knew it was a community project that he was doing. He’s a big community guy, I’m a big community guy; our business supports the community so I wanted to do whatever I could to help,” said Russelle.

The book can be purchased for $25 at the Peterborough Examiner, Happenstance in Lakefield, Keene Public Library and the Warsaw municipal building.

Part of the proceeds from the book will go to Camp Kawartha as well as children’s programs at both the Keene Public Library and the Douro-Dummer Public Library.