Convicted killer arrested in Kingston homicide cold case

OPP NEWS RELEASES

************************* Arrest made in 11-year-old homicide

KINGSTON, ON (March 2) - Today, officers of the Joint Forces Penitentiary Squad, under the direction of Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Detective Inspector Dave Quigley, arrested a 52-year-old man for the 1999 murder of a Millhaven inmate.

On July 14, 1999, 24-year-old Scott Barnett, an inmate at the maximum security Millhaven Institution, collapsed and was found unconscious while in the prison's yard.

Barnett was transported to the Kingston General Hospital but died the following day.

A post-mortem examination was performed indicating the cause of death to be cyanide poisoning.

The penitentiary squad, under the direction of the Ontario Provincial Police, criminal investigation branch continued their investigation into this homicide.

In 2006, the case was reviewed and new information was identified by applying a new investigative strategy.

Today, Phillip Vince, 52 was arrested and charged with the first-degree murder of Scott Barnett.

Vince was arrested at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary where he is serving a life sentence for two first-degree murder sentences that resulted from two homicides that occurred in 1985 in Durham Region.

Vince was also imprisoned at Millhaven Institution at the time of Barnett's murder.

Vince is being returned to Kingston, Ontario by the penitentiary squad and will appear in Napanee court on Thursday, March 4, 2010.

The Joint Forces Penitentiary Squad is comprised of investigators from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the Kingston Police Force (KPF).

Police have been assisted throughout this investigation by members of Correctional Services Canada.

The investigation is continuing and anyone with information about this murder is asked to call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers.

Additionally, information about this case can be found on this website in the Criminal Investigation Branch "Unsolved Cases" area.

Tips can be emailed to police through this site.

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************************* March is fraud prevention month!

ELLIOT LAKE, ON - It always seems that at this time of year the Elliot Lake Seniors Issue Office located at the East Algoma OPP Detachment in Elliot Lake receives an increase in calls about different types of scams being introduced to the public.

Here are some scams that citizens should look out for when answering the phone or opening your mail. “Congratulations, you have won a trip; all you have to do is press #9 on your phone...”

Inevitably, the person you talk to will try to sell you some sort of product or try to get some type of personal information from you.

Just hang up!

And/or...

“Hello, I am from such-and-such bank and we are confirming your personal information can you provide me with some personal information..."

If you are not convinced that this is a legitimate call, tell the person you will contact your local bank branch to make sure the information is needed.

Also be careful when receiving e-mails requesting you click on a link that will bring you to a website so they can confirm your personal information.

This is known as “phishing.”

The website you click on is not the official bank or credit card site but a very good replica.

Your bank will not attempt to update your information in this matter. For information on these and other scams, visit the Phonebusters website.

The OPP would like to remind all citizens to not give out personal information, especially when you were not the one initiating the contact.

If in doubt, contact authorities including banks, police or the seniors issues office.

Not all telemarketers or mailings you receive are scams but if you think that something doesn’t sound right or look right, don’t participate!

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