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Acton mourns Colleen recall her devotion to children Free Press file photo murder victim Colleen who was a Mr and Mrs Rowling League award winner In May of year Murder victim Colleen has been described by friends neighbors and fellow players In the Mr and Mrs Bowling League as someone who would do anything for you and devoted to her band and two children Many have talked about how dedicated was in earing or her family particularly her seriously ill 15 monthold son Bowlers recalled she placed second in league voting for the bowler of the year award an award which had nothing to do wilh her ability on the alleys The award is emblematic of the esteem Fund open for Oates A drive to raise funds to help Kevin Oates the widower of murder victim Colleen Oates and their two Amy and Shane has been started In Ac of the Oates Wayne and Lynda Ruse the drive this week After consulting with Mr whosaid with his son serious health problems and the burden of be ing a single parent he would appreciate the community drive the Ruses opened up an account in Mr name at the Bank of Nova Scotia Already money has been deposited In account number Cheques for deposit should bo made payable to Kevin Oates fellow players hold someone in for their friend spirit pleasantness etc In fact one player bald Mrs Oates would have won this award except she was too quiet it was hard to get to know her She have thoabillty to make people angry yuu t imagine her offending anyone Everyone really loved her Bowlers said the reason Colleen wnsn In the league this year was because she was staying home earing for her son Shane who shortly after birth v as discovered to suffer from spinal meningitis and chronic asthma and required constant attention The league collected TO for the family She and her husband were married over four years ago and moved Acton living first on Church St and then moved to Bower Ave about a year ago Mrs Oates was her husband Kevin is and daughter Amy Besides her husband and children Mrs survived by her parents June and William Walker of Erin as well as sisters Kate Acton Cheryle Erin Kelly Sharpe Guelph and brother Mark Walker Her father and mother In law Alfred and Lorraine Oaten also of Erin Mrs rested at the Weddcll Butcher Funeral Home In Erin funeral mass was held at St John Roman Catholic Church in Erin Monday afternoon Interment was at Erin Union Cemetery a the lower lr el of this Bower home Thursday night A Community Newspaper One Hundred and Seventh Year No ACTON ONTARIO WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 28 Pages Twenty five Cents Intensive Acton investigation Nab murder suspect after 105 hour hunt Even after Police had information tracing murder suspect Eric Howard Kellar from Acton to the Fifth Wheel Truck Stop then to a hotel and later a warehouse in the Durham Region where he was apprehended Monday they never dropped their intensive search of the Acton area continuing to verify he had not returned The hunt for the sole suspect in the savage murder of year old mother two Colleen Oates lasted approximately 104 hours and minutes It began arrival of officers on scene the murder at 136 Bower Ave at 4 a Thursday and ended with the 31 yearold exconvicts arrest in a Pickering warehouse Monday at about 12 45 Ex convict At a press conference Monday night Regional Police deputy chief Bob Mlddaugh Staff Serge Ron and Sergeant Paul Williamson refused to confirm reports who they said had v his sister at the house next door to the Oates residence for on ly about the last two weeks had been Murder suspect trie Howard had been living In this Bower Ave home for only a couple of weeks with his sister Suspect remanded Eric Howard Keller who has been charged with first degree murder of Colleen last Thursday in Acton is being kept in custody in the Hamilton Detention Centre Yesterday morning Tuesday Keller was to have appeared In Milton Provincial Court for the first time after being charged However Tuesday the Crown Attorney James ordered Keller brought before a Justice of the Peace at the Regional Pol ice Station in Georgetown where tho suspect was held in custody Monday night and his trans ferto Hamilton was ordered then Keller is slated to appear in Milton Provincial Court next Monday at a m from Brampton Correctlonal Centre earlier this month Police haven admitted Kellar Is an ex but a photostat photograph of him dls to some people in the Acton area school bus drivers motel operators etc who were Interviewed by police were clearly mug shots Along the side of the photographs it said inmate record Police said he was not on or mandatory supervision to their no edge The murder shocked and horrified the com of Acton Chief James Harding said Fri day police have talked to many residents who said they were afraid and frightened at the thought of such a brutal crime happening here and the suspect being on the loose He noted he had heard concerns from many citizens under predominantly women Police knew of citizens who were taking extra precautions to secure their homes and staying In more the past few days Woke up neighbor Mrs Oates husband Kevin woke up Larry White who lives across the street around after discovering his wife body near the back door of the lower level apartment of the two level home where they had lived about a year and call police Before going to the Whites he had found his threeyearold daughter Amy and 15- son Shane asleep and unharmed In a bedroom The children arc presumed to have slept through the attack The Whiles confirmed Mr Oates was in state of shock and mentioned he should hove returned home from his job In Brampton sooner after receiving a call from his wife around when she said she was frightened Mr never told the Whites why his wife was afraid Stabbed repeatedly The police began their investigation within of arriving on the scene On Thursday afternoon they released information that fatal wounds the victim were Inflicted by a sharp in Monday night police said murder weapon which has been recovered but they won t say where or when was a They t describe the knife Also early Thursday afternoon police they were searching for a mole suspect who had been observed at the home by a neighbor The suspect identity and the identity of the victim were released later Thursday afternoon by police They described as six foot three Inches tall pounds heavy build short brown hair receding in the front clean shaven blue eyes ruddy complexion wearing a dark blue shirt blue jeans heavy boots and a blue Continued on page Ron South Rote Deputy Chief Bob and Detective Paul Williamson answer lions from press Monday night after he arrest of murder suspect Eric Kellor Acton Library was the scene of some whacky faces on when they put on which kept children occupied during their teachers professional development a face making day Margaret and Bonnie led the two sessions day Photo by DAVE DORKLN Questionnaire on town hall going to 330 Acton homes A questionnaire dealing with the Acton town hall will be hand delivered to randomly selected Ac ton homes this The short questionnaire asking people at about possible town hall uses will be hand picked up on Sunday The consulting firm of Brampton is also planning the first of two public meetings for next at Acton High School Klcinfeld is do a feasibility study and analysis of the town hall for Halton Hills The team of Ivor David project Robert Graham project director Helen and Andy research assistants discussed the study which is to be completed by December with the Free Press Monday after meeting with council steering committee A storefront office has been established at the Hills municipal offices in Acton on Mill St Residents are invited drop by a m noon or Wednesday 1 m to and offer their the town hall The consultants made it quite clear they are seek the Input for their study of all citizens of Acton They described the questionnaire as being of a probability sampling format and an application marketing model Interviews with community groups such as Girl Guides and service clubs regarding where they meet now and their meeting facility needs ore being conducted Nine groups have been contacted already Ted Tyler of and Yvonne Rosenqulst of the Town Hall Restoration Committee and have already been Interviewed by a researcher chairman Chip will also be contacted Interviews public meetings and the question arc all designed to allow the consultants to get a handle on the always slippery question need Because they started late October the study timeline was adjusted Instead of the final report being presented November to council it will now go December An interim report will go to the town Every step of the way through the study the con by November instead of early next month as will be meeting with council steering originally planned Continued on page Yellowbrown Acton water is damaging some clothing A special meeting of the wird one councillors dropin will be held this Friday afternoon from 1 to at the building on Mill St East to discuss the problem of Acton yellow brown water While all tests indicate the yellow brown water which Thursday present a health hazard is known to clothing which is washed Mayor Peter and Acton Councillors Dave Whiting Terry Gruhbo and Ross Knechtel have called this special and will hive region water engineers consultants and Ministry of the Environment officials on hand to answer lions from residents who ore concerned Also residents are Invited to attend and hear discussions regarding compensation for people whose clothing has been damaged by the yellow brown water A press release was issued by the region Tuesday afternoon It states recently region received a number of complaints regarding the taste color and odor of the Acton water The cause of this problem is a new chemical treatment process Introduced into the Prospect Park pumping station very recently The addition of chlorine dioxide and sodium silicate for elimination of odor in the water and control of iron and manganese was begun on October and within hours the complaints began The whole situation has been re lowed with a consultant and with the Ministry of the Environ ment rcsoireh personnel The opinion of the consul ant Is that the discoloration is only temporary and Continued on page inside There been a positive response from province a local man a call for special parking for the dis Moreonpagea There will be three extra policemen patrolling Acton on en Drowning inquest An inquest will be held in drowning earold Derek Jones last Tuesday morn ing A date for hearing been set Allstair Macintosh Is the in the case which saw the K Ingham Road toddler drown in a pond on Campbell property on Highway just south of Kingham road Derek was the son of Mark and Louise Jones