Colin Thatcher was the son of Wilbert Ross Thatcher, premier of Saskatchewan from 1964 to 1971. After his father's death in 1971, Thatcher cultivated his own interest in politics.
On May 7, 1984, after a lengthy police investigation, Colin Thatcher was arrested for her murder. The sensational and controversial trial unfolded over the fall of 1984. Although Thatcher has never ceased to proclaim his innocence, he was found guilty, and spent 22 years in prison.
It had been three years since she and husband Colin Thatcher—the son of a former Saskatchewan premier and an ex-provincial cabinet minister himself—had filed for divorce, years marked by Wilson’s remarriage, an acrimonious custody battle over the three Thatcher children and a previous violent attack on her.
Thatcher has been in custody since police charged him last May 7 with the murder of Wilson, 43. His arrest came almost 15 months after the discovery of Wilson’s body on Jan. 21, 1983, in the garage of her family home in Regina.
Wilbert Colin Thatcher is a Canadian politician who was convicted for the murder of his ex-wife, JoAnn Wilson.
83Â years (August 25, 1938)Colin Thatcher / Age
JoAnn WilsonColin Thatcher / Spouse (m. 1962–1980)
The only son of Liberal premier Ross Thatcher, Colin Thatcher entered Saskatchewan politics in 1975 as Liberal MLA for Thunder Creek. In 1977 he switched to the Conservatives, acting as finance critic and house leader until that party's victory in 1982, after which he was named minister of energy and mines.
The only son of Liberal premier Ross Thatcher, Colin Thatcher entered Saskatchewan politics in 1975 as Liberal MLA for Thunder Creek. Wilbert Colin Thatcher, rancher, politician (b at Toronto, Ont 25 Aug 1938). The only son of Liberal premier Ross Thatcher, Colin Thatcher entered Saskatchewan politics in 1975 as Liberal MLA for Thunder Creek.
On the evening of Jan. 21, 1983, JoAnn Wilson was murdered, bludgeoned and shot in the garage of her Regina home. It had been three years since she and husband Colin Thatcher—the son of a former Saskatchewan premier and an ex-provincial cabinet minister himself—had filed for divorce, years marked by Wilson’s remarriage, ...
The Crown did not inform the defence that the witness’s statement to the police claimed the gun was a black automatic; Thatcher’s weapon was silver-barreled.] But the Supreme Court dismissed my appeal, citing this weapon theory as the reason. There was the material about the credit card that they withheld.
No one was ever charged for it. On May 7, 1984, after a lengthy police investigation, Colin Thatcher was arrested for her murder. The sensational and controversial trial unfolded over the fall of 1984. Although Thatcher has never ceased to proclaim his innocence, he was found guilty, and spent 22 years in prison.
Convicted murderer Colin Thatcher sits down with The Canadian Press for an one on one interview in Wakamow Park in Moose Jaw, Sask., Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Troy Fleece)
However, the board still wants him to participate in counselling because of his history of violence against his Wilson.