Shauna Collier is on a quest to find out who killed her father in a hit-and-run on a quiet street in Pictou, N.S., 40 years ago.
It was a clear evening on Wednesday, March 27, 1985 when Anthony Gerard Burke, better known as Tony, was struck and killed by a vehicle near 97 Wellington Street.
The 29-year-old had been at a party with friends at a home when a fight broke out, prompting Tony to leave.
He was last seen walking down Wellington Street before 10 p.m.
Moments later, Tony was hit by a car, described as blue and possibly an AMC Gremlin.
The driver of the vehicle stopped briefly but drove away without offering any help.
A passing motorist who witnessed the collision stopped to try and help, but Tony succumbed to his injuries and died on the side of the road.
The case has gone cold since that night, but it remains fresh on the mind of the daughter Tony left behind.
“For 40 years, I’ve lived with the unanswered questions, and carrying the weight of his loss, not knowing the full truth,” Collier told CTV News Friday.
Collier was only 12 at the time of her father’s death.
“It was later on in life when I started to question what happened in this accident, what took Tony’s life,” Collier said. “I later found out what exactly happened, but it’s still quite a mystery to me.”
According to RCMP Insp. Mike Ingles, police arrived a few minutes after Tony was struck and two witnesses provided descriptions of the suspect vehicle.
Police eventually seized and examined a car matching that description, and followed other leads, but forensic analysis at the time was inconclusive.
“We didn’t have enough to conclusively link the vehicle to be the one that struck Mr. Burke,” Ingles told CTV News Friday.
“It was a dark night, and the person who was driving the vehicle might have a very plausible explanation for what occurred. Unfortunately, they didn’t stop at the scene, and 40 years later, this file is still under investigation, and we’re hoping to get to the bottom of what occurred.”
Police still have the clothes Tony was wearing the night of his death.
Ingles said modern technology, such as advanced fibre analysis, could have made a huge difference at the time.
“I think 40 years ago, we were able to do basic analysis of those fibres, but as technology advances, you’re able to find minute details between fibres, fibres that, to the naked eye might look similar, or you believe they’re exactly the same,” he explained.
“The technology in 2025 is such that we can conclusively say whether a fibre from the same batch is exactly the same color, those, those types of details that are important … in a case like this.”
The inspector emphasized the investigation is still active and he is urging the community to come forward with any information, highlighting the importance of resolving the case for Burke’s family and the public.
“It’s a relatively tightknit community,” Ingles added. “It’s a wonderful place, and people who live in in the area tend to stay here for long periods of time, so that’s why we’re confident that someone in the area knows information about what occurred that night.”
In a plea for information from the public, Collier said even something small or insignificant might help.
“Even the smallest detail could lead or bring closure to this case,” she said. “I understand that fear, guilt or even loyalty may have kept you silent, but now is the time.”
Collier believes someone has information that can help solve the case.
“My father deserved better than to be left behind and his memory deserves justice,” she said.
“To the person who is involved in this, who may have did this, that you’ve carried this secret for far too long, and now is the time to come and tell the truth,” she added.
Anyone with information about the death of Anthony Gerard Burke is asked to contact the Pictou County District RCMP at 902-485-4333 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
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