S9 E1 They Should Have Felt Safe

S9 E1 They Should Have Felt Safe

From Island Crime by Laura Palmer

May 29, 2026 · 39 min · Season 9 · Episode 1

About this episode

Laura Palmer investigates the unsolved murder of Andrew and Elizabeth Kostyniuk in 1959.

In the summer of 1959, Andrew and Elizabeth Kostyniuk, known to everyone in South Wellington, BC, as Curly and Lizzie, were stabbed to death in their own home. The case was never solved, and for 67 years, their names faded into silence. Now, their great-great-granddaughter, Shauna, has asked host Laura Palmer to take on her coldest case yet. In this first episode, Laura travels to South Wellington to learn about the world Curly and Lizzie lived in, a quiet, close-knit Vancouver Island community where doors were left unlocked, and everyone knew everyone's business. On the night of June 26th, Curly heads to the local store to watch a world heavyweight championship fight. Lizzie walks home alone. It's the last time they see each other alive. Was this a robbery gone wrong or something far more personal? Note: This season's theme song is 'The Sunny Side of the Street.' You can listen to the full original recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEd7g_gc6No Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Host: Laura Palmer

Guest: Shauna

Topics covered

  • cold case
  • true crime
  • unsolved murder
  • family history
  • Vancouver Island
  • community
  • 1950s

Keywords

  • cold case
  • murder
  • South Wellington
  • Kostyniuk
  • true crime
  • 1959
  • Vancouver Island
  • community safety
  • unsolved

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Sunny Side of the Street

Places: South Wellington, BC

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