Dead Air

Day # 4 of 31 Days of Halloween 

Radio personalities. We hang on to their words. They can be there before our first cup of coffee, on the long drives home, or on a quiet night night at home. We often trust them. They tell us about the local news and events, contests, and entertainment. Even crime.

What happens when that voice comes out of the shadows Let’s tune our dials to Murder. .

Rene Castellani had been a former nightclub owner, who tried to become an actor, and who had yet another career change when he was hired by New Westminster radio station CKNW in 1964 to do promotion.

Among other stunts, he dressed as a 'Mahorajah', and he and his entourage 'arrived' in Vancouver and began a series of high profile 'appearances' around town. 

He was then cast as 'The Dizzy Dialer' at the radio station, where he would telephone unsuspecting victims and make outlandish requests. 

Yes, old schtick now, and even then, a lot of it was taken straight off the TV shows of the time, including I Love Lucy, and Steve Allen. Things like that just wouldn’t fly now but, that was a simpler time, and Rene was considered by some - to be quite the comedian.

Friends and acquaintances had mixed opinions about Rene. Described as being talented, outgoing, and funny, but some of his co-workers thought he was weird and even crazy.

Rene was married to his loving wife Esther and together, they lived a charmed life. The house, the car, the perfect daughter. Great budding career in Canadian Media. 

However things took a dark turn as 1965 started, and so did the hospital visits.  Esther began suffering from a series of mysterious ailments—nausea, weakness, and severe pain. Despite visits to doctors and specialists, no one could pinpoint the cause of her worsening condition.

During this time of Esther's deteriorating, Rene started one of his most elaborate, and most publicized, stunts. 

For days on end, he was, in effect, flagpole sitting; supposedly staying in a car parked adjacent to the top of the ten-story tall Bow Mac sign on West Broadway. 

All while broadcasting regular live reports of the experience to his radio audience. 

As Esther at home, grew ever more ill, some at CKNW grew ever more horrified by his callousness, and begged him to end the gag, to get down. To look after his wife. 

Poor Esther's health was deteriorating rapidly, all the while Rene was supposedly, and publicly, 'away' from her.

You see prior to this, Rene was the doting husband working by day with his grand schemes and by night was tending his ailing wife. He would take on all the duties of the home. Taking care of the chores, the bills, the children, and the cooking. Making sure every day his wife would get the nourishment she needed. Hand-fed and cared for by Rene himself. He would exclaim there were days he would make her favorite sweet treats to help maintain her strength. Chocolate Milkshakes. 

He had his own special recipe even. 

His favorite ingredient. 

Arsenic. 

Esther Aged 40, died on July 11, 1965, after months of agony. Esther's family doctor was stumped. He couldn't get it out of his mind. He began reviewing her case, going back through all the files. The only possible conclusion he could come to was a suspected poisoning. The Key to the case,  There was so much in her body, they could tell she'd been fed that poison for many months prior to her death. 

Rene was found guilty of murder and subsequently sentenced to life in prison. His conviction marked the end of his once-celebrated radio career and plunged him into infamy

Went from a faceless radio personality to one of BC’s most vocal murderers.