Shivangi Sinha
When Erin Gilmour was found murdered in her apartment in December 1983, she left behind a family that grieved for a daughter and a sister who was taken away from them for a reason they could not understand. In Hazelton Avenue in Toronto, such crimes were unheard of, and with an elusive perpetrator, the family had more difficulty accepting Erin’s death. In NBC’s ‘Dateline’ episode ‘Evil Walked Through The Door,’ Erin’s brothers, Sean and Kaelin McCowan, recount their relationship with her and how her loss affected them and their family.
Sean and Kaelin McCowan Were at Erin’s Apartment a Night Before Her Murder
Sean and Kaelin McCowan, born two years apart, shared a close bond growing up alongside their stepsister, Erin Gilmour. While Sean and Kaelin were the children of Anna McCowan-Johnson and her second husband, George McCowan, Erin was Anna’s daughter from her previous marriage to David Gilmour. Despite being step-siblings, the trio spent much of their childhood together, mainly since Erin lived with her mother following her parents’ divorce. After Anna’s separation from George, she took all three children, including Sean and Kaelin, to Greece for a few years.
Erin demonstrated immense support for her brothers, particularly during challenging times. When Sean faced difficulties fitting in at Upper Canada College and his parents contemplated withdrawing him from the school, Erin intervened. She invited him to her apartment, encouraging him to persevere and give the school more time. Kaelin also recalled a thoughtful gesture from Erin when she bought Sean a green Swiss army knife, which he held dear to him. However, in 1982, an incident occurred when Erin received a hoax call falsely claiming that Sean had been involved in an accident while riding his bicycle.
The family felt threatened, and Kaelin remembered that he had always wanted Erin to keep herself safe. On the night of December 19, 1983, both brothers had stayed at Erin’s apartment, where they remembered watching ‘Psycho’ together. The following day, 13-year-old Sean left early for Christmas shopping, while Erin accompanied 11-year-old Kaelin home after a few hours. Unbeknownst to them, it would be their final encounter with their sister. Sean vividly remembered his mother waking him up that morning to deliver the news of Erin’s murder.
In the years following Erin’s murder with no resolution, Sean and Kaelin carried on with their lives. However, in 2000, when the connection between Erin Gilmour’s murder and Susan Tice’s murder was established, renewed attention was drawn to the case. During this period, Sean took on the role of unofficial spokesperson for the family, serving as the point of contact for the police regarding any developments in the case. Sean expressed a sense of satisfaction as the list of suspects narrowed down. When their mother passed away in 2020, Sean mourned the fact that she never got to see justice served for Erin.
Sean McCowan is Working in Investment, While Kaelin McCowan is a Camera Operator Today
In 2022, when Sean McCowan received a call from the police informing him that Erin’s killer had been apprehended, he was out socializing with friends. Upon hearing the news, he stepped away momentarily, overwhelmed by joy and sadness. Sean immediately contacted Kaelin McCowan to share the momentous development. During the victim impact hearing following Joseph George Sutherland’s arrest, the brothers appeared in court, reminiscing about their sister and reflecting on the decades of torment their family endured. They spoke particularly about their mother, lamenting that she passed away without ever seeing justice served.
Now married and a father, Sean better understood his parents’ experience after losing Erin when he had his children. With a successful career in investment, he currently serves as the Director of Cormark Securities, an independent investment consultancy. Sean graduated from Huron University and has built an impressive career in Toronto, Canada, where he resides with his family.
After graduating from York University, Kaelin established himself in Auckland, New Zealand. In 2009, he launched his company, Detour Coffee Inc., and was its co-founder until 2018. Transitioning to a career in the film industry, he now works as a camera operator. He is part of the Camera and Electrical Department for several renowned movies and shows, including ‘Schitt’s Creek,’ ‘Orphan Black,’ ‘Murdoch Mysteries,’ and ‘What We Do in the Shadows.’ He is also a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. Both brothers recognize that sharing Erin’s story is essential to preserving her legacy and are relieved to finally see the man responsible for their family’s pain behind bars.
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