Suvechha Sarkar
Sian Simmonds was a devoted daughter and beloved sister who had just begun building a promising life for herself. In January 1993, the 19-year-old was at her home in Guildford, British Columbia, when she was brutally shot to death. Her untimely demise left the community completely shocked and her loved ones searching for answers. The case comes into focus on Lifetime’s ‘The Monster She Married,’ which delves deeper into how the investigators pieced together the evidence to catch the people responsible for the homicide.
Sian Simmonds Was Found Dead in a Basement Suite She Shared With Her Sister
On January 28, 1973, Sian Simmonds arrived as a blessing in the lives of Christopher and Sue Simmonds. Growing up, she always received an abundance of love and attention from her parents. She also fostered a close bond with her older sister, Katie Simmonds. Sian was well known among her loved ones for her devotion to her family and was described as popular. After graduating from high school, she enrolled in college to pursue further education. Simultaneously, Sian began her professional journey by working part-time at a supermarket.
Sian then left her position at the supermarket to serve as a waitress at a restaurant to support herself through college. Eventually, she and Katie moved into a basement suite in the Guildford neighborhood in Surrey, British Columbia. While in school, Sian’s paths crossed with a boy named David, and they soon found themselves drawn toward each other. By 1993, they had been in a relationship for several years. (Note: This individual was distinct from and unrelated to David Walter Schlender.) On the morning of January 27, 1993, Sian began her day like any other, spending time alone at home. However, things quickly took a grave turn when she was killed inside the house. Reports state that Sian’s neighbors had heard her screaming before seeing a man running away from the home.
When officials arrived at the scene after they were informed about the situation, they found Sian dead. Upon further inspection, forensic experts noted that she was shot and was also beaten on the head several times. They further found an insurance document inside the suite. Additionally, detectives discovered minor damage to Sian’s vehicle that was parked near the house. Official records state that the autopsy revealed she was shot two times with a small-caliber firearm and suffered injury to her head after being beaten with a blunt object, with both of them contributing to her death. The medical examiner also concluded that she was killed between 11 am and 12 pm.
A Confession Exposed a Murder-For-Hire Plot Behind Sian’s Death
At the scene, officials spoke with several witnesses who reported seeing a man running away from Sian’s home. According to reports, she was staying in the basement of her uncle and aunt’s home, and they recalled that the man had claimed to have scratched the 19-year-old’s car before entering the suite. The car insurance document found inside the suite eventually led officials to a man named Brian Cann. Court records indicate that when he was questioned, he stated he had lent his car and insurance papers to a friend, David Walter Schlender. It is important to note that Brian was never considered a suspect. Based on several witness descriptions, officials identified the man seen at the crime scene as David. He was finally arrested on January 28, 1993, for the murder of Sian.
As per court records, although David denied killing Sian in his first two statements, things changed after authorities assured him that they would provide protection for his wife and children. In his statements, he then confessed to killing Sian and revealed that a man named Brian Gerald West had recruited him. David went on to say that Brian recruited him on behalf of a karate instructor. According to police records of David’s confession, he claimed to investigators that he owed drug debts to Brian, who allegedly offered to forgive the debt and pay him additional money to intimidate Sian and Katie. According to reports, David claimed that the plan was only to threaten the sisters, but he panicked and killed Sian.
The search for the karate instructor eventually revealed that the instructor was Sian’s former family doctor, Josephakis “Joe” Charalambous. As investigators dug deeper, they learned that she and Katie had complained against him to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, alleging that he had committed sexual misconduct against them, as per the records. Further reports suggest that the college had set a disciplinary hearing against him in March 1993, before which Sian was killed. Eventually, both Brian and Joe were taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder. Joe also faced the additional charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
Joe Charalambous Remains Incarcerated at a Prison in Canada Today
After David was taken into custody, he entered into a plea deal with the prosecution in exchange for testifying against Brian and his karate instructor friend, Joe. On May 2, 1993, David pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with the eligibility for parole not before 20 years on June 2, 1993. The authorities theorized that he was asked to threaten Sian and Katie to ensure that the sisters didn’t testify against Joe or cause problems for Brian during the March 1993 hearing at the college. Joe faced a bench trial in 1994, during which the prosecution presented the theory and introduced his estranged wife, Shelley Charalambous, as a witness.
In her testimony, Shelley stated she heard Joe speak with Katie on a call, following which he had claimed that Katie and Sian were lying about him and said that the only way they would stop was if they were killed. The prosecution also highlighted that the college had previously cited Joe for infamous conduct, and he faced a six-month suspension for marrying Shelley when she was just 16. On the other hand, the defense insisted Joe was innocent and questioned the credibility of his wife’s testimony. The judge ultimately found him guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder on November 29, 1994. Joe was sentenced to life in prison with no eligibility to apply for parole for 25 years.
In January 2006, David died in prison while he was still serving his sentence. Brian faced a separate jury trial, during which he was convicted of first-degree murder on November 24, 1995. He also received a life sentence, with eligibility to apply for parole after 25 years. Although he appealed his conviction, the court dismissed the appeal on June 24, 1997. In 2016, Brian was granted parole and currently appears to be maintaining a low profile. Joe also appealed his judgment several times, but all of them were dismissed. Joe was denied parole in May 2020 and again in June 2023. He was denied parole in late January 2025. As of writing, Joe is likely incarcerated at a prison facility in Canada.
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