Sydney River McDonald's murders

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On May 7, 1992, in Sydney River, Nova Scotia the McDonald's restaurant was the scene of several homicides. Derek Wood, 19, an employee of the restaurant along with two friends, Freeman MacNeil, 23, and Darren Muise, 18, broke into the restaurant after closing, planning to rob the place. They shot, stabbed, and beat three employees to death and left a fourth to die after shooting her in the head. She is now permanently disabled.

The killers claim they had not planned on using any violence in the break and enter; it was to be quick and easy money. The night of the murders MacNeil, Muise, and Wood inched their way into the restaurant via a basement door Wood had left ajar earlier in the evening and wore halloween masks. They were armed with a .22 caliber pistol, several knives, and a shovel handle. Expecting to find over $200,000 in the restaurant's safe, the three made off with just over $2,000.

Freeman MacNeil is now in a maximum security prison in Renous, New Brunswick, serving life (25 years until parole eligibility). Darren Muise received is serving life (20 years until parole eligibility). Derek Wood is serving life (25 years until parole eligibility). In Canada, virtually all offenders are released on their parole dates and thus it's likely each of the three murderers will serve no more than their respective minimums.

The Sydney River McDonald's murders were one of the highest profile murder cases in Canada as well as the first fast-food murders in the country. The restaurant re-opened two weeks after the killings but was demolished under new ownership in 1999. A new building was constructed a few blocks from the former location down King's Road towards the city of Sydney, Nova Scotia.