John Schneeberger

Dr. John Schneeberger
Born 1961
Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia)
Occupation Doctor
Criminal charge
 rape, of administering a noxious substance, obstruction of justice,
Criminal penalty
 six years
Criminal status released
Spouse(s) Lisa Dillman
Children Two children, plus one stepdaughter and one stepson

John Schneeberger (born 1961) is a South African former physician who lived and practiced in Canada, who drugged and raped one of his female patients and his stepdaughter. For years, he was able to evade arrest by planting a fake blood sample inside his own body, thus successfully foiling DNA tests.

Early life

John Schneeberger was born in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) and received medical education at the Stellenbosch University in South Africa. In 1987, he moved to Canada. He lived in the town of Kipling, Saskatchewan and practiced in the Kipling Medical Centre. He married Lisa Dillman, and had two daughters with her. In 1993, he acquired Canadian citizenship.

Rape case

Schneeberger was accused of serious sexual crimes, and convicted after several times successfully foiling DNA tests.[1]

On the night of 31 October 1992, Schneeberger sedated his 23-year-old patient, Candice, and raped her. While Versed — the anesthetic he used — has strong amnesiac effect, Candice was still able to remember the rape. She reported the crime to the police.

Schneeberger's blood sample was, however, found not to match the samples of the alleged rapist's semen, thus clearing him of suspicion. In 1993, at the victim's request, the test was repeated, but the result was negative, as well. In 1994, the case was closed.

Candice, still convinced that her recollections were true, hired Larry O'Brien, a private detective, to investigate the case. He broke into Schneeberger's car and obtained another DNA sample, which, this time, matched the semen on the victim's underwear and pants. As a result, a third official test was organized. The obtained blood sample was, however, found to be too small and of too poor quality to be useful for analysis.

In 1997, Lisa Schneeberger found out that her husband had repeatedly drugged and raped her 15-year-old daughter from her first marriage. She reported him to the police, which ordered a fourth DNA test. This time, multiple samples were taken: blood, mouth swab, and hair follicle. All three matched the rapist's semen.

During his 1999 trial, Schneeberger revealed the method he used to foil the DNA tests. He implanted a 15 cm Penrose drain filled with another man's blood and anticoagulants in his arm. During tests, he tricked the laboratory technician into taking the blood sample from the place the tube was planted.

He was found guilty of sexual assault, of administering a noxious substance, and of obstruction of justice, and received a six-year prison sentence.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan stripped Schneeberger of his medical license and his wife divorced him.

In 2003 Schneeberger was released on parole after serving four years in prison. He was stripped of his Canadian citizenship due to having obtained his citizenship illegally, untruthfully denying to a citizenship judge that he had been the subject of a police investigation,[2] and deported to South Africa in 2004. He moved to Durban to live with his mother.

In media

His case was depicted in a 2003 Canadian film, I Accuse. It was also featured in an episode of Forensic Files ('Bad Blood') on TruTV.

The case also inspired works of fiction, including "Serendipity", a fifth season episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and the first episode of the 2009 Japanese drama Kiina.

The case was featured on Autopsy episode 7, "Dead Men Talking" (2001) on HBO

Notes

  1. ↑ "Sask. doctor sentenced for rape". CBC News. November 10, 2000. Retrieved 2011-03-29.
  2. ↑ CTV.ca | Sex offender Schneeberger ordered deported

References