The Greyhound Bus Murder of Tim McLean

Tim McLean slept with headphones in his ears aboard Greyhound bus 1170 as he prepared for the 24-hour journey to Winnipeg to visit family and his girlfriend, Colleen. He worked at a carnival and had been gone for some time on this July 30, 2008 night.

Vince Li, a Chinese immigrant who had left his wife back home to relocate to the Winnipeg/Edmonton area, slept on a bench near the bus station the night before Bus 1170 arrived. He sold a laptop and other personal effects while he waited.

Neither McLean nor Li paid one another any mind after boarding the Greyhound bus. Li selected a seat near the front of the bus while McLean sat in a seat in the middle of the bus.

Li Changes Seats

The ride was quiet and uneventful as it traveled along the TransCanada Highway about an hour north of Winnipeg. The Greyhound bus pulled into a rest stop for a scheduled break. Many passengers exited the bus to stretch their legs, use the bathroom, or grab a snack, including Li.

When he returned to the bus, he did not sit down in the front. Instead, he chose the empty seat directly beside McLean. Tim was friendly toward Li when he sat down but quickly returned to his headphones and music as he laid his head on the window.

Li Attacks McLean

Around 8:30 p.m. frantic screams ring out on the bus. Tim McLean was being repeatedly stabbed in the neck and chest by his seatmate, Vince Li. Tim fought back but could not overpower the large kitchen knife plunging in and out of his body. He fell to the floor of the bus, the other passengers now aware of the attack, screaming in shock at what they were witnessing.

The bus driver pleaded with Li to stop the attack as he pulled over to the side of the road, opening the doors so passengers could exit. The bus driver did not immediately exit the bus, instead attempting to convince Li to drop the knife. Li rushed toward the bus driver who then exited the Greyhound and joined the passengers who all stood outside watching the attack in pure shock. Li barricaded the door shut and refocused his attention on the now badly-injured McLean.

Li repeatedly stabbed McLean and decapitated his head from his body. He then held up McLean’s decapitated head for the horrified crowd. After the display, Li continued stabbing and mutilating McLean, severing and consuming body parts and flesh.

Li Arrested

Police arrived about 30 minutes later. They transported the stranded bus passengers to a safe location and began a standoff with Li. For the next four hours, Li continued stabbing and severing parts of McLean’s body. He finally broke a window in an attempt to escape. He was arrested.

Not Criminally Responsible

In March 2009, Li pleaded not criminally responsible by reason of mental disorder. The plea was accepted and Li was remanded to the Selkirk Mental Health Centre.

By 2012, Li was granted time out of the facility supervised by staff members. He gave an interview at this time, telling reporters that he began hearing “The voice of God” in 2004 and wanted to save people from an alien attack. By 2015, Li had been granted unsupervised visits outside of the facility. In 2016, Li legally changed his name to Will Baker and was released from the facility with the right to live independently. In 2017, Vince Li/Will Baker was granted absolute discharge from legal obligations and restrictions surrounding his independent living situation.

In 2014, Corporal Ken Barker of the RCMP, one of the first officers to arrive on the scene that tragic night, committed suicide. His family told reporters he suffered from Post Traumatic Disorder (PTSD) related to the incident.

*My deepest and most heartfelt condolences to the McLean family as well as everyone affected by this tragedy.*

Resources & More Information:

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna25966835

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/greyhound-killer-believed-man-he-beheaded-was-an-alien-1.1131575

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/will-baker-kayli-shaw-not-free-1.3979368

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/vince-li-discharge-1.3977278