A Deadly Detour: The Unsolved Murder of Philip Innes Fraser
In June 1988, 23-year-old Philip Fraser was driving from Alaska to Washington State. During his trip, he picked up a mysterious hitchhiker who authorities believe murdered him to steal his identity
Background
In June 1988, 23-year-old Philip Innes Fraser packed his belongings into his black 1983 Volkswagen Jetta and set out on a journey of more than 2,000 miles from his home in Anchorage, Alaska, to Washington State.
Philip had decided that he wanted to return to school and had enrolled as a pre-med student at Evergreen College in Olympia, Washington, following in the footsteps of his parents, Shirley and Robert Fraser, who were both physicians.
Tragically, only a few days into his journey, Philip Fraser met a violent end after reluctantly picking up a sketchy-looking hitchhiker. Though several eyewitnesses had encounters with the man both before and after he was picked up by Fraser, to this day, his identity remains a mystery.
Philip Innes Fraser
Philip Innes Fraser was born on January 3, 1965, in Anchorage, Alaska. His father, Robert, originally from Philadelphia, had relocated to Alaska, where he laid down roots and established his medical practice.
Robert and his wife, Shirley, a neurologist, were both high achievers who expected academic success from Philip and his two brothers. In addition to their intellectual pursuits, Philp’s parents also passed down to him a love for the outdoors. Philip was also an accomplished violin player.
Philip graduated from high school at 17, after which he attended his father’s alma mater, Western Maryland College. However, he missed Alaska, and after his first year, he left college and returned to Anchorage.
After several years back home in Alaska, Fraser decided that he wanted to return to school, and enrolled in Evergreen College in Olympia, Washington as a pre-med student.
Road Trip
On June 14, 1988, Philip Fraser packed his belongings, including two locked handguns, into his 1983 Volkswagen Jetta to begin the 2,300-mile journey to Olympia, Washington. Philip, an experienced outdoorsman, planned to camp along the way. Though his parents were somewhat apprehensive about this, they respected his decision.
The first day of the trip, June 14, Philip had planned to drive all day and cover as much ground as he could. However, within hours of the trip, he began experiencing car trouble and decided to end the day early.
He was just outside the Alaskan town of Tok when he called his parents and let them know what was going on. Philip’s father, Robert, tried to get more information, but Philip kept the conversation brief, letting him know that he would be camping there for the night and would have his car looked at the next day.
He told Robert that if he needed anything, he would call. His parents told him to be safe. This would be the last time that they spoke to their son.
Entering Canada
As investigators with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) attempted to piece together Philip Fraser’s movements, they learned that he entered Canada at the Alcan-Beaver Creek Border Crossing in Yukon on June 17.
At the border crossing, Philip disclosed that he was traveling with two handguns. He was forced to turn the guns over, as it was illegal for Americans to bring firearms into Canada.
After about an hour delay at the border crossing, Philip was allowed to go on his way—without his guns. He then drove the rest of the day south on Highway 1 until reaching British Columbia, then took Highway 37 south to Dease Lake, where he stopped for the night to camp.
The trip from Beaver Creek to Dease Lake would have taken him approximately 14 or 15 hours. In the early afternoon the following day, June 18, Philip was seen stopping at the 40 Mile Flats Café.
Meeting with Hitchhiker
Prior to Philip’s arrival, the café’s owner, Gaye Frocklage, and her daughter, Tina, had observed a truck drop off a man in front of the café. The truck then drove away, and the man, who appeared to be a transient, entered the café. Both Gaye and Tina immediately got a bad feeling about him.
Gaye described the man as “off” and that there appeared to be something wrong with him. She was so put off by him that she stayed past the end of her shift because she did not want to leave her daughter alone with him, as there was no one else in the café at the time.
A short time later, Philip Fraser pulled in front of the café in his Jetta. However, he did not come in, and instead appeared to be looking for something in the back of his car.
When Tina went outside to pump gas for another customer, she exchanged hello’s with Philip. Moments later, the man exited the café and began talking to Philip. It appeared that the man was asking Philip for a ride, which he refused.
The would-be hitchhiker then left the café parking lot and began walking along Highway 37. According to the Frocklages, Philip sat in the parking lot for a few minutes before pulling out of the lot and driving towards the man.
It appeared to them that Philip had changed his mind, as he pulled alongside the man, slowed down, and let him get in the passenger seat. Tina remembered saying to her mother that he was going to regret that.
Strange Encounter
Approximately eight hours later, and two hundred miles south of the 40 Mile Flats Café, a couple named Eddie and Pauline Olson were driving near their home in the small village of Kitwanga when they came upon a stranded motorist.
The man, who was driving a black 1983 Volkswagen Jetta, told the Olsons that his car had broken down. Eddie Olson recalled that the man seemed nervous, but he chalked it up to the fact that he was alone at night in the middle of a desolate area.
Eddie offered to tow the man’s car to his home, which was close by, and allowed him to spend the night. The stranger slept in the Olsons’ basement, next to a case containing 12 to 15 guns.
The next morning, the Olsons invited the stranger to have coffee and breakfast with them. It was then that they noticed his odd behavior. When they asked him about himself, they noticed that he seemed evasive. However, he did tell them that his parents were both doctors and that he was a student on his way to college in Seattle.
He then insisted on paying the Olsons for their hospitality. That is when they noticed that he was carrying two wallets, which they found very strange. The man paid them twenty dollars in U.S. money.
His strange behavior continued when he offered to sell Eddie his car at a very low price. Eddie agreed, but told him he would have to wait until Monday to clear it at customs. The man said he couldn’t wait that long and then offered to sell the car for a plane ticket to Seattle. Eddie once again said he would have to wait until Monday.
The stranger again declined, saying he had to be in Seattle for classes the next day. After the strange encounter, Eddie helped the man repair the broken fan belt on his car, and the stranger went on his way.
Burning Car
Later that night, around 9:30 p.m., firefighters responded to calls of a car fire at the Car Pool Car Wash on 3rd Avenue in Prince George, British Columbia, approximately 300 miles southeast of Kitwanga.
The car had been intentionally set on fire and left in one of the car wash booths. It had also been stripped of its license plates, and there were no documents or belongings in the vehicle.
However, investigators were able to piece together the vehicle’s VIN. After that, they learned that the car, a 1983 Volkswagen Jetta, belonged to Philip Fraser of Anchorage, Alaska.
Investigators with the RCMP contacted authorities in Alaska and were told that the car had not been reported stolen. In the following days, an All-Points-Bulletin was put out for Philip Fraser as well as his license plate number.
Search for Philip Fraser
After being contacted by the RCMP, the Anchorage police visited the Frasers’ home, attempting to make contact with Philip. It was then that Robert and Shirley Fraser learned that Philip’s car had been found burned up.
His parents informed them that Philip had planned to drive to Washington State and that they had last spoken to him on the evening of June 14th.
After speaking with Anchorage police, the Frasers contacted the Prince George RCMP and learned that they were actively investigating Philip as a missing person. The investigation was headed by the General Investigation Section (GIS) of the RCMP.
As they attempted to retrace Philip’s movements, they learned that he had crossed the U.S.-Canadian border on June 17, and his car was found two days later, abandoned and torched in Prince George.
The RCMP went to many of the stops along the route, asking if people had seen anything.
Philip Fraser’s Body Found
The investigation stalled until a month later, when, on July 27, a man walking his dog near a gravel turnaround off Highway 37A discovered a body face down in a thicket. The man quickly contacted authorities.
The victim had been shot with a handgun, and investigators believed he had been dead for about a month. The body was found approximately 30 miles east of Stewart, British Columbia.
Dental records soon confirmed that the victim was Philip Fraser. Following news of Philip Fraser’s murder and his burned car being found the previous month, the GIS began to receive tips about a possible suspect.
Description of the Suspect
After the news of Philip Fraser’s murder was reported by the media, Gaye and Tina Frocklage, and Eddie and Pauline Olson came forward and reported their encounters with the strange hitchhiker.
He was described as a white male in his early to mid-20s, about 5 feet 9 inches tall, around 225 pounds, with a flabby belly, rotten teeth, and strong body odor. He had brown hair and brown eyes with stubble on his face. His appearance was described as very sloppy and unkempt. He has also been described as seeming “slow” or having some kind of mental disability.
Witnesses recalled that he constantly bit his nails and chain-smoked American brand cigarettes. It is unknown if he is Canadian or American.
RCMP officials have stated that they believe the man may be familiar with the Toronto and Seattle areas. They have theorized that the man attempted to learn everything he could about Philip Fraser before murdering him in order to impersonate him.
Philip’s belongings, including his birth certificate, passport, and checkbook, have never been recovered.
Over the years, there have been several suspects, including Canadian serial killer Michael McGray, who was convicted of murdering several hitchhikers between 1985 and 1998. However, according to the RCMP, he has been ruled out as a potential suspect.
Despite Philip Fraser’s story being prominently featured on a 1992 episode of Unsolved Mysteries, sadly, after nearly four decades, the identity of his killer remains a mystery.
Sources:
Whelan, Michael & Moore, Damion. “Philip Fraser.” Unresolved, 28 April 2019, https://unresolved.me/philip-fraser
Moore, Damion. “An Interrupted Journey.” American Crime Journal, 30 June 2018, https://americancrimejournal.com/an-interrupted-journey/
Granstra, Ian W. “Fraser Slain.” The Mystery Delver, 10 June 2024, https://mysterydelver.com/fraser-slain/
“Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 4, Episode 15 - Full Episode.” Unsolved Mysteries-Full Episodes, Uploaded 8 March 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df_7oIrgQAk&t=439s