In the summer of 2011, the calm of Kelowna’s streets was shattered by a burst of gunfire as Jonathan Bacon, the eldest of the three notorious Bacon brothers, was gunned down in broad daylight. His murder marked the climax of a bloody turf war that had already claimed dozens of lives across British Columbia.
The three Bacon brothers, Jamie on the left, Jonathan in centre, Jarrod on right, were allegedly members of the Red Scorpions gang. (CBC)
The Bacon brothers (gangsters) —Jonathan, Jarrod, and Jamie—had risen from a life of comfort in Abbotsford to become key figures in Vancouver’s underworld, amassing power and wealth while leaving a trail of violence in their wake.
Their criminal activities, which included firearms and drug trafficking charges, as well as a string of homicides, rocked the Fraser Valley and Greater Vancouver area. What began as a bid for dominance quickly escalated into a deadly conflict, drawing in some of Canada's most notorious criminal organizations: the United Nations (UN) gang, the Red Scorpions, the Independent Soldiers, and the Hells Angels.
The Bacons’ decision to enter this dangerous fray ignited one of the deadliest gang wars in the nation's history, a conflict that would ultimately claim Jonathan’s life. But by then, the damage had already been done, and the brothers had left a bloody mark on Canada’s criminal landscape that wouldn’t soon be forgotten.
Here's their story.
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Bacon Brothers Gangsters: From Privilege to Criminal Pursuits
The Bacon brothers' story starts in Abbotsford, British Columbia, about an hour east of Vancouver. The family lived comfortably—upper-middle-class.
Jonathan, born in 1981, went to W.J. Mouat Secondary. Jarrod and Jamie, born in 1983 and 1985, attended Yale Secondary. The brothers thrived in sports, namely wrestling.
On the surface, they had it all. But beneath it, cracks started forming in their teenage years. As journalist Jerry Langton noted in his book The Notorious Bacon Brothers, the three siblings did not come from poverty or a broken home; instead, they hailed from middle-class affluence, attended good schools, and had supportive parents. Yet, they saw drug dealing as a quicker path to wealth and status.
Jarrod Bacon (The Times Colonist)
Jonathan showed the first signs—flashing cash, driving luxury cars, acting like he had something to prove. It wasn’t long before people suspected he was dealing drugs. His friends, too, weren’t just regular kids. They wore expensive jewelry, had tattoos with Chinese characters—marks of allegiance to the United Nations gang.
The UN gang, founded in 1997 by Clayton Roue, was one of the most powerful criminal groups in Canada. They had a system: smuggle marijuana south, trade it for cocaine, and move the product through Vancouver.
They recruited an ethnically diverse crew, giving the gang its "United Nations" name. Membership came with rules—loyalty, honor, respect—inked in Chinese characters on their skin.
Early Involvement in the Drug Trade
Jonathan's suspected involvement in the drug trade soon extended to his younger brothers. Following his lead, Jarrod and Jamie began dealing drugs while still in high school.
The RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) suspected that all three brothers initially worked with the UN gang, becoming some of its most successful dealers.
Despite the growing attention from law enforcement, the brothers continued to live lavishly, frequently seen driving luxury cars and appearing at upscale events with beautiful women. It wasn’t long before their activities started attracting more than just local police attention.
Early Legal Troubles
In the early 2000s, the Bacon brothers’ criminal behavior began to catch up with them. In 2000, Jonathan was first arrested for drug possession, and in 2001, he faced charges for possession of stolen goods.
That same year, Jamie was arrested for assault, though the specifics of the case remained sealed due to a court order. Despite these encounters with the law, the brothers pressed on with their illegal activities.
A New House, New Speculations
By the mid-2000s, the Bacons’ lifestyle had taken a conspicuous turn. Their parents purchased a sprawling seven-bedroom home in an affluent neighborhood—a move that raised eyebrows among locals.
Questions circulated: how could a family relying on a high school teacher’s and a property manager’s salaries afford such a high-end property? For those who knew about the brothers' growing notoriety, the answer seemed obvious.
Jonathan Bacon was killed in Kelowna on Aug. 14, 2011.
Making Their Mark on the Neighborhood
Once the family settled into the new house, the Bacon brothers didn’t exactly blend in. Their presence was impossible to ignore—from loud, all-night parties to luxury cars parked haphazardly along the streets.
Clashes with Law Enforcement
The police knew the Bacon brothers well by now, but they didn’t have enough to bring them down.
In 2004, Jarrod got into a fight outside the Fraser Valley Inn Pub. Words were exchanged, and then they took it outside. Jarrod drew a gun and shot one of the men. The other ran.
The police arrested him and charged him with attempted murder. But the case fell apart when the victim refused to testify. Fear kept him silent.
This incident only heightened the RCMP's interest in the Bacon brothers, especially Jonathan, who was suspected of being one of the largest drug traffickers in the area.
Jarrod Bacon, unknown date, Global News
The Home Invasion and Increased Scrutiny
Jonathan's Ongoing Legal Troubles
Jarrod's case dismissed: Shortly after Jarrod's attempted murder case was thrown out, Jonathan continued to be a focus for law enforcement.
Police respond to a home invasion: Officers were called to a home elsewhere in the city that had a hidden marijuana grow-op.
Jonathan arrested: When police arrived, they quickly apprehended the suspects, including Jonathan, who was found wearing a bulletproof vest stolen from the RCMP.
Charges dismissed: Despite the arrest, the case fell apart because witnesses refused to testify.
Drug Possession and Weapons
August 4, 2005: Jonathan was arrested along with Godwin Cheng for possession of drugs (8 ounces of marijuana, 15 ecstasy pills, 92 hits of methamphetamine, and $2,600 in cash).
October 25, 2005: Jamie Bacon, along with Dennis Karbovanec, was arrested for uttering death threats and pointing weapons after an altercation on Sandy Hill Road.
Jamie Bacon’s Robbery Conviction In 2007: Jamie pleaded guilty to robbery related to a 2005 home invasion in Abbotsford
Jamie Bacon posed for this photo, obtained exclusively by Postmedia, while in prison in 2010.
Suspected criminal activity: It was believed that Jonathan and his associates had been using the RCMP uniform to impersonate police officers during robberies of local drug dealers.
Retaliation and the War with the UN Gang
As law enforcement pressure mounted against the UN gang, the Red Scorpions saw an opportunity to step in and take over Vancouver's lucrative cocaine trade. The Bacon brothers had worked alongside the UN gang for a while, but they had never been fully initiated as members. Now, with the UN’s troubles piling up, the Bacons began to rethink their loyalties.
The Turning Point: September 2006
Drive-by Shooting: The shift came suddenly in September 2006, when Jonathan Bacon became the target of a drive-by shooting.
He was hit five times, including a shot to the head.
The severity of the injuries made survival seem unlikely, but Jonathan pulled through, making a full recovery that defied the odds.
Breaking Ties with the UN: The near-fatal incident was a wake-up call for the brothers. They decided to cut ties with the UN gang and joined forces with the Red Scorpions.
Their new alliance allowed them to climb the ranks quickly, and they soon took on leadership roles.
Consequences of the Switch
A Bitter Rivalry Ignited: The move to the Red Scorpions wasn't just a change in partners; it was a declaration of war.
The defection fueled a bitter conflict with the UN gang, turning Vancouver’s streets into battlegrounds.
What began as a power shift soon escalated into one of Canada’s most notorious gang wars, with violence spreading throughout the city.
The decision to switch allegiances set off a deadly chain reaction.
Retaliation and a Close Call
The Bacon brothers’ betrayal did not go unnoticed. The UN gang, seeing their departure as a grievous insult, was quick to seek retribution. Vancouver’s streets were tense, as though waiting for the first shot to be fired in what was sure to be a prolonged battle.
In early 2007, that shot was fired. Jaime Bacon, parking his sleek Corvette, found himself suddenly under attack. An SUV pulled up beside him, and before he could react, two gunmen sprang out, their guns blazing.
Yet somehow, through a stroke of fortune—or perhaps preparation—Jaime escaped unharmed. He later told police it was thanks to the level-three bulletproof vest he wore as a habit, a precaution he’d adopted from watching television.
Jaime wasn’t unarmed, either. He drew his own handgun, kept stashed in the car, and fired back at the attackers, holding his ground until the RCMP arrived.
When the authorities searched his Corvette, they found not one but four pistols, cleverly hidden in a secret compartment. Jarrod's fingerprints were discovered on the firearms, leading to both brothers being arrested on charges of weapons possession.
The Surrey Six Massacre
The conflict between the Red Scorpions and their rivals took a devastating turn on October 19, 2007, culminating in what would be remembered as the Surrey Six massacre. This massacre resulted in six people being shot dead including four gangsters and two innocent bystanders.
It began with Jaime Bacon’s simmering anger toward Corey L., a former Red Scorpion who had left the gang to start his own operation. For Jaime, this was more than just a betrayal—it was an unforgivable act of disrespect. His response would be swift and brutal.
Six people were killed in the Balmoral Tower in North Surrey in 2007.
An informant tipped Jaime off about Corey’s whereabouts: an apartment in the Balmoral Tower complex in Surrey. On October 19th, 2007, a hit squad was dispatched. The team consisted of Cody Haevischer, Matt Johnston, and a third man known only as "Person X," his identity protected by a publication ban.
The plan was straightforward. Sofon Sek, an associate of Corey’s, would knock on the door under the guise of arranging a drug deal, luring Corey out. Sek had been paid to do exactly that. When Corey saw him standing at the door, he didn’t hesitate to let him in.
But things did not unfold as the gunmen expected. Instead of a quick, targeted hit, they walked into chaos. Corey wasn’t alone. His brother Jason was there, along with an associate, Ryan Bartolomeo, and Ed Schellenberg, a repairman who had the misfortune of being there to fix the furnace.
In the midst of the turmoil, Eddie Narong, a former founding member of the Red Scorpions who had also left the gang, entered the apartment.
Sensing danger, he made a run for it but was caught before he could escape and was brought back at gunpoint. And then, fate intervened in the form of 22-year-old Christopher Mohan, a neighbor who had no connection to the gang dispute.
He was on his way to the elevator to meet friends for a basketball game when he stumbled upon the scene. For Johnston, the calculus was simple—there could be no witnesses. He grabbed Mohan and dragged him back inside.
Within moments, six people—Corey, Jason, Ryan, Eddie, Ed, and Christopher—were lying face-down on the apartment floor with hoods pulled over their heads. One by one, they were executed with gunshots to the back of the head. The entire ordeal took less than 20 minutes.
When it was over, the killers fled to Haevischer’s nearby home, where they meticulously destroyed evidence, burning their bloody clothes and boiling the victims’ cell phones.
The Police Investigation and Breakthrough
The Surrey Six massacre became a top priority for the RCMP. Veteran investigator Derek Brassington led the case, but despite his team’s efforts to scour the crime scene and surrounding areas, the assassins had covered their tracks well. Clues were scarce, leaving the investigation with little to go on.
Gang War Escalates
While the police struggled to solve the case, violence on Vancouver's streets intensified.
The ongoing conflict between the Red Scorpions and the UN gang spiraled out of control, with dozens of shootings, stabbings, and bombings occurring within a year of the massacre.
The UN Gang’s Vendetta
The UN gang's animosity toward the Bacon brothers reached a new level. Their goal was clear: eliminate the Bacons by any means necessary.
Audacious plots: The UN gang orchestrated several high-profile attacks, including:
A plan to bomb the Bacons' house using a helicopter.
An attempt involving a rocket launcher and grenades.
Law enforcement disruptions: Despite the bold strategies, the Bacons remained unharmed. The authorities managed to disrupt these plots, leading to multiple arrests of UN gang members.
Retaliation from the Bacons
The Bacons and their allies weren’t content with simply defending themselves. They launched their own retaliatory strikes, escalating the conflict even further.
Failed attempt on Clayton Roue: In late 2007, a Bacon associate fired several shots at UN gang leader Clayton Roue. Although Roue escaped unscathed, the message was unmistakable—there would be no truce.
The Killing of Dwayne Meyer and Retaliation
On May 8, 2008, Dwayne Meyer, a prominent lieutenant in the UN gang, was shot dead outside his home. His killing didn’t just escalate the conflict; it transformed the very nature of the gang war.
Roue’s Call for Retaliation
The response from UN gang leader Clayton Roue was swift and direct. In a series of urgent emails to his crew, Roue laid out a plan that left little room for ambiguity.
“Stop everything and go out and start terrorizing these guys and killing them off,” he ordered.
This wasn't just an instruction—it was a declaration of all-out war, aimed squarely at the Bacon brothers and their allies.
The City Becomes a Battleground
What followed was a citywide hunt, with UN gang members scouring Vancouver for any sign of the Bacons or their associates.
One encounter saw a car full of UN members chasing Bacon associate Michael Lee, weaving through two Vancouver neighborhoods.
Shots were fired at his vehicle, but Lee managed to escape—a narrow miss in a conflict where luck was rarely on anyone’s side.
Strategy Over Fast Food
Even as the street war raged, there was a method to the madness. Roue and his men met at a McDonald’s in Burnaby, using the fast-food joint as an unlikely command center.
During these strategy sessions, they meticulously reviewed intelligence on the Bacons, which included:
Photos of the brothers’ homes and detailed descriptions of their vehicles.
The Accidental Murder of Jonathan Barber
As the UN gang’s search for the Bacon brothers intensified, the line between target and bystander began to blur. Jonathan Barber, a friend of Jonathan Bacon, was driving the Bacon family’s Porsche SUV to an auto shop when he was mistaken for one of the brothers.
The gunmen opened fire, fatally wounding Barber. It was a tragic case of mistaken identity, underscoring the chaos that had overtaken Vancouver's gang scene. The city’s underworld was now a dangerous place, not only for those involved but for anyone who happened to cross its path.
UN Gang Member Dan Russell plead guilty to manslaughter in the death of Jonathan Barber
Person X: The Turning Point
A breakthrough in the investigation came not from traditional police work, but from a shift in one man’s conscience. Person X, one of the hitmen involved in the Surrey Six massacre, began to feel the weight of his actions.
His behavior changed, noticeable even to his fellow criminals. Eventually, he confided in his girlfriend, confessing his role in the murders. It wasn’t long before Jaime Bacon himself grew suspicious of Person X's shifting loyalties.
The situation escalated on New Year's Eve 2008, when Person X narrowly survived a murder attempt orchestrated by Jaime. One of his co-conspirators, believing Person X to be a police informant, shot him, but Person X escaped. It was the final push he needed. He contacted law enforcement and confessed fully, naming Jaime Bacon and Matt Johnston as key figures behind the Surrey Six killings.
The Arrests of Jaime and Jarrod
With Person X’s confession in hand, the police moved swiftly. On April 3, 2009, they conducted a high-profile raid to arrest Jaime Bacon. His brother Jarrod followed a month later, initially on weapons charges.
Released on bail, Jarrod’s freedom was short-lived—an undercover informant captured him on tape attempting to purchase kilos of cocaine. The evidence was undeniable, and Jarrod was soon behind bars again, awaiting trial.
The Formation of the Wolfpack Alliance
While Jaime and Jarrod languished in custody, Jonathan Bacon sought to solidify his position in Vancouver's drug trade. In 2009, he helped form the Wolfpack Alliance, a coalition of powerful figures that included Randy Naker, James Riach of the Independent Soldiers, and Larry Amero, a Hells Angel.
The Wolfpack was more than a gang; it was a multi-ethnic coalition of millennial-aged criminals, described by some as Canada’s new power brokers in the cocaine trade, fueled by connections to Chapo Guzman’s Sinaloa Cartel.
A Shifting Power Dynamic
But the rise of the Wolfpack didn’t go unchallenged. In the criminal underworld, power never remains static for long. Drug lord Gmit Sdak, along with Sandip Dor, formed an alliance to resist the Wolfpack’s dominance. Their Dok-Dur group, bolstered by the UN gang, emerged as a formidable force.
The Assassination of Jonathan Bacon
Date: August 14, 2011
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia, outside the Delta Grand Hotel
Jonathan Bacon was leaving the Delta Grand Hotel in a white Porsche Cayenne with several other individuals, including Hells Angel Larry Amero and Independent Soldier James Riach. As the group was about to leave, a group of masked gunmen opened fire with automatic rifles, targeting Bacon and his associates.
Attackers: Members associated with the Dhak-Duhre group, who were seeking revenge for the murder of Sukh Dhak's brother, Gurmit Dhak, in 2010. The attackers had tracked the group and seized the opportunity to carry out the hit.
Outcome: Jonathan Bacon was killed in the shooting, while others, including Larry Amero and a woman named Leah Hadden-Watts, were injured.
The Fallout: An Endless Cycle of Revenge
Jonathan Bacon's assassination did not quell the violence. If anything, it unleashed a new wave of retaliatory attacks. The Red Scorpions and the Wolfpack Alliance sought revenge, and British Columbia was engulfed in a surge of gang-related murders. The targets were not random—they included key figures from the Dok-Dur group and the UN gang.
Among those killed was Billy Woo, an associate of the Dok-Dur group, while Konk survived a drive-by shooting only to remain on high alert.
Steven Leon, involved in planning the hit on Bacon, was gunned down in Surrey, while drug dealer Tom Giz escaped a firebombing only to be murdered months later in Mexico.
The Death of Sandip Dor and Suk Duk
In the shadow of Jonathan Bacon's murder, the cycle of violence continued unabated. On January 17, 2012, Sandip Dor was shot and killed inside the Sheraton Wall Centre in downtown Vancouver—a retaliatory strike linked to the ongoing gang war.
The bloodshed didn’t stop there. The UN gang delivered a major blow by assassinating Randy Naker outside a Starbucks in Port Moody on November 16, 2012. The following year, Suk Duk, suspected of orchestrating Jonathan Bacon’s killing, was ambushed and killed outside the Executive Suites Hotel in Burnaby.
Jaime and Jarrod's Ongoing Legal Struggles
As the violence raged on, Jaime and Jarrod Bacon remained entangled in legal battles. Jarrod's 2014 drug trafficking trial saw him take the stand, where he admitted to being a criminal, boasting of giving rivals “vicious beatdowns.”
But his defense faltered when he claimed he had never intended to buy drugs, but instead planned to rob the undercover informant. He was found guilty and sentenced to 12 years in prison, later reduced to 10 years due to time served.
A Legal Morass: Jaime's Trials and Police Misconduct
Jaime’s case was far more convoluted. Held in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day, his lawyers argued the conditions violated his rights. A judge agreed, finding that his treatment breached the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
To make matters worse, prison staff were found to have illegally recorded Jaime’s conversations with his lawyers, leading to multiple delays in the trial.
The situation worsened with allegations of police misconduct.
It emerged that Detective Derek Brassington, the lead investigator in the Surrey Six case, had become romantically involved with a key witness.
Brassington’s supervisor, Dave Atu, faced misconduct charges as well, having allegedly made advances toward a witness while intoxicated. The misconduct within the investigation raised serious questions about the handling of privileged information.
Jamie Bacon sits in the prisoner's box as the family of Corey and Michael Lal watch the proceedings in B.C. Supreme Court. The Red Scorpions gang received 18 years in prison for conspiracy to commit the murder of Corey Lal. (CBC)
The Final Outcome: Plea Deal and Release Prospects
Amidst the legal turmoil, Jaime Bacon negotiated a plea deal in 2017. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and received an 18-year sentence, later reduced due to time served.
According to CBS, Jamie Bacon has been sentenced to "18 years in prison for his role in the so-called Surrey Six killings, bringing more than a decade of proceedings to an end — but bringing no justice for the men killed over a callous turf war between two rivals."
With Jarrod now out of prison and Jaime eligible for release as early as 2026.
Related Reading:
BC Gangsters: The Rise and Fall of Bindy Johal The Faces of Evil: Most Notorious BC Gangsters & Vancouver Gangs
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