In January 1989, Richard Johnston, a life insurance salesman from whom Cindy had purchased a policy, moved into the basement unit of her residence; she offered him the rental on the basis that she would feel more safe with someone else living with her. On April 8, a security guard at Richmond General Hospital, where Cindy was employed, discovered a note on the premises crafted with cut-and-pasted letters, which read: "SOON, CINDY". The phrase "sleep well" was also found written in the dew on her windshield. Following a reported attempted break-in at her home on April 29, the RCMP used scent hounds in an attempt to track the alleged intruder, but the dogs found no trail. On May 10, 1989, scent hounds were utilized again following another alleged break-in, and were able to track the scent of an unknown individual that led over the backyard fence of Cindy's home.
