Headlines from various Toronto newspapers on Gerald White’s murder
On Sunday September 17, 1978, Gerald Douglas White headed to a friend’s Rosehill Avenue apartment to feed some budgies and water flowers. He was beaten to death that day by Paris Colin Rogers, 23, of no fixed address.
White, a salesman who lived at 44 Charles St West, had invited Rogers back to the Rosehill Avenue apartment in the early morning hours of Monday September 18, as his friend was away on vacation. During an argument, Rogers attacked White and struck him on the head.
Rogers was arrested shortly afterward and charged with second degree murder. Police found White’s car on the following Tuesday.
Rogers was sentenced on February 19, 1979 to six years for manslaughter. Rogers said White, 39, made a pass at him, and that he was unable to control himself, beating White to death.
Paris was a career criminal. Before murdering White, he had beaten a 36-year-old man to death. On April 30, 1975, Rogers attacked Vernon Robert Underdown at a stag party. He served 2 1/2 years. He later killed White and got six years.
By 1988, Rogers was out of prison. On January 8, 1988, Rogers was arrested for beating a man who refused his sexual advances. Rogers punched the victim in the face and beat him with a pipe. He was charged with robbery, aggravated assault and forcible confinement.
On Wednesday December 14, 1988, police were called to a Toronto hipster donut shop, Galaxy Donut. A dispute had erupted between several men over drugs. Rogers was arrested and charged with carrying a prohibited weapon.
The next day, Rogers was charged with a theft that had occurred Tuesday December 13. Three men robbed a fur store of more than $250,000 in fur coats. They were also suspected in a December 30, 1987 robber of $45,000 worth of coats.
On March 29, 1992, Rogers was stabbed to death on the street. Rogers had been in several verbal arguments that evening. He was found outside a strip club with a stab wound to the chest. Rogers’s killer was was sentenced to life, and then, on appeal, got time served plus a day. That man spent 4 1/2 years in prison.
Murder Village Map
Vital Statistics
Name: Gerald Douglas White Age: 39 Gender: Male Date of Death: September 18, 1979 Manner of Death: Blunt Force Trauma Location: Rosehill Avenue Suspect Name: Paris Colin Rogers Conviction & Sentence: Manslaughter, 6 years
