Ayton Ontario Historical Happenings

05/25/2026

Ayton Arena turns 50 years old this year , 2026.
If the Ayton Arena opened in 1976 the builders must have put the building together quick. Foundation work started February 1976

05/20/2026

The Unsolved Murder of Gregory Murray Lembke , 1992
He was living alone in a rural farmhouse outside of Ayton, Ontario and was shot in the head & neck.

The Unsolved Murder of Gregory Murray Lembke

Gregory was a 26 year old man. He had been separated from his wife at the time of his death and was living alone in a rural farmhouse outside of Ayton, Ontario. He did not own a vehicle.

On Saturday January 4, 1992, at approximately 4:00 pm, the body of Gregory Murray Lembke was found lying in a bush lot north east of Mount Forest, Ontario. He had been shot in the neck and head at close range with a .410 calibre sh***un. It was clear that this was where the murder had taken place.

One spent .410 gauge, Re*****on 3″, Number 6 shot, sh***un shell casing, and one live .410 Re*****on sh***un shell were found in the middle of the driveway leading into the area, on the East side of the closed wooden rail gate.

A dark blue 4×4 style pick up truck was seen in Gregory’s driveway the evening before his body was found.

On April 15, 1992 police were informed of the discovery of two guns located in the south ditch of the Egremont-Glenelg Township Line, in Southgate, Ontario. One gun was found to be a Norica, bolt action repeater, single barrel .410 gauge sh***un, model 1500 Ranger. This sh***un was confirmed as the gun that shot the spent .410 gauge sh***un shell found at the murder scene. This gun was found to have been stolen in a residential break-in late in 1991. Also stolen in this B & E was a Curtis video cassette recorder which was later recovered after being resold.

Police have conducted hundreds of interviews and completed all forensic testing, however the murder remains unsolved.

If you have any information regarding the murder of Gregory Murray Lembke, please contact:

Guelph Wellington Crime Stoppers: 1-800-222-TIPS (8477)

05/20/2026

AYTON GIRL , 14 , FOUND MURDERED
1987 , Jacobina Carmen

I was thinking about the Henning murder and I remembered the murder of 14 year old Jacobina Carmen. She was found in a ditch near Hanover ( Bentinck Township) , deceased . A 34 year old married Durham man was charged with first degree murder.

Jacobina lived with her mother on the south east corner of August & Albert . They had just moved from Hanover. Jacobina was a grade 9 student at JDSS.

Jacobina mother moved to the Toronto area after Jacobina's passing because the mother was sick of all the gossip flying around. Most of the gossip was untrue.

Jacobina was close to my age but I never knew her because I did not go to school at JDSS.

05/20/2026

1975 murder of Aleitha Henning. Police found the viciously mutilated body of 58-year-old Aleitha Jane Henning in the combination restaurant/gas station she operated.

A two year investigation , two men were apprehended and charged with first degree murder. So many people think that this murder wasn't solved or the two men involved got away with murder. Not sure why the two men did what they did. Robbery wasn't the motive.

No one has really talked about this murder. In 1975 no one went out for Halloween. I was very young back then. Such a senseless crime to someone who was well respected in the community.
............From the Normanby Reflections , volume one..................
In 1954 , Ken & Aleitha Henning moved from Collingwood and bought a service station in the north end of Ayton.

In July 17 , the Henning's held their grand opening of the snack bar and gas station which featured 24 hour service.

Ken was also an employee with Wittich's bakery. Ken passed away in 1969, Aleitha managed the gas station until she passed away 1n 1975.