In the serene city of Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, the murder of Ronald March caused a stir in August 2012.
The authorities quickly identified Lance Sandberg as the primary suspect due to a longstanding feud with the victim, Ronald March.
Investigation Discovery’s compelling documentary series, ‘Fear Thy Neighbor: Hell-Bent,’ delves deep into the events leading up to his demise and the harrowing assault that forever altered the lives of those involved.
The Tragic Demise of Ronald March
Ronald William March, a compassionate and gentle individual known for his passion for reading, resided in Vancouver and had recently moved to a senior complex in Burnaby.
At 57 years old, Ronald was managing the challenges posed by lupus, an autoimmune disease, with the help of medication.
On the evening of August 8, 2012, a neighbor heard distressing screams and found Ronald lying on the ground.
He was discovered in a pool of blood behind the building on Renfrew Street in the 3400 block.
Despite an immediate call to 911 for assistance, they were unable to save Ronald’s life. He had been stabbed 12 times and his throat was slashed, resulting in a fatal wound to his jugular artery.
The Investigation into the Murder Case
During the investigation into Ronald March’s murder, law enforcement uncovered previous interactions between Ronald and an individual named Lance Standberg.
Prior to moving to the senior complex, Ronald had been residing in another subsidized apartment.
Where he shared a neighborhood with Loray Rayne, who was in a relationship with Lance.
Reports suggested that Loray, facing health issues, relied on Lance for assistance, but the nature of their relationship raised suspicions.
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Mainly because Lance worked away from home as a seasonal oil worker for extended periods.
Over time, Loray increasingly sought help from Ronald for tasks like moving and grocery shopping. Regrettably, Ronald’s health challenges made it difficult to continue assisting Loray.
Tensions escalated when Ronald, while driving Loray, asked her to extinguish her cigarette, but she refused, leading to him pushing her out of the car.
Loray accused Ronald of assault, resulting in his arrest. However, she later dropped the charges.
After the murder, Loray informed Lance about the altercation, which led to Lance assaulting Ronald, even using a steel pipe against him.
Ronald reported the assaults to the police, but Lance managed to evade them on both occasions.
Ultimately, Ronald decided to move out of the apartment, completing the move on August 8, 2012.
It later emerged that Lance, 47 at the time, had recorded Ronald’s move and was suspected of following his truck.
Lance denied these allegations. The authorities believe Lance ambushed Ronald and fatally stabbed him in the alley.
Shortly after, Lance was arrested in the Ronald March murder case during the early hours of August 9, following a brief police pursuit.
The Legal Proceedings and Lance Standberg’s Fate
Following Lance Sandberg’s arrest in the case, he maintained his innocence, claiming no involvement in the incident.
He justified the recording of Ronald’s move, stating that Ronald had stolen something from his storage.
However, the police found traces of Ronald’s blood in Lance’s car, despite an unresolved first trial.
Lance was eventually found guilty of first-degree murder in a subsequent trial in November 2014.
As far as records indicate, he received a life sentence with the possibility of parole after serving 25 years.
The perpetrator is serving his sentence at a correctional facility in British Columbia.
