Michael Carey

In the early hours of a spring morning in 1984, the violent world of Ontario’s biker gangs claimed another life, leaving a case that has remained unsolved for decades. Michael Carey, a 32-year-old male member of the Red Devils Motorcycle Club, was killed in a brazen shooting that highlighted the escalating tensions between rival groups in Hamilton. His death was not a random act but a calculated strike in what police have since described as a "biker war" raging through the city at the time.

The Red Devils Motorcycle Club, founded in Hamilton in 1948, holds the distinction of being Canada's oldest outlaw motorcycle club. For decades, the club maintained a relatively low profile. However, the 1980s saw a surge in violent conflicts between rival organizations vying for territory and dominance. The Red Devils' clubhouse was located on Arden Avenue, on the Beach strip, a location uniquely positioned alongside the busy Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW), a major provincial highway. This proximity to the highway would prove to be a fatal vulnerability.

On May 9, 1984, at approximately 1:45 a.m., a vehicle sped along the QEW and unleashed a volley of gunfire into the Red Devils' clubhouse. Inside, Michael Carey and four other members were present. One of the bullets struck Michael, killing him instantly. The shooter, shielded by the speed and anonymity of the highway, vanished into the night. The attack was swift, deadly, and clearly intended to send a message.

Investigators with the Hamilton Police Service immediately began exploring links to the ongoing feuds within the city's criminal underworld. A primary theory emerged that the shooting was direct retaliation for an incident that had occurred just days earlier. Members of the Red Devils had reportedly been involved in a physical altercation, beating a member of the rival Satan’s Choice Motorcycle Club named Brent Roddick. This act of aggression was a serious provocation in a world where respect and retribution are paramount. The drive-by shooting at the Red Devils' clubhouse was seen as a likely answer to that assault. Tragically, the cycle of violence would continue; Brent Roddick himself was murdered the following year in a separate, though likely connected, incident.

The investigation into Michael Carey's murder was hampered from the start by a code of silence. Given the involvement of outlaw motorcycle gangs, few individuals were willing to come forward with information, fearing for their own safety. The wall of silence that protected the killer was as formidable as the cinderblock and rebar wall the Red Devils erected to fortify their clubhouse against future attacks after Michael's death. The culture of these clubs often dictates that conflicts are handled internally, far from the eyes of law enforcement.

For more than four decades, Michael Carey's murder has remained an active but unsolved homicide with the Hamilton Police Service, filed under Case Number 84022600. While the prime motive is believed to be inter-club retaliation, the specific individuals who pulled the trigger have never been publicly identified or charged. The case is a stark reminder of a violent period in Hamilton's history, marked by bombings, assaults, and murders linked to the biker wars of the era. As years have passed, allegiances have shifted and some clubs from that time no longer exist, but the hope remains that someone with knowledge of the crime may finally be willing to speak.

The Hamilton Police Service continues to seek information that could lead to a breakthrough in this cold case. Investigators believe that with the passage of time, fears may have faded and relationships may have changed, making it possible for new witnesses to come forward. Anyone with information about the murder of Michael Carey is asked to contact the Major Crime Unit at 905-546-3829.