Mark Nimz

An act of selfless courage in the face of violence ended the life of Mark Nimz, a 35-year-old male customer at a Burlington, Ontario restaurant in the early morning hours of Thanksgiving Day. His loved ones were left to grieve a man taken by a robber’s bullet, and for more than three decades, his killer has remained free. The case is an active cold case, and police are still seeking the tip that will finally lead to an arrest.

The night of the tragedy was Wednesday, November 26, 1992. At approximately 1:55 a.m., staff were preparing to close up at the Naked Turtle, a restaurant and bar located at 645 Plains Road East. At that moment, a man armed with a gun slipped through a rear door and confronted the employees, demanding money. As the robbery unfolded, Mark Nimz, who was a patron at the establishment, made the decision to intervene. In the ensuing struggle, the robber shot Mark and fled into the night. Mark died from his injuries.

Investigators with the Halton Regional Police Service were called to the chaotic scene. Witnesses provided a detailed description of the shooter. He was described as a Black male, between 25 and 35 years old at the time, standing about five feet, six inches tall. He had a flat, wide nose, a pudgy face, and no facial hair. He spoke with what witnesses believed was a Caribbean accent.

The suspect’s most distinctive feature was his coat. He wore a dark blue, three-quarter-length cotton canvas coat with a hood and a high collar pulled up to obscure his face. The coat was a limited-edition design sold exclusively at Stitches clothing stores under the brand name "Major Damage." It featured a drawstring at the waist, grey flaps on the pockets, a reflective silver strip down the front zipper, and a grey flap covering the zipper. The man also wore loose-fitting black track pants and black high-top running shoes. Despite what seemed like a very strong lead, the unique coat proved difficult to trace. Detectives learned the model had been discontinued, and they were unable to locate a photograph of it to release to the public.

The investigation into Mark Nimz’s murder is now in the hands of the Halton Regional Police Service Homicide Unit’s cold case team. Over the years, investigators have reviewed the file, but the identity of the man in the Major Damage coat remains a mystery. The case is one of several unsolved homicides in the Halton Region that police continue to highlight, hoping that the passage of time may encourage someone with knowledge of the crime to finally come forward.

Police believe that someone knows the killer’s identity. It is possible the man confided in someone, or that his behavior changed after the murder. Even a small, seemingly insignificant detail could be the key to breaking the case open and providing long-awaited answers to Mark’s family and friends.

Decades have passed since Mark Nimz was killed for trying to stop a crime. His case remains an open and active investigation. As of early 2024, no arrests have been made, and the Halton Regional Police Service continues to ask for the public’s help. Anyone with information regarding the murder of Mark Nimz is urged to contact the Halton Regional Police Service Homicide Tip Line at 905-825-4776 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).