In the peaceful city of Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, Ronald March murder sent shockwaves through the community in August 2012.

The authorities wasted no time in pinpointing the perpetrator, Lance Sandberg, as the prime suspect. Owing to a long-standing history of animosity between him and the victim, Ronald March

Investigation Discovery’s gripping documentary series, ‘Fear Thy Neighbor: Hell-Bent,’ takes an in-depth look into the events.

It was leading up to his demise and the chilling attack that forever changed the lives of those involved.

The untimely death of Ronald March

Ronald William March, a gentle and kind individual known for his love of 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 neighbour heard very upsetting screams and found Ronald lying on the ground.

He was found in a lot of blood behind the building on Renfrew Street in the 3400 block. 

Even though someone quickly called 911 for help, they couldn’t save Ronald’s life. He had been stabbed 12 times and had his throat cut.

Which caused his jugular artery to be cut, leading to his death right there.

The Investigation in the murder case

During the investigation into Ronald March’s murder, law enforcement found prior encounters between Ronald and a man named Lance Standberg. 

Before moving to the senior complex, Ronald had been residing in another subsidised apartment.

Where he shared a neighbourhood with Loray Rayne, who was in a relationship with Lance.

According to reports, Loray, facing health issues, relied on Lance for assistance. However, the nature of their relationship sparked speculation.

Mainly since 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. Unfortunately, Ronald’s health issues made it challenging to continue aiding Loray.

A significant escalation occurred when Ronald, driving Loray, asked her to extinguish her cigarette, but she refused, leading him to push her out of the car.

Loray accused Ronald of assaulting her, resulting in his arrest. However, she later dropped the charges. 

Following the murder case, Loray informed Lance about the altercation, which subsequently led to Lance assaulting Ronald, even striking him with a steel pipe.

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 came to light that Lance, aged 47 at the time, had recorded Ronald’s move and was suspected of following his truck.

Lance denied these accusations. 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 case. 

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 murderer is serving his sentence at a correctional facility in British Columbia.