Saturday, November 27, 2004

Police Have New Lead In Maura Murray Case

BY GARY E. LINDSLEY, Staff Writer
Thursday May 6, 2004
Caledonian Record


HAVERHILL NEW HAMPSHIRE
There may be a break in the case involving 21-year-old nursing student Maura Murray who disappeared the night of Feb. 9 after she was involved in a one-car accident on rural Route 112 in Haverhill.

New Hampshire State Police Troop F Lt. John Scarinza said a witness has come forward with information he may have seen Murray about four to five miles east of the accident scene.

Scarinza said a man, whom he declined to identify, was returning from a construction job in the Franconia area when he spotted a young woman matching Murray's description hurrying east on Route 112, about an hour after her accident.

He not only believes the witness' information is credible, he also believes the man actually saw the Hanson, Mass., resident.

Murray, a student at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, left campus the afternoon of Feb. 9 after e-mailing professors and her boss, telling them she was going to take a week off because of a family problem.

Before heading north, she packed her black 1996 Saturn with some clothing, books for her college classes, expensive diamond jewelry from her boyfriend, Billy Rausch of Fort Sill, Okla., and computer-generated directions for locations in Vermont.

Although directions found in her car indicated she may have been headed toward Stowe or Burlington in Vermont, Murray apparently exited Interstate 91 at Exit 17 and headed east on Route 302.

She then turned right onto Route 112 and apparently headed to Lincoln, which she was familiar with because of family excursions to the area.

About a mile east of Swiftwater, around 7 p.m., she lost control of her car while rounding a sharp left-hand curve near The Weathered Barn. Her car went off the right side of the highway and into some trees, causing minor damage.

Butch Atwood, a school bus driver who lives about 100 yards east of the accident site, discovered Murray's disabled car while returning from taking students on a skiing trip.

Atwood spoke with her and offered to help, including calling police and EMS. However, Murray insisted that Atwood not call police and EMS because she had already contacted AAA.

Murray did not appear to be intoxicated, according to Atwood. Police said a container of alcohol was found in the car.

Atwood went to his house to call for help. About seven to nine minutes later, Haverhill Police Sgt. Cecil Smith arrived at the accident scene. Murray was nowhere to be found.

"Based on the description of what he saw, we believe it may have been Maura," Scarinza said, referring to the witness seeing a young woman fitting Maura's description about an hour after the accident. "Based on the place and based on the time, there is a good possibility the person he saw on 112 was Maura."

The witness contacted state police April 29 about possibly seeing Murray the night of the accident.

Scarinza said although the witness thought shortly after her disappearance he may have seen Murray, he discounted that thought after talking with a friend. His friend had said Murray's accident had happened Feb. 11 instead of Feb. 9. And he had seen the young woman the night of Feb. 9.

It was after seeing subsequent news reports, and realizing the accident had occurred Feb. 9, he decided to contact state police.

The man, who Scarinza said is a contractor, checked his work records and verified he was returning home from a job in the Franconia area the night of Feb. 9 when he spotted who he and state police believe was Murray.

Maura's father, Fred Murray, is upset police didn't travel Route 112 toward the Woodstock area, at least calling ahead to the Woodstock police to ask them to look for his daughter.

"This was a young woman involved in an accident," he said. "She had a head injury by the indication of the spider hole in the windshield."

"They know she is somewhere close by and they don't go down the road to bring her to safety?" Murray asked. "If they had searched for my daughter, she would most likely be safely here now."

Sharon Rausch, Billy's mother, said she believes the news of an eyewitness is wonderful.

"It gives me renewed hope she is still alive," Rausch said. "If she sees this in print, we want her to know she's more loved than ever."

Scarinza said because of the new information from the eyewitness, a search will be conducted Saturday in the area of routes 112 and 116 where Maura was last seen by the eyewitness.


Maura Murray and Brianna Maitland

ore Rumors

Not only do police believe the disappearances of Maura Murray and Brianna Maitland are NOT connected, they believe that these disappearances are not related to "stranger homicides".



Parents Of Missing Women To Meet 

The parents of 17-year-old Brianna Maitland and 21-year-old Maura Murray are joining forces to increase pressure on law enforcement to call in the FBI to join the search for their loved ones. 

Bruce and Kellie Maitland and Fred Murray have scheduled a press conference for 9 a.m. Saturday at the American Legion in Woodsville. 

The Maitlands and Murray are frustrated with the respective police investigations into their daughters' disappearances. 

Brianna has been missing since she clocked out at her job as a dishwasher at the Black Lantern Inn in Montgomery, Vt., at 11:20 p.m. March 19. She left the inn to return to Sheldon where she was living with a friend. 

Her car was discovered partially ensconced in an abandoned building during the early morning hours of March 20 about a mile from the Black Lantern. She hasn't been seen since. 

Maura was involved in a one-car accident on Route 112 in the town of Haverhill, N.H., the night of Feb. 9. She hasn't been seen since the night of the accident. 

Both women disappeared after being involved in accidents on rural roads. 

The Maitlands and Murray believe there may be a connection between what has happened to their daughters. And they want that connection explored. 

However, state police from Vermont and New Hampshire have discounted any connection between the disappearances of Brianna and Maura. 

"We want to meet Fred and talk about what we are going through," Bruce Maitland said. "Also, we want to get out to people we need to have this looked at as a combined effort. There may be a connection."

He believes the FBI, which has more resources than the state police, should become involved in the search for Brianna and Maura. 

Murray has been asking New Hampshire State Police right from the beginning to ask the FBI to become active participants in the search for his daughter. 

And with Brianna missing, he believes it is imperative any possible connections be explored. "I believe there may be a connection," Murray said. "The people in Vermont and New Hampshire should be screaming to have the FBI become involved." 

He said until Brianna and Maura are found, young women in Vermont and New Hampshire are not safe until whomever is involved is found

Louise Chaput

LOUISE CHAPUT

For what it's worth, I heard a rumor that police now believe Chaput - who did social work with bikers - was killed by one of her own clients.



News - November 14, 2004
Searching for answers
to 3-year-old murder
By LORNA COLQUHOUN 
Sunday News Correspondent

GORHAM — As winter folds over the higher reaches of the White Mountains, friends of a Canadian woman murdered three years ago returned to Pinkham Notch last week to remember a vibrant and adventurous woman.

Along for the ride with Denis Masson and Marie Pinault are the feelings of melancholy, nostalgia and anger that someone has gotten away with the murder of Louise Chaput.

It is the couple’s second anniversary trip and accompanying them this year was Chaput’s daughter, Corinne, a college student studying to become a school teacher. Her only other trip to the area was during the search for her mother.

“I never came back,” she said. “Before, I was not ready, but now it’s OK. I don’t want to be afraid to come here.”

Hiking weekend

Louise Chaput lived in Sherbrooke, Que., a couple of hours north of the White Mountains. On Nov. 15, 2001, she decided to spend the weekend doing some hiking and stayed at the Appalachian Mountain Club in Pinkham Notch. When she didn’t return home that Monday, her friends and family reported her missing.

A search was quickly launched. While her car was found immediately, it wasn’t until almost four days later that her body was found on the popular Glen Boulder trail, just off Route 16 and about a quarter of a mile from the AMC base camp.

Louise Chaput had been stabbed to death. Her killer has never been found.

Pinault and Chaput were longtime friends. It is Pinault and her husband, Masson, who now make an annual trek from their home in Ottawa to the mountains on the anniversary of Chaput’s death, as a way to remember and to remind others that the case has never been solved.

There is also a hope that whoever is responsible will someday step forward and answer a simple question: Why Louise Chaput?

“It is amazing to me that someone is still walking around,” Pinault said. “I think there is a sick person out there. I think there is a guy out there who will do this again anytime.”

No new leads

Last year, on the second anniversary, the couple tacked up hundreds of flyers from Conway north to Gorham, asking for information.

State police Detective Chuck West said Friday that very few leads have come in recent months.

“We’re still working on it, but there is nothing new,” he said. “We used to get information in spurts, but it’s been about six months since we got anything new.”

Earlier this year, police got a warrant to search a Berlin flea market, looking for Louise Chaput’s backpack, but it turned out to be nothing, he said.

Her backpack, which is blue with an internal frame and a Canadian flag on the outside, has never been recovered, nor have her keys to her Ford Focus or her sleeping bag.

“It’s a challenge for us,” West said. “Someone is out there.”

West has also worked for the past nine months on the disappearance of Maura Murray, a University of Massachusetts nursing student who vanished following a minor car accident on Route 112 in Haverhill last February.

While both cases are troubling and remain open, West said there is nothing indicating that the two cases are related.

Pinault keeps in regular contact with West. While time has eased the sorrow of losing her dearest friend, Pinault says she will continue to do what she can to make sure Louise Chaput is not forgotten and to one day see someone arrested for her death.

Doubts about justice

It is a sentiment shared by Chaput’s daughter.

“I have lost confidence in justice,” Corinne Chaput said, “because we didn’t find what happened. It has disturbed my life — I am afraid to walk at night and when I am alone. She is not here in my life and I miss her. I don’t have a mother anymore.”

Masson and Pinault say they will return to the White Mountains every November until Chaput’s killer is found.

Pinault said her other mission during these trips is to remind women, especially those who hike alone, that the person who killed her friend is still at large.

“This is our way of remember Louise,” Chaput said. “We are not going to put (the memories) in a box.”

Anyone with information about Louise Chaput’s murder is asked to call the state police at 846-3333.

Friday, November 26, 2004

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2004

Hugo Bernier appeals first degree murder verdict


René-Charles Quirion
La Tribune
Sherbrooke
November 25, 2004

C'est maintenant officiel, Hugo Bernier en appellera du verdict de culpabilité prononcé contre lui le 29 octobre 2004 pour le meurtre au premier degré, l'enlèvement, la séquestration et l'agression sexuelle à l'endroit de Julie Boisvenu en juin 2002.

Me Marc Labelle a déposé, en début de semaine, l'avis d'appel de la déclaration de culpabilité de Hugo Bernier ainsi qu'une requête pour permission d'en appeler avant le délai de 30 jours suivant le prononcé du verdict.

À l'issu de son procès qui s'est déroulé du 8 septembre au 29 octobre 2004, Hugo Bernier a été condamné à la prison à perpétuité sans possibilité de libération conditionnelle avant 25 ans.

La défense demande à la Cour d'appel d'ordonner l'arrêt des procédures sur l'accusation du meurtre au premier degré et la tenue d'un nouveau procès sur les autres chefs d'accusation, soit l'enlèvement, la séquestration et l'agression sexuelle.

“Je ne comprends pas pourquoi la défense demande un arrêt des procédures sur le meurtre au premier degré, ce qui correspond à un acquittement et un autre procès sur les trois autres chefs d'accusation. Je serais très surpris que la Cour d'appel accorde cet arrêt des procédures. Au mieux pour lui, il y aura un nouveau procès et au mieux pour la société, le verdict de culpabilité rendu par douze citoyens sera confirmé”, explique le procureur de la couronne au dossier, Me André Campagna.

Comme motifs d'appel, Me Marc Labelle soumet que “la combinaison dans le même acte d'accusation du chef de meurtre au premier degré avec les chefs d'agression sexuelle, enlèvement et séquestration a rendu les directives inintelligibles et le procès inéquitable.”

Wednesday, November 24, 2004

Missing girl

From The Campus - the Bishop's University student newspaper. This was the last article to appear in the English press concerning Theresa's disappearance

The Campus
November 24, 1978

"It's quite a puzzle," said Lennoxville Police Chief Leo Hamel in a recent interview with The Campus concerning the disappearance of 19-year-old Champlain student Theresa Allore, Theresa has been missing since last Nov. 3 when she was last seen at Dewhurst Dining Hall at approximately 6:00 p.m.

The C1 student is described as being approximately 5'6" tall and weighing 115 pounds, with red frizzy hair and blue eyes. She was last reported wearing a T-Shirt and blue corduroy pants, with a long beige sweater and Chinese sandals.

Police Chief Hamel said that approximately 26 people have been questioned concerning the case but he did not want to comment directly on any information that he has gathered. Hamel, who is leading the investigation, urged anyone who has any information to contact him at 562-8333.

Monday, November 22, 2004

Quebec's newly formed Association of Families of Victims of Crime held its first meeting on Sunday


Christian Carretta, Marcel Bolduc, Michel Surprenant et Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu

Association des familles victimes d'actes criminels
Donner un sens à la mort violente d'un proche
Caroline Touzin
La Presse

«C'était à vous la petite fille qui s'est faite couper en morceaux.» Michèle Labelle a entendu cette phrase plusieurs fois de la bouche des enfants de l'école primaire dont elle est directrice. Chaque fois, elle lui faisait l'effet d'un coup de poignard et la cruauté de la mort de sa fille de 20 ans revenait la hanter.

D'abord résolue à reprendre son travail pour oublier le meurtre de sa fille, Valérie Aubin, découpée en morceaux à Anjou et retrouvée dans le fleuve en juillet 2003, Mme Labelle a fini par prendre une année sabbatique, incapable de faire face aux commentaires des élèves. De retour en poste depuis septembre, la dame souffre encore lorsqu'elle croise une petite Valérie qui déambule dans les corridors.

C'est pour aider des familles comme celle de Mme Labelle que Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu, dont la fille Julie a été tuée à Sherbrooke par un récidiviste en 2002, a créé l'Association des familles victimes d'actes criminels.

L'Association tenait sa première réunion hier, dans un restaurant de Laval, après avoir reçu un appui moral et financier du ministre de la Justice, Jacques Dupuis, lundi dernier. Quatre pères de famille qui ont perdu leur fille, assassinée ou disparue, dont M. Boisvenu, s'étaient alors rendus à l'Assemblée nationale pour demander d'améliorer le traitement réservé aux familles victimes d'actes criminels.

Tuesday, November 16, 2004

OK, THIS IS A LONG ONE...

Qu'est-il arrive a Theresa Allore? 

La Tribune
Jeudi 16 Novembre 1978
par Serge Gosselin

LENNOXVILLE - Pourquoi Theresa Allore, lorsqu'elle a quitte ses amis au refectoire du college Champlain a Lennoxville a 19 heures, leur a t-elle dit qu'elle serait a sa chambre a Compton deux heures plus tard, alors qu'il faut a peine une heure, sur le pouce, pour relier ces deux endoits?

"le pouce" is hitchhiking. So - translation - "why didn't Theresa Allore, when she told her friends she would see them in two hours, not make it back to her residence?"

M. et Mne Robert Allore, les parents de Theresa qui est disparue dupuis le 3 novembre, croient qu'en elucidant ce qu'elle se proposait de faire pendant cette heure, ils pourront voir plus clair dans tout ce mystere.

Theresa's parents want an answer to this mystery.

Meme si la disparition remonte a pres de deux semaines, les policiers de la Surete municipale de Lennoxville et les parents se pendent en conjectures sur ce qu'il pu advenir de Theresa agee de 19 ans, vendredi soir le 3 novembre; s'agit-il d'une simple fugue d'une jeune etudiante ou d'un enlevement?

bla, bla, bla, I think you get this... is she a runnaway or was she abducted?

Pour M. Robert Allore, arrive tout droit de St-Jean au Nouveau-Brunswick en compagnie de son epouse et du plus jeune de ses fils, il faut esperer pour le mieux, mais il faut egalement s'attendre au pire.

"epouse": that's my mom. "jeune de ses fils": that's me. Ya, I went along with them to Quebec. Frankly, I was fourteen, and really didn't understand what-the-hell was going on.

"Il y a plus d'1 million d'hypotheses quant au sort qu'a pu subir notre fille en cette soiree du 3 novembre, il y a bien peu de chances pour que nous puissions deviner la bonne", de dire M. Allore, dont l'imagination vogue depuis quelques jours du scenerio le plus optimste au plus pessimiste.

With a million possibilities, my dad is hanging on to hope.

L'hypothese de la fugue, elle ne tient pas trop solidement en raison de certains elements recueillis depuis le debut de l'enquete dirigee par le directeur du service policier de Lennoxville, M. Leo Hamel.

D'apres la description qu'en fait son pere, Theresa Allore est une jeune fille autonome, intelligente, possedant un certain gout de l'aventure.

M. Allore a beaucoup d'estime pour la plus agee de ses trois enfants, mais il ne parvient pas a comprendre pourquoi elle s'entetait a faire de l'auto-stop, pratique qu'il lui a deconseillee a plusieurs reprises.

My dad says Theresa was bright, independent, with a taste for adventure - and he had warned her against hitchhiking. This would be his undoing - everyone picked up on this and ran with the idea that whatever happened to Theresa, she deserved the consequences.

Depuis pres d'une annee, Theresa vit eloignee de sa famille, elle a meme travaille pendant quelques mois avant de renenir aux etudes en septembre au college de Lennoxville.

Elle en est a sa premiere d'etudes au college regional Champlain, campus de Lennoxville, ou elle a enregistre des suces scolaires, comme elle la confie a son pere la derniere fois qu'ils se sont parles au telephone le 31 octobre dernier. Neanmoins, il est permis de croire que si Theresa a quitte de sa propre volonte, c'etait impevu.

Theresa was doing well at school, after having dropped out for a year. My parents last talked to her Halloween night

Elle a dit a une amie qu'elle serait a sa chambre deux heures plus tard, son compte bancaire ne laisse voir aucune transaction recente, elle avait prete pour quelques jours son sac-a-dos dont elle ne se separait jamais lors de ses sorties de week-end, il ne semble pas manquer de vetements a sa chambre, elle aurait pu en apporter avec elle si elle avait l'intention de s'absenter; voila autant de faits qui incitent M. Allore a croire qu'il ne faut pas retenir avec trop de certitude l'hypothese de la fugue et qu'une partie de l'enigme pourrait etre resolue en determinant ce que Theresa voulait faire entre son depart du refectoire de l'ecole et son arrivee a sa chambre au Kings Hall de Compton.

Nothing was missing from her room, no money drawn from her bank account - so much for the runnaway theory

Dupuis ce temps, les parents de Theresa sont sans nouvelle d'elle.

Avises de sa disparition vendredi dernier, ils sont arrives dimarche a Lennoxville ou ils resident depuis, attendant qu'a un moment ou a l'autre, leur fille donne signe de vie.

Mais, toutes leurs journees ne sont pas faites que d'attente puisqu'a sa facon, M. Allore donne un coup de main aux policiers-enqueteurs en verifiant les effets personnels de sa fille, rencontrant des confreres, ou des consoeurs d'etudes, contactant des amis ou des parents de l'exterieur de la ville.

Mais, bien peu d'indices ont ete recueillis jusqu'a maintenant.

Pour un, M. Allore s'interroge sur le fait qu'il soit impossiblr d'en apprendre davantage du cote des etudients du college; il pense que certains etudiants pourraient en savoir plus que ce qu'ils lui ont revele jusqu'a maintenant.

"C'est sur le campus que se trouve la clef su mystere de la disparation de notre fille", pense M. Allore.

This was "le pire" for my parents, "the worst". They got no help when they went to Quebec. The investigator was ineffectual, the school administration told them to go home, everyone was playing amateur psychologist - Was Theresa a troubled child? Was she pregnant? Did Theresa need theropy?; was she a lesbian? They asked my parents if she was adopted, were my parents happily married? Total bullshit, mom and dad got so fed up they hired a private detective - then things really began to come to light (more on that later). 

De meme, il a fallu pres d'une semaine avant que certaines compagnes de Theresa porte a l'attention de la Surete municipale son adsence prolongee et inexpliquee.

M. et Mne Allore, qui demeurent somme toute confiants de retrouver leur fille sous peu et qui n'affichent pas trop l'anxiete qui les tenaille depuis plusieurs jours, ont l'intention de regagner en fin de semaine leur domicile de St-John.

Marie depuis bientot 20 ans, le couple Allore souhaite que leur fille soit de retour avant leur depart.

Ya. Sadly this never happened

Du cote policier, l'enqueteur Leo Hamel a repris les recontres avec les amis de Theresa et les personnes susceptibles de l'avoir recontree dans la soiree de vendredi. On croit qu'elle pourrait avoir ete apercue du long d'une route a faire de l'auto-stop, portant un long chandail en laine beige.

Toutes les informations concernant cette affaire peuvent etre acheminees au directeur Leo Hamel a son bureau de la Surete, situe a l'hotel de ville de Lennoxville.

Footnote: November 16th is a bad day. On this day in 1999, Julie Surprenant disappeared from a bus-stop in Terrebonne, Quebec. Most believe Julie is dead, her body never found. The lead suspect in her disappearance is Richard Bouillon, currently serving ten years for various sexual transgressions.
Student Missing

The Touchstone
November 16, 1978

The Touchstone was a student newspaper. After the initial article in The Record on November 13th, professional English publications never mentioned the case again until five months later when her body was found.

Champlain student Theresa Allore has been missing since last Nov. 3. She was last seen at Dewhurst Dining Hall at approximately 6:00 pm. The first year student is described as being approximately 5'6" tall and weighing 115 pounds, with red frizzy hair and blue eyes. 

FTR: Theresa's hair was a recent perm and a die-job

She was last reported to be wearing a T-shirt and blue cords and was distinguished by a long beige sweater and black chinese sandals. Any information concerning the nineteen-year-old's disappearance should be reported to Bill Matson, campus principal of Champlain College. The College is working on an intensive search in conjunction with the Lennoxville Police.

Curious that they are told to report to Bill Matson instead of the police - though this could be a natural thing. FYI: Matson came from the U.S. Army where he worked in Army Intelligence. His motto was "I know when to keep my eyes wide and my mouth shut. Matson was master of information and wanted to keep everything he learned close to the chest, especially in the matter of a missing student, lest blame fall on the college. Also note: the "intensive search" was a sham. When my brother suggested to Matson that a search should be undertaken, Matson's response was - and I quote - "I'm not going to turn this campus upside down for some goddam kid".

Police had no comment on the disappearance of the Compton resident but urge anyone who has seen or heard anything to bring it immediately to the attention of Matson as all information is vital.

I strongly doubt the police wanted information filtered through the school officials.

Mise à jour: 16/11/2004 08h33

THIS IN TODAY'S QUEBEC PRESS

Disparition
Julie Surprenant: cinq ans déjà


Triste anniversaire aujourd'hui: il y a cinq ans, le 16 novembre 1999, disparaissait Julie Surprenant, 16 ans.

L'adolescente originaire de l'île Saint-Jean, à Terrebonne, a été vue pour la dernière fois alors qu'elle descendait d'un autobus près de l'appartement où elle habitait.

Hier, le père de Julie s'est joint à trois pères dont les enfants ont aussi été victimes d'actes criminels.

Les quatre hommes ont rencontré le ministre de la Justice, Jacques Dupuis, pour lui demander de l'aide pour les familles des victimes d'actes criminels.

Pour l'instant, cette aide se résume à l'octroi de 600 dollars. Le ministre de la Justice a cependant promis de mieux encadrer psychologiquement les proches des victimes.

En vidéo, écoutez le commentaire de Claude Poirier.

Monday, November 15, 2004

Hello? hello?... is this thing on?

I'll let the cat-out-of-the-bag... W-Five is visiting me today and tomorrow in North Carolina. W-Five is like "20-20" for Canadians. They are doing an hour-long show on Theresa's murder; today I get to walk around as they film me going about my business - See? this guy's normal; he's not the crackpot we all thought he was.

Tomorrow I sit down for an extended interview with Sandy Rinaldo (that's the Diane Sawyer of Canada). They've already talked with my brother and later this week their interviewing my folks in Saint John, New Brunswick (a first - my parents have been silent about all of this for 25 years).

I think it will air sometime in January, 2005 - but you never know with these tv people.

I have to go get ready for my close-up.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2004

QUEBEC JUSTICE MINISTER AGREES TO FINANCE A VICTIMS ASSOCIATION FOR FAMILIES OF HOMICIDE

Oh, well done Pierre!

Families of Quebec murder victims to help others in same situation
Canadian Press
November 15, 2004

QUEBEC -- The Quebec government will provide some financial support to help several families of murder victims start a support group to help others in the same situation.

Four families who had sons or daughters murdered met with Justice Minister Jacques Dupuis on Monday. Dupuis didn't make public the amount the support group would receive.

Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu, whose 22-year-old daughter Julie was raped and murdered in Sherbrooke in 2002, was among those who met with Dupuis.

Boisvenu said the group's goal is to help other families, offer advice and share experiences.

"We will ask those families, `Do you need some kind of support. Do you need some kind of preparation to meet the media. Do you know about the justice system''' he said.

The families who met with Dupuis also are lobbying for better compensation for the families of murder victims, stiffer penalties for killers and tougher parole conditions.

------------------------------

Québec aidera financièrement l'Association des familles victimes d'actes criminels

Mise à jour le lundi 15 novembre 2004, 12 h 24 .

Le ministre de la Justice du Québec, Jacques Dupuis, a indiqué lundi matin, que Québec apportera une aide financière à l'Association des familles victimes d'actes criminels. 

Le ministre Dupuis a fait cette annonce après avoir rencontré quatre pères de victimes d'actes criminels, dont Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu et Marcel Bolduc, dans ses bureaux de Montréal. Le montant accordé n'a pas été dévoilé.

L'association a pour objectif d'apporter différents services d'aide aux familles, sans toutefois se substituer aux services que fournissent déjà les centres d'aide aux victimes d'actes criminels (CAVAC) ou les centres d'aide et de lutte contre les agressions à caractère sexuel (CALAC).

L'organisme veut plutôt apporter un soutien direct aux familles éplorées dans les premiers moments suivant une disparition ou un meurtre, en les informant sur le processus judiciaire et en les préparant à affronter les médias.

L'instigateur du projet, Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu, a qualifié la rencontre de « très satisfaisante ». « On a été écouté et on a été compris », a-t-il déclaré.

L'aide de Québec, dit-il, doit notamment permettre à l'association d'entrer en contact avec quelque 750 familles qui ont été victimes d'un acte criminel au cours des 15 dernières années. L'association invite d'ailleurs les familles concernées à lui écrire à l'adresse de courriel suivante : afvacq@hotmail.com.

L'organisme acheminera par ailleurs une demande de financement au Fonds d'aide aux victimes d'actes criminels. « Il ne fait aucun doute que la société doit faire écho aux drames que [les familles] ont vécus », a dit le ministre Dupuis.

La rencontre avec le ministre Dupuis s'est déroulée en présence des pères de Julie Boisvenu assassinée en juin 2002, d'Isabelle Bolduc, assassinée en 1996, de Cathy Caretta, étranglée en 1998, et de Julie Suprenant, qui est disparue depuis 1999.

Sunday, November 14, 2004

Lennox Redux

For those of you who don't speak French, I'll talk you through it

La Surete de Lennoxville s'interroge toujours sur le sort de Theresa Allore

LA TRIBUNE, SHERBROOKE
MARDI 14 NOVEMBRE, 1978

LENNOXVILLE - La Surete municipale de Lennoxville s'interroge toujour sur le sort de Theresa Allore, jeune edutiante de 19 ans du College regional Champlain de cette localite, portee disparue dupuis vendredi dernier.

That one's pretty clear

Jusqu'a maintenant, devait avouer hier M. Leo Hamel, directeur de la Surete municipale de Lennoxville et responsable de l'enquete, peu d'informations permettent aux policiers d'avoir des indices sur ce qui aurait pu survenir a la jeune Allore, dupuis la derniere fois qu'elle a ete vue, soit vendredi le 3 novembre.

eleven days later, the police begin their investigation

M. Hamel a indique hier qu'il est a completer son enquete qui a consiste, presque essentiellement a recontrer des amis ou des personnes qui auraient pu en savoir plus long sur les allees et venues de la collegienne.

Hamel's investigation consisted of only questioning students - no locals, no school faculty, no adults

Des indices recueillis au cours de son enquete, le directeur du service de police a pratiquement ecarte l'hypothese d'une fugue; d'ailleurs, hier M. Hamel etudiait l'opportunite de declencher une operation de ratissage dans les bois environnants avec la collaboration de la Surete du Quebec, ce qui confirme que les policiers de Lennoxville craignent le pire.

Hamel's running on the theory that she is a "fugue" - a runnaway, but when pressed, he's forced to admit that he wants to search the nearby woods - fearing "le pire", the worst. Hamel requests manpower from the Surete du Quebec and local officials, but he is denied the help. The town goes cheap on the investigation and the police never conduct any kind of search.

Mlle Theresa Allore mesure cinq pieds et six pouces et pese 110 livres. Elle a les cheveux longs frises de couleur roux, les yeux bleus et une legere cicatrice au front.

Theresa had a small scar on her forehead; this discription gives the impression she was gastly disfigured

Au moment de sa disapparition Mlle Therea Allore habitait la residence du Kings Hall a Compton.

no one is searching Compton because, as of yet, no one has come forward to place her there on the night of November 3rd.

C'est son frere Andre qui a rapporte la disparition aux policiers vendredi.

That must have been an aweful day

Les personnes qui se croient en mesurede fournir aux enqueteurs des informations au sujet de Mlle Allore depuis le moment de sa disparition sont pres d'entrer en communication avec M. Leo Hamel au quartier-general de la Surete municipale de Lennoxville.

People quickly get the impression that Hamel is a nincompoop; a nice guy, but totally ineffectual, and incapable of handling the situation. Little is ever reported to him.


Saturday, November 13, 2004

Historical rhetorical

This - the first announcement of her disappearance - a full 10 days after she was last seen.

Girl 19, missing

Sherbrooke Record
Monday, November 13th, 1978

LENNOXVILLE (BP)
- Municipal police continue their search for 19-year-old Theresa Allre, a Champlain Regional College student who disappeared Friday, Nov. 3 from the local campus.

Authorities began their investigation last Friday when the girl's brother, Andre, reported she was last seen about 6 p.m. in the cafeteria on the Bishop's - Champlain campus wearing blue corduroy slacks, a white t-shirt, a long beige sweater and sandals. She was living at King's Hall residence in Compton at the time of her disappearance.

Ms. Allore is about 5'7" and weighs 105 lbs. She has blue eyes, long red frizzy hair, a1/2" scar on her forehead and is English-speaking.

Anyone with information concerning this young woman is asked to contact Lennoxville Police Director Leo Hamel at 569-9388 or 562-8333 as soon as possible.


Thursday, November 11, 2004

A bitter-sweet day

Twenty-six years ago on this day, November 11th, my parents informed me that my sister was missing.

However, this has been greatly remedied by the birthday of our youngest child, Ava, who turns one today.

Happy Birthday, Ava!

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2004

Does anyone keep the memory of Louise Chaput?

This from an online hiking forum published last year

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Two Years Later - Posters Back Up in Pinkham Notch
November 21 2003 at 3:33 PM

Posters asking the public's help in solving the two-year-old murder of Canadian hiker Louise Chaput have sprouted up around the area where her body was found.

"We just want to keep it alive," said Marie Pinault. "I'd like to know what happened."

Pinault and her husband, Denis Masson, travelled to northern New Hampshire from their home in Ottawa last weekend to put up more than 250 posters from Berlin to North Conway and from Lancaster to Colebrook. The poster displays two pictures of Chaput and asks anyone with information about her death to contact police.

State police Sgt. Chuck West said the case remains open and police check out any new leads that surface. But he said there are no suspects.

Last Saturday was the second anniversary of the last day anyone saw Chaput alive.

After a massive search, Chaput's body was found on Thanksgiving, less than a half-kilometre from the AMC visitors centre. She had been stabbed, and some media reports said her throat had been slashed.

Chaput's backpack and the keys to her car have not been found.

West said there was some question about why Chaput would have taken her backpack and sleeping bag if she was just going on a short hike.

Police looked at theories that Chaput may have been killed by one of her clients. She specialized in marital counselling and had worked with inmates at a Sherbrooke detention centre.

Friday, November 5, 2004

M. Boisvenu obtient une rencontre

Claude Plante
La Tribune
Sherbrooke

Le père de Julie Boisvenu, Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu vient de franchir une étape de plus vers la formation d'une Association de parents de victimes d'actes criminels au Québec.

Avec d'autres pères d'enfants qui ont été assaillis par des criminels, il rencontrera le ministre de la Justice, Jacques Dupuis.La rencontre est prévue pour lundi prochain.M. Boisvenu doit être accompagné entre autres de Marcel Bolduc, père d'Isabelle, jeune femme de Sherbrooke qui a aussi été tuée par des criminels.Rappelons que Hugo Bernier, 30 ans, a été reconnu coupable d'avoir enlevé, séquestré, agressé sexuellement puis tué froidement Julie Boisvenu en juin 2002 à Sherbrooke.

A meeting with the justice minister is very big. This new association includes some high profile Quebec victims. In addition to M. Bolducand Boisvenu, there are the parents of Julie Surprenant, myself ,Chantel Dube and members of RIVCO (victims from the biker wars)

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 05, 2004

After years in the shadows, and motivated by the actions of Pierre Boisvenu, Marcel Bolduc - the father of Isabelle Bolduc, who was murdered in Sherbrooke in 1996 - has decided to come forward and advocate for victims rights.

Marcel Bolduc reprend du service
Evelyne Leblanc
La Tribune
Sherbrooke

Le verdict dans le procès d'Hugo Bernier, reconnu coupable du meurtre au premier degré de Julie Boisvenu, a convaincu Marcel Bolduc de reprendre du service pour la cause des victimes d'acte criminel et du resserrement du système de libérations conditionnelles.

"Je constate qu'il y a toujours, après huit ans, les mêmes lacunes dans le système des libérations conditionnelles et dans l'encadrement des détenus qui obtiennent une telle liberté. J'avais pris du recul depuis quelques années, mais j'ai choisi de ne plus rater une occasion de m'impliquer dans ces dossiers pour améliorer notre système", explique M. Bolduc.

Il y a huit ans, sa fille Isabelle payait de sa vie les lacunes du système de remise en liberté conditionnelle. Enlevée, séquestrée, agressée sexuellement puis battue à mort, elle avait été retrouvée sans vie dans un champ de Fleurimont, non loin du chemin Duplessis, à l'été 1996. 

Ses agresseurs étaient, tout comme Hugo Bernier, en probation pour des crimes dont ils avaient été reconnus coupables.

It is my understanding that Marcel Bolduc will be joining Pierre Boisvenu in a meeting on November 15th with Quebec's minister of justice.