on Résolu Encore - Louise Camirand

Twenty-Seven years ago today the body of 20-year old Louise Camirand was found in a snow bank near Megog, Quebec. Camirand's death remains unsolved. The following is how the newspapers reported her discovery 27 years ago: 

Sherbrooke woman murdered near Magog

AUSTIN - Quebec Police Homicide officers are continuing their investigation in the murder of a 20-year-old Sherbrooke woman whose body was discovered on the McDonald Concession Road her at 10 a.m. Friday. Florent Henry and Robert Curtis, both of R.R. 2, Magog made the discovery when they were on their way to cut wood and saw the nude body of Louise Camirand of 30 Bryant St. partially covered with snow.

"They told us they travelled the same road on Wednesday when everything was normal." Const. Andre Lessard, Cowansville QPF said. "When Const. Gary Budge and I arrived on the scene we were able to determine she was in her 20s and had a boot lace around her neck. She was frozen solid and there were no other external signs of violence. Her black slacks and blue suede jacket with grey fur trim were near her."

Death was confirmed by Coroner Noel E. Monast and the body was taken to the Medical-Legal Institute, Montreal where an autopsy performed Saturday revealed the young woman had been sexually assaulted prior to being killed. The report also indicated she suffered internal lesions and fractures in the pelvic area and the latter might have been caused by kicking or having been hit by a blunt instrument.

It is understood Miss Camirand was to have been married in May.

Corporal Jacques Pothier is in charge of the investigation. 
- posted by John @ 3/25/2004 08:46:41 AM

 
Louise Camirand R.I.P. - Les Journals Francais

Louise, 20 ans, VIOLEE ET ETRANGLEE

Malgre un travail acharne qui se poursuit depuis plus de trois mois, les policiers de la Surete du Quebec n'ont toujour pas encore reussi a percer le mystere qui entoure le meutre sadique de Louise Camirand, violee et etrangee, au mois de mars dernier, a Austin, dans les Cantons de l'Est.

On se reppellera que la jeune Camirand, agee de 20 ans, de Sherbrooke, etait mysterieusement disparue depuis deux jours quand son cadavre entierement nu fut decouvert, le 25 mars 1977, dans un chemin de halage d'Austin, a quelques milles de Magog.

Depuis cette macabre decouverte, les policiers ont deja l'interroge plus de 225 personnes, a Sherbrooke et dans les environs, mais aucun indice serieux ne leur a permis de faire progresser cette enquete.

Membre des forces armees canadiennes, Louise Camirand etait seule, en soiree de mercredi 23 mars 1977, lorsqu'elle a ete vue pour la derniere fois vivante, au depanneur "Provi-Soir", a l'intersection du boulevard Jacques Cartier et de la rue King Ouest, a Sherbrooke.

Reconnue comme une jeune fille qui ne faisait jamais d'auto-stop et qui ne semblait pas avoir d'ennemis, elle serait tout de meme montee a bord d'une voiture dont le ou les occupants etaient susceptibles de la connaitre.

Pres de l'endoit ou son cadabre a ete trouve, les policiers ont releve des traces de pneus dans la neige fraichement tombee, traces qui on 44 pouces entre les deux roules et qui pourraient correspondre a des voitures de marques Renault 5, Mini-Austin ou Toyota Celica.

Toute personne qui pourrait fournir des renseigements relativement a cet assassinat est priee de bien vouloir communiques aves les reponsables de cette enquete, les detectives Jacques Pothier et Andre Massicotte, des crimes contre la personne de la SQ de Montreal (514) 395-4004, ou au coporal Roch Gaudreault, du BEC de la SQ de L'Estrie, a (819) 565-8111, en etant assuree que tous les renseignements seront traites confidentiellement par les policiers.


- posted by John @ 3/25/2004 08:45:46 AM

Non Résolu - Manon Dube R.I.P.

Twenty-Six years ago today the body of 10-year old Manon Dube was found in a stream near Massawippi, Quebec. Manon's death remains unsolved. The following is how the newspapers reported her discovery 26 years ago:

Police say there is yet no way to determine what killed ten-year-old Manon Dube, missing from near her Sherbrooke home since. Jan. 27, whose body was retreived from a frozen brook Friday Night.

Two young Montreal Boys, in the area for the weekend, found Manon's body partially frozen into the brook ice half a mile from Massawippi on the Kingscroft road.

The body was transported to Montreal Saturday and an autopsy will be performed at the Medical-Legal Institute today. Det. Lt. Alphee Leblanc of the SHerbrooke Municipal Police who has headed the investigation since January will assist at the autopsy.

When found, Manon was dressed exactly as the day she disappeared, in a navy blue snowsuit and tan leather boots. Only one red mitten and a salmon-pink tuque were not recovered.

A police spokesmans said the only visible sign of injury was a deep gash to Manon's forehead, but added it may have been caused by the ragged ice.

The spokesman said it was impossible to determine exactly how long Manon's body had been in the brook, but said indications were the better part of the two months since her disappearance.

Members of the Sherbrooke and Coaticook QPF and Sherbrooke municipal police combed the brook area through the day Saturday but their search was hampered by melting ice and new fallen snow.

Manon was last seen at 7:30 p.m., Jan. 27, when she and her younger sister, Chantal were walking to their Bienville Street home after playing outdoors. When the pair reached the intersection of Union and Craig streets, Chatal decided to run the remainder of the way because she was cold. Only 500 yards from her home, Manon never arrived.

The same weekend, a 16-man police search team and tracking dogs combed the city's west end, but found no trace of the girl. More than 1500 local snowmobilers spent several days searching in the area surrounding Sherbrooke but found nothing.

Manon's mother, Jeannine Dube, said she was relieved that her daughter's body had been recovered: "for nine weeks, the tension I have been under... I didn't know what to do with myself," She said.

In a local radio broadcast yesterday morning Mrs. Dube said it was only the good will of her family and prayer that kept her going.

"And I ask you to pray for her... and for me." She said.

A Sherbrooke native, Mrs. Dube said she has no intention of moving from the City.


- posted by John @ 3/24/2004 06:49:25 AM

 
Non Résolu - Manon Dube R.I.P... Les Journals Francais

La mort Mysterieuse de Manon Dube: RIEN, RIEN, RIEN...

La mort de la jeune Manon Dube, a Sherbrooke, demeure une enigme. Aucune hypothese ne peut etre retenue sinon celle de l'implication d'une personne inconnue.

Manon Dube a ete portee disparue apres Noel, a Sherbrooke, et on a trouve son corps dans la glace a une vingtaine de milles de Sherbrooke plusieurs semaines plus tard. 

Malgre des expertises menees de main de maitre, a l'Institut de medecine legale, rue Parthenais, a Montreal, on ne connait pas encore les causes exactes de la mort de l'enfant agee de dix ans.

La semaine derniere, le coroner Me Jean-Pierre Rivard a entendu quelques temoins, au palais de justice de Sherbrooke, quant aux circonstances entourant la mort de la jeune Dube. On y a repete les memes circonstances connues dupuis longtemps quant a la disparition et a la decouverte de la fillette.

Mais rien de nouveau n'a ete apporte devant le coroner. La cause demeure donc non resolue. Mais il est clair que quelqu'un a agi dans cette cause, car une fillette ne peut marcher 20 milles, sutout en periode hivernale... 
- posted by John @ 3/24/2004 06:46:49 AM

IVAC and Me

first in a series of my dealings with Quebec's Indemnisation des Victimes d'Actes Criminel

Having waited 25 years for a Quebec victims assistance service to come offer aid, I recently decided to take matters into my own hands and start knocking on doors.

What I knew of the two major Quebec victims assistance services, CAVAC and IVAC, was mostly gleaned through horror stories shared with other victims, but in truth I had no first-hand experience - in fact I didn't even know what the acronyms stood for. The worst "tale" was that of Pierre Boisvenu who, he had told me, had been given a paltry $600 to cover the cost of funeral arrangements in the matter of the murder of his daughter; this was the only assistance provided by CAVAC and IVAC, and the root of his bitterness with both organizations. But could this be so? Was $600 the extent of their services and compassion? 

Then I caught wind of a brilliant idea... I was a victim! Why not contact IVAC and see what they were prepared to offer me as compensation for the trouble I had suffered for the murder of my sister. Sure, the case was fosillized, but it was worth a shot.

First things first, CAVAC stands for Les Centres d’aide aux victimes d’actes criminels. Not to sound catty, but I am still not clear on what exactly it is they do. I think they are supposed to act as a sort of information hub for victims. To be frank, when I attended Justice Canada's National Victims Conference in Ottawa last November (one last time: the victims conference without any victims) there was a large representation from CAVAC, but they looked like they weren't too sure what they were doing there. I introduced myself - it was pretty clear who I was since there was a C.B.C. camera stuck in my face - but I don't recall any of them approaching me and saying, 

"Mr. Allore... in the matter of the recent reinvestigation into the murder of your sister... how are you doing? Is everything ok? Do you need some Quebec victims assistance?"

Nada - there was nothing like that. I do recall that they all were caring a lot of shopping bags, probably chaising down some pre-Christmas bargains in the big city.

So, that's CAVAC.

Now on to IVAC. IVAC stands for Indemnisation des Victimes d'Actes Criminel, the Crime Victims' Indemnity Commission. Unlike CAVAC, IVAC has a very definite purpose; since 1972 they've been doling out cash to victims of violent crime, with limited decerning criteria to define eligibility. IVAC does not require positive proof that someone was a victim; basically, if you tell your story to IVAC and it appears plausible than you may be eligile to receive a small fortune (unlike other victims compensation programs, IVAC has no minimum or maximum). Also, IVAC does not follow up with victims, so if you spin a good yarn, you could be set for life.

You'd think with such a loosy-goosy arrangement, IVAC might be bankrupt by now. Not so. According to an article by Kristian Gravenor, a 1987 Solicitor-General's report showed that less than one per cent of Quebec's crime victims applied for the money. This might have something to do with the fact that nobody is aware that the funds exist. IVAC advertises the fund once-a-year in medical magazines (hey, in 1979, my parents certainly weren't aware of it otherwise we would have hopped on the gravy-train).

Still, what could account for Pierre Boisvenu receiving such a small sum if the fund was so flush, and what might I be eligable for? Barely containing my excitement, I decided to call the IVAC offices in Montreal. 

I was immediately put off by the guy that answered the phone; I expected him to do the I'll-only-speak-to-you-in-French brush-off, but instead he quickly switched to English - this made me even angrier, since it was my desire all along to struggle along in French.

- I wish to submit a demande.

- Can you tell me briefly the nature of the situation?

- Yes, my sister died in Quebec 25 years ago, but only recently was it discovered she had been murdered.

- Ah yes, in situations like that we can offer up to $600 towards compensation for the funeral expenses, do you wish for me to send you an application?

That was it. It was that simple, 60 seconds and I was riding the gravy train... Ok, $600; maybe the gravy cross-town bus. But why $600? Why should I receive the same amount as Pierre, whose daughter died only a year-and-a-half ago?

Six-hundred bucks; I'm hardly going to reimburse my father for the coffin, but it WILL buy one purdy flower arrangement.

Finally - A Quebec Victims Association

Last week's Sherbrooke Tribune reported that myself and Pierre Boisvenu are starting a club (Vers une association des victimes - it's VERY exclusive; someone close to you has to have died to get in).

Ok, so I'll fess up... I've been conspiring with Pierre and some of his friends - Marcel Bolduc and some guys who lost loved ones to the Hells Angels war; if it weren't for the Angels victims, me, Pierre, and Marcel would call ourselves,

Fathers And Brothers Who Have Lost Family Due To Canada's Insanely Inadequate Revolving-Door Parole System (FABCIRPS ???)...

But as we are joined by the others, we'll probably call ourselves something like,

Disgruntled Association of Victims of Quebec who Intend to Kick Ass (DAVQIKA?)


So we'll work on the name.

Seriously, it was Pierre's idea to start an association of Quebec victims, that is run by victims and for the benefit of victims, and I am fully behind this idea.

You say, such an organization already exists in Quebec?

No, no, no my friend. Unless you're referring to the anemic CAVAC (good luck getting them to return your call) or the technology-challenged IVAC (good luck finding a website). Did you hear that IVAC (whose role it is to compensate the families of victims of crime) managed to award Pierre Boisvenu the astronomical sum of $600 for his trouble in the death of his daughter, Julie? 

Now I'm no funeral expert, but I did a little quick research over at www.casketsource.com; this LITERALLY wouldn't pay the price tag on a cardboard coffin.

Transcript of Boisvenu Press Conference / Original French release follows


REACTION OF THE BOISVENU FAMILY TO THE JUDGES DECISION TO MOVE OF THE MURDER TRIAL OF JULIE BOISVENU TO MONTREAL

SHERBROOKE, March 02 2004 

On February 27 2004, the magistrate assigned to the file of the murder of Julie 
Boisvenu returned a decision that disappoints us enormously. Our family is discouraged and devastated by this judgment. Now a multiple of questions must be asked of the principal players in this decision. Almost two years after the murder of our daughter Julie, and again we are faced with a big open wound, and nothing indicates that this will resolve itself quickly. We respect the judgment of the magistrate assigned to Julie's case and understand the legal arguments on which it is founded. However, allow us to express our disappointment at the decision to move the legal process in the matter of the death of our daughter to Montreal. This decision will have a grave impact on our family. It will cause a great financial impact on us in order to follow the case adequately. This insensitive decision only confirms for us that
the victims are not taken into account in the whole judicial process in Quebec. 

We would like to have answers to the following questions: 

- How is it possible that a press conference can be held by the Sherbrooke police
in which evidence is revealed that can so negatively impact the judicial procedures?

- What are the means of communication between the city of Sherbrooke and the assigned prosecutor to the file? Can these communications be improved so that strategic information in future will not be divulged that could harm the the legal process? 

- Why was it that the victims weren't first consulted before the judgment by the
magistrate?

- We say it again, we intend to protest the decision of the official magistrate; We question the judge's grounds for movement, that the case will be less compromised in Montreal than in the L'Estrie region or Granby.


In 2004, with all the tools of modern media and information which are disposed to us, the national 24-hour media, the access to limitless information through the internet, etc... and the fact that the death of our daughter, Julie was shouted to all of Quebec through these resources, can we say that a potential jury from Montreal versus L'Estrie is any less compromised?

Is it realistically possible in this modern context for any potential jury to be truly free of external influence? 

Can we truly say with this decision that we will have more trust in the discerning capacity and judgement of a jury from Montreal? In this context the process would have been better served by placing the trial in the sector of Granby; this would have been a more acceptable compromise. 

Help us understand this - with so many criminal cases in Montreal, such as the recent judgment concerning the Hells Angels where, before the process even begun it was exposed publicly in the media - who will the trial of Julie not be compromised? 

Does not moving the trial to Montreal tend to favor one, if not all of the parties representing the accused (who is from Montreal) while serving to the detriment
of the crown? 

All the parties in this process will have to move themselves to Montreal
in order to participate in this trial. All of the women and the men of L'Estrie
involved in this just and equitable process will have to move
themselvesto the home of the accused and his lawyers. Also,
the lead prosecutor to this case since the beginning , Mr. Campagna, in whom we have great confidence, will he remain as crown prosecutor once the trial is relocated to Montreal? 

Is it not so that in our justice system, the accused has recourses to advantages
that would favor them, and that the deceased victims are ignored, even discriminated
against in the judicial process? 

Would it not be fitting to compensate the immediate family and its supporters in order to have easy access to this process? The remoteness of the location of the trial, does it not come to restrict the basic right of citizens and citizens of l'Estrie to
attend this process? 

Finally, without entering into a game of comparisons, I would want point out
to our governments what is done to the families of the victims of such an assassination. When one sees the speed with which a government invest hundreds
of millions of dollars, think about the Programs of federal sponsorship, the huge monetary compensations authorized by a judge to the lawyers of Les Hells; how is it that when a young girl is murdered the government compensates the family a "generous" $600?

How is it that the revision of the program d'indemnisation of the victims
d'actes criminal (IVAC) managed by the CSST has not been concluded after 12 years
of administrative work? 

We believe it is urgent that a quebec association of the victims d' actes criminal is established. It is important that this association have the cooperation of all government agencies so that the victims are better considered in the judicial process in Quebec and Canada. This situation I addressed last November during the National Victims of Crime Conference held in Ottawa. We seek nothing less than the solidarity of all the women and men of Quebec to accomplish this task in the defense of the victims of criminal acts.

Finally, the Boisvenu family wishes to express to the entire population of Quebec our thanks for the support and the words encouragement you have expressed during this too too long process. 

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


COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE
Pour diffusion immédiate


RÉACTION DE LA FAMILLE BOISVENU 
AU DÉPLACEMENT DU PROCÈS 
DE L’ACCUSÉ DU MEURTRE 
DE JULIE BOISVENU DANS
LA RÉGION DE MONTRÉAL


SHERBROOKE, le 02 mars 2004 - Le 27 février 2004, le magistrat nommé au dossier du meurtre Julie Boisvenu a rendu une décision qui nous déçoit énormément. Notre famille est découragée et dévastée par ce jugement. Aujourd’hui, de multiples questions interpellent les acteurs principaux dans ce dossier. Presque deux ans après le meurtre de Julie, la plaie encore grande ouverte et rien indique que le dossier se résoudra rapidement.

D’abord, la famille tient à affirmer qu’elle respecte le jugement du magistrat dans le dossier du meurtre de Julie et comprend les arguments légaux sur lequel il se fonde. Par contre nous désirons signifier notre déception devant la décision de déplacer le procès du présumé meurtrier de notre fille vers Montréal. Cette décision aura sur la famille des conséquences malheureuses. Ainsi, il y a un grand risque d’être reporté dans le temps et celui-ci occasionnera des frais de déplacement importants pour la famille et nos proches afin de le suivre adéquatement. Cette décision nous rappelle que les victimes ne sont pas prises en compte dans tout le processus judiciaires au Québec. 

Au lieu de condamner et de juger qui que ce soit pour le travail fait, nous désirons avoir des réponses à nos questions.

Comment se fait-il qu’une conférence de presse de cette nature, tenue par les policiers de Sherbrooke au dénouement de leur enquête, ait pu avoir un impact si négatif sur le déroulement des procédures judiciaires? Quel a été l’encadrement fourni par le service des communications de la ville de Sherbrooke et le procureur assigné au dossier afin que l’information stratégique divulguée lors de la conférence de presse fut mieux filtrée afin de ne pas nuire aux suites du dossier devant la Cour? Pourquoi n’a-t-on pas suffisamment encadré les policiers qui se devaient d’une part informer une population inquiète et nerveuse suite au meurtre de Julie et d’autre part protéger des éléments de preuve ne pouvant à ce moment être rendus public?

Comment se fait-il que nous devions faire payer aux victimes les conséquences d’une activité de relation publique questionnable sur l’application des règles de base en matière de droit que soulève le magistrat dans son jugement? 

Nous le disons encore, loin de nous l’intention de contester l’ensemble de la décision du magistrat attitré au dossier. Nous questionnons le fait que les citoyennes et citoyens de Montréal risquent d’être moins contaminés que ceux de la grande région l’Estrie et du secteur de Granby. 

En 2004, peut-on se poser la question qu’avec tous les outils d’information modernes dont nous disposons, tels : les médias nationaux qui répètent sans arrêt des nouvelles, l’information illimitée accessible via internet, etc…; se peut-il qu’un membre potentiel d’un futur jury dans la cause de notre fille Julie qui a interpellé tout le Québec, qu’il soit de Montréal ou de l’Estrie, ait le même risque de contamination à cause de ce grand volume d’information disponible? Est-il possible que le contexte et le principe mêmes de constitution d’un jury devant demeurer à l’abri de toute influence externe soit révolus? Doit-on dorénavant davantage se fier à la capacité de discernement et de jugement des futurs membres d’un jury? Dans ce sens, le procès aurait mérité d’avoir lieu dans le secteur de Granby, ce qui nous serait apparu un compromis plus acceptable.

Comment comprendre cette décision alors que tant de dossiers criminels, tel celui des motards où, avant même la tenue des procès on expose publiquement une partie des preuves, tels les saisies et d’autres éléments de la preuve? Dans ce contexte, les citoyennes et les citoyens membres des jurés dans la cause des motards criminalisés ne furent-ils pas contaminés par toute l’information qui a circulé avant les procès? N’y avait-il pas lieu alors de déplacer ces procès dans le Grand Nord québécois afin de s’assurer d’un jury impartial?

En déplaçant le procès vers Montréal, ne favorise-t-on pas tous les acteurs responsables de la partie représentant l’accusé qui demeure dans cette région au détriment de la couronne? Tous les acteurs du procès devront se déplacer à Montréal afin de participer au procès. Toutes le femmes et les hommes de l’Estrie préoccupés par la tenue d’un procès juste et équitable devront également se déplacer vers le lieu de résidence l’accusé et de ses avocats. De plus, le procureur au dossier depuis le début des procédures, Me Campagna en qui nous avons une grande confiance sur le plan juridique et humain, sera-t-il toujours attitré à ce dossier une fois dans la région de Montréal? Si non…

Serait-il que, dans notre système de justice, les accusés auraient d’avantages de recours qui les favoriseraient et que les victimes décédées soient ignorées, même défavorisées dans le processus judiciaires ? 

Une décision aussi difficile à accepter pour la famille n’aurait-elle pas du être assortie d’une recommandation appropriée afin de compenser justement la famille et ses proches pour avoir accès facilement au procès? Cet éloignement ne vient-il pas restreindre le droit fondamental aux citoyennes et citoyens de l’Estrie à assister à ce procès?

Enfin, sans entrer dans le jeu des comparaisons, je voudrais rappeler à nos gouvernements le sort qui est fait aux familles des victimes d’un tel assassinat. Quand on voit la vitesse avec laquelle un gouvernement investissent de centaines de millions de dollars, pensons au Programmes des commandites au fédéral, à l’échec de relance de l’usine de papier de Chandler ou aux compensations monétaires autorisées par un juge aux avocats des motards, comment se fait-il que lorsqu’une jeune fille est assassinée, le gouvernement compense la famille d’un montant de 600$...? Comment se fait-il que la révision du programme d’indemnisation des victimes d’actes criminelles (IVAC) administré par la CSST ne soit pas encore conclue après 12 ans de travaux administratifs? 

Nous croyons qu’il est urgent que soit mis sur pied une association québécoise des victimes d’actes criminels. Il est important que celle-ci ait toute l’écoute des gouvernements afin que les victimes soient mieux considérées dans le processus judiciaires au Québec et au Canada. Cette situation, je la dénonçais, pas plus tard qu’au mois de novembre dernier, lors d’une Conférence nationale des victimes d’actes criminels à Ottawa. A cet égard nous ne demandons pas moins que la solidarité de toutes les femmes et les hommes du Québec afin de mener à bien ce projet de représentation officielle de la défense des victimes d’actes criminels.

La famille tient à dire à nouveau à toute la population du Québec son appréciation pour le support et les mots d’encouragement que vous adressez au cours de cette trop longue attente.

Source : Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu
Père de Julie Boisvenu
819-570-0640