SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2005
Top Crime
Over at Talk Left there's a discussion about favorite crime books.
Here are some of mine:
1. The Stranger Beside Me - Ann Rule
2. My Dark Places - James Ellroy
3. Whoever Fights Monsters - Robert Ressler
4. When She Was Bad - Patricia Pearson
5. The Onion Field - Joseph Wambaugh
Over at Talk Left there's a discussion about favorite crime books.
Here are some of mine:
1. The Stranger Beside Me - Ann Rule
2. My Dark Places - James Ellroy
3. Whoever Fights Monsters - Robert Ressler
4. When She Was Bad - Patricia Pearson
5. The Onion Field - Joseph Wambaugh
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2005
|I'll put up the Christmas lights today. It's currently -4 degrees Celcius (not looking forward to it).
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2005
I have two young cousins...
and each year that passes becomes more and more mortifying for me. As I watch them grow into adulthood my mortality becomes more apparent. One is a freshman at UNC and resembles a young Malcolm McDowell circa "Oh Lucky Man, the other is a highschool junior, the very picture of a budding baseball athlete.
Music is the foundation of their lives (their parents are accomplished folk musicians and both boys play multiple instruments most remarkably).
So this Thanksgiving as we gathered to eat and conerse, I was quite worried about what we would talk about. Would I, approaching 42, have anything to contribute to these young friends? Would they dismiss me as an old fart? What music were they listening to? Probably Franz Ferdinand or Death Cab for Cutie - I know the names, but I haven't the slightest interest in listening to the music.
So it was quite delightful after dinner when I heard one of my cousins sit down at my father-in-law's baby grand and strike the opening cords of Radiohead's Everything in its Right Place. "Oh god", I thought, "the kid''s got a soul".
This was most refreshing. Here we had something to talk about. Turns out both boys are diehard fans (and who wouldn't be?). Joe liked Kid A, while Tom was still attached to Amnesiac (ok, it's an album I still haven't been able to penetrate). But we all agreed on one thing:
We didn't understand Myxomatosis, but we couldn't stop listening to it.
and each year that passes becomes more and more mortifying for me. As I watch them grow into adulthood my mortality becomes more apparent. One is a freshman at UNC and resembles a young Malcolm McDowell circa "Oh Lucky Man, the other is a highschool junior, the very picture of a budding baseball athlete.
Music is the foundation of their lives (their parents are accomplished folk musicians and both boys play multiple instruments most remarkably).
So this Thanksgiving as we gathered to eat and conerse, I was quite worried about what we would talk about. Would I, approaching 42, have anything to contribute to these young friends? Would they dismiss me as an old fart? What music were they listening to? Probably Franz Ferdinand or Death Cab for Cutie - I know the names, but I haven't the slightest interest in listening to the music.
So it was quite delightful after dinner when I heard one of my cousins sit down at my father-in-law's baby grand and strike the opening cords of Radiohead's Everything in its Right Place. "Oh god", I thought, "the kid''s got a soul".
This was most refreshing. Here we had something to talk about. Turns out both boys are diehard fans (and who wouldn't be?). Joe liked Kid A, while Tom was still attached to Amnesiac (ok, it's an album I still haven't been able to penetrate). But we all agreed on one thing:
We didn't understand Myxomatosis, but we couldn't stop listening to it.
Thanksgiving Dinner 2005
Hosted by W.S. Hobgood
Thursday, 24 November
Hors d'oeuvres
Cheese and Crackers
Vegetable Chips
Paul Cheneau Champagne
Thanksgiving Feast
Sweet Potato Casserole - Mary Martin
Squash Casserole - Ms. Hobgood
Turnip Greens and Angel Rolls - Aunt Margaret
Apple and Pumpkin Pie - T. Hobgood
Country Stuffing and Green Bean Casserole - J. Allore
Dilled Cucumbers and Cranberry Sauce - W.S. Hobgood
Main Course - Turducken
Beverages
Orange Juice, Cranberry Juice, Tea and Coffee
Alsace Trimbach Gewurztraminer 2002
Alexander Valley Pinot Noir 2004
Broquel Malbec 2003
Hosted by W.S. Hobgood
Thursday, 24 November
Hors d'oeuvres
Cheese and Crackers
Vegetable Chips
Paul Cheneau Champagne
Thanksgiving Feast
Sweet Potato Casserole - Mary Martin
Squash Casserole - Ms. Hobgood
Turnip Greens and Angel Rolls - Aunt Margaret
Apple and Pumpkin Pie - T. Hobgood
Country Stuffing and Green Bean Casserole - J. Allore
Dilled Cucumbers and Cranberry Sauce - W.S. Hobgood
Main Course - Turducken
Beverages
Orange Juice, Cranberry Juice, Tea and Coffee
Alsace Trimbach Gewurztraminer 2002
Alexander Valley Pinot Noir 2004
Broquel Malbec 2003
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2005
Ya, here's a surprize:,
RCMP understaffed and undertrained, auditor general finds
Last Updated Tue, 22 Nov 2005 16:26:36 EST
CBC News
The RCMP are inadequately trained and so understaffed that they can't meet their federal responsibilities such as tackling organized crime, the federal auditor general says in a report.
Auditor General Sheila Fraser found that the Mounties didn't have enough people to adequately supply forces in 192 communities and aboriginal reserves in eight provinces.
"We noted problems with staffing and training that need to be addressed," she told a news conference after her report was tabled on Tuesday in the House of Commons .
As a result, the RCMP often had to divert staff from the national force, leaving it unable to fulfill its federal responsibilities such as probes into drug and organized crime networks, Fraser said.
Force will be short hundreds of officers a year
Fraser said the RCMP would soon be short hundreds of officers because their training facilities are inadequate and can't produce enough recruits to keep up with the demand.
The centre in Regina can train 1,200 cadets a year, but the force needs at least 1,400 new recruits annually for the next four years, the report says.
She also said the force often doesn't adequately fill in for Mounties who are on long-term absences, overburdening their colleagues and leaving them exposed to dangerous situations without access to backup.
"The peace officers could end up being overloaded in their work schedules, so more attention has to be paid to these areas," Fraser said.
New recruits receive inadequate mentoring, Fraser finds
Fraser also found problems with the training of new officers and retraining of more experienced ones.
Rookie officers are supposed to get six months of on-the-job training with a senior officer. Fraser said that often doesn't happen.
She also found the vast majority of the force hadn't completed recertification requirements.
There are six skill sets in which RCMP officers must recertify, including pistol and baton training, first aid and CPR.
Two years ago, 57 per cent of RCMP officers had completed all six qualifications. A year later, Fraser's audit found the figure had plummeted to 6 per cent.
Fraser pointed out that the Mounties are the primary police force for 20 per cent of Canadians, saying the problem areas identified in her report must be addressed.
Guess I can flush any hope of a federal inquiry down the toilet
RCMP understaffed and undertrained, auditor general finds
Last Updated Tue, 22 Nov 2005 16:26:36 EST
CBC News
The RCMP are inadequately trained and so understaffed that they can't meet their federal responsibilities such as tackling organized crime, the federal auditor general says in a report.
Auditor General Sheila Fraser found that the Mounties didn't have enough people to adequately supply forces in 192 communities and aboriginal reserves in eight provinces.
"We noted problems with staffing and training that need to be addressed," she told a news conference after her report was tabled on Tuesday in the House of Commons .
As a result, the RCMP often had to divert staff from the national force, leaving it unable to fulfill its federal responsibilities such as probes into drug and organized crime networks, Fraser said.
Force will be short hundreds of officers a year
Fraser said the RCMP would soon be short hundreds of officers because their training facilities are inadequate and can't produce enough recruits to keep up with the demand.
The centre in Regina can train 1,200 cadets a year, but the force needs at least 1,400 new recruits annually for the next four years, the report says.
She also said the force often doesn't adequately fill in for Mounties who are on long-term absences, overburdening their colleagues and leaving them exposed to dangerous situations without access to backup.
"The peace officers could end up being overloaded in their work schedules, so more attention has to be paid to these areas," Fraser said.
New recruits receive inadequate mentoring, Fraser finds
Fraser also found problems with the training of new officers and retraining of more experienced ones.
Rookie officers are supposed to get six months of on-the-job training with a senior officer. Fraser said that often doesn't happen.
She also found the vast majority of the force hadn't completed recertification requirements.
There are six skill sets in which RCMP officers must recertify, including pistol and baton training, first aid and CPR.
Two years ago, 57 per cent of RCMP officers had completed all six qualifications. A year later, Fraser's audit found the figure had plummeted to 6 per cent.
Fraser pointed out that the Mounties are the primary police force for 20 per cent of Canadians, saying the problem areas identified in her report must be addressed.
Guess I can flush any hope of a federal inquiry down the toilet
I've been offered to submit a Victim Impact Statement for a fraudulent Ebay seller. Go figure:
U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney's Office
CALIFORNIA, Southern District
880 Front St. Room 6293
San Diego, CA 92101-8893
Phone: 180054411065527
Fax: (619) 557-5782
November 15, 2005
Jon Allore
P.O. Box 183
Saxapahaw, NC
27340
RE: Defendant(s) David "Doc" Scheinman, Phil Scheinman
Dear Jon Allore:
Pursuant to federal law, you are entitled to be notified of the court proceedings
relating to the criminal litigation of this case. This letter is to inform you of the following:
The following information concerns USAO Case 2002R00466 and Court Docket Number 04CR2865WQH:
On August 12, 2005, the defendant Phil Scheinman pled guilty to the charges listed below. As a result of the guilty plea, there will be no trial involving this defendant.
Number of Charges Description of Charges Disposition 4 Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles
3 Fraud by wire, radio, or television
1 Fraud by wire, radio, or television Guilty
The judge is interested in knowing the impact this crime has had on you and your
family. In an effort to provide this information to the Court, we request your assistance in completing a Victim Impact Statement. If you wish to do so, please
contact the Victim Witness Coordinator at 180054411065527.
The following information concerns USAO Case 2002R00466 and Court Docket Number 04CR2865WQH:A sentencing hearing has been set for December 13, 2005, 09:00 AM in the case involving defendant(s): Phil Scheinman, David "Doc" Scheinman. You are welcome to attend this proceeding; though your attendance is not required by the court. If you plan on attending, please check the VNS website or the VNS Call Center toverify the sentencing date and time. You may call this office the day before thescheduled hearing for the most current information on the date and time of this event.
The defendants operated a business called "Smokey's Sports Cards, Inc.,"in Las Vegas, Nevada. They sold sports and celebrity memorabilia to retail customersboth from their Las Vegas store and over the internet, including E-Bay. Their sellerID name was SmokeyA1. As stated above, the defendants have pleaded guilty to sellingmemorabilia bearing forged signatures, and have agreed to pay $9,723.50 to five victims named in the plea agreement. If you believe that you were a victim of thisscheme, you may submit a victim impact statement, which I will forward to the Probation Officer. The Probation Officer may include your claimed loss in the pre-sentence report and submit it to the sentencing judge.
The sentencing judge will make the final decision as to what restitution, if any, will be paid.If you have any questions, please E-mail me at Victim.Witness@usdoj.gov.The Victim Notification System (VNS) is designed to provide you with informationregarding the case as it proceeds through the criminal justice system. You may obtain current information about this matter on the Internet atWWW.Notify.USDOJ.GOVor from the VNS Call Center at 1-866-DOJ-4YOU (1-866-365-4968) (TDD/TTY: 1-866-228-4619)(International: 1-502-213-2767). In addition, you may use the Call Center or Internet to update your contact information and/or change your decision about participationin the notification program. If you update your information to include a currentemail address, VNS will send information to that address...
If you have other questions which involvethis matter, please contact the office listed above.
Sincerely,
Victim Witness Coordinator
I bought something from Smokey's Sports Cards?
U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney's Office
CALIFORNIA, Southern District
880 Front St. Room 6293
San Diego, CA 92101-8893
Phone: 180054411065527
Fax: (619) 557-5782
November 15, 2005
Jon Allore
P.O. Box 183
Saxapahaw, NC
27340
RE: Defendant(s) David "Doc" Scheinman, Phil Scheinman
Dear Jon Allore:
Pursuant to federal law, you are entitled to be notified of the court proceedings
relating to the criminal litigation of this case. This letter is to inform you of the following:
The following information concerns USAO Case 2002R00466 and Court Docket Number 04CR2865WQH:
On August 12, 2005, the defendant Phil Scheinman pled guilty to the charges listed below. As a result of the guilty plea, there will be no trial involving this defendant.
Number of Charges Description of Charges Disposition 4 Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles
3 Fraud by wire, radio, or television
1 Fraud by wire, radio, or television Guilty
The judge is interested in knowing the impact this crime has had on you and your
family. In an effort to provide this information to the Court, we request your assistance in completing a Victim Impact Statement. If you wish to do so, please
contact the Victim Witness Coordinator at 180054411065527.
The following information concerns USAO Case 2002R00466 and Court Docket Number 04CR2865WQH:A sentencing hearing has been set for December 13, 2005, 09:00 AM in the case involving defendant(s): Phil Scheinman, David "Doc" Scheinman. You are welcome to attend this proceeding; though your attendance is not required by the court. If you plan on attending, please check the VNS website or the VNS Call Center toverify the sentencing date and time. You may call this office the day before thescheduled hearing for the most current information on the date and time of this event.
The defendants operated a business called "Smokey's Sports Cards, Inc.,"in Las Vegas, Nevada. They sold sports and celebrity memorabilia to retail customersboth from their Las Vegas store and over the internet, including E-Bay. Their sellerID name was SmokeyA1. As stated above, the defendants have pleaded guilty to sellingmemorabilia bearing forged signatures, and have agreed to pay $9,723.50 to five victims named in the plea agreement. If you believe that you were a victim of thisscheme, you may submit a victim impact statement, which I will forward to the Probation Officer. The Probation Officer may include your claimed loss in the pre-sentence report and submit it to the sentencing judge.
The sentencing judge will make the final decision as to what restitution, if any, will be paid.If you have any questions, please E-mail me at Victim.Witness@usdoj.gov.The Victim Notification System (VNS) is designed to provide you with informationregarding the case as it proceeds through the criminal justice system. You may obtain current information about this matter on the Internet atWWW.Notify.USDOJ.GOVor from the VNS Call Center at 1-866-DOJ-4YOU (1-866-365-4968) (TDD/TTY: 1-866-228-4619)(International: 1-502-213-2767). In addition, you may use the Call Center or Internet to update your contact information and/or change your decision about participationin the notification program. If you update your information to include a currentemail address, VNS will send information to that address...
If you have other questions which involvethis matter, please contact the office listed above.
Sincerely,
Victim Witness Coordinator
I bought something from Smokey's Sports Cards?
Canada's Department of Corrections is sponsoring a "Restorative Justice Week".
Fine, I have no problem with that.
Now take a look at the itinerary for the planned events: Can someone explain to me what exactly a "Crime On Broadway Musical Review" is?
Are they planning to present Assassins?
"An evening of song, dance and murder"?
Excuse me, in the given context, isn't this grossly inappropriate?
This is a joke, right? Common... I know The Onion is behind this.
Fine, I have no problem with that.
Now take a look at the itinerary for the planned events: Can someone explain to me what exactly a "Crime On Broadway Musical Review" is?
Are they planning to present Assassins?
"An evening of song, dance and murder"?
Excuse me, in the given context, isn't this grossly inappropriate?
This is a joke, right? Common... I know The Onion is behind this.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2005
Something to get you through the Thanksgiving holiday
(thank you Terry Roth, Theresa's friend to the end and beyond):
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
1. Vancouver: 1.5 million people and two bridges.
2. Your $400,000 Vancouver home is just 5 hours from downtown.
3. You can throw a rock and hit three Starbucks locations.
4. There's always some sort of deforestation protest going on.
5. Weed
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN ALBERTA
1. Big rock between you and B.C.
2. Ottawa who?
3. Tax is 7% instead of approximately 200% as it is for the rest of the
country.
4. You can exploit almost any natural resource you can think of.
5. You live in the only province that could actually afford to be its own
country.
6. The Americans below you are all in anti-government militia groups.
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN SASKATCHEWAN
1. You never run out of wheat.
2. Your province is really easy to draw.
3. You can watch the dog run away from home for hours.
4. People will assume you live on a farm.
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN MANITOBA
1. You wake up one morning to find that you suddenly have beachfront
property.
2. Hundreds of huge, horribly frigid lakes.
3. Nothing compares to a wicked Winnipeg winter.
4. You can be an Easterner or a Westerner depending on your mood.
5. You can pass the time watching trucks and barns float by.
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN ONTARIO
1. You live in the centre of the universe.
2. Your $400,000 Toronto home is actually a dump.
3. You and you alone decide who will win the federal election.
4. The only province with hard-core American-style crime.
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN QUEBEC
1. Racism is socially acceptable
2. You can take bets with your friends on which English neighbour will move
out next.
3. Other provinces basically bribe you to stay in Canada.
4. You can blame all your problems on the "Anglo *#!%!"
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN NEWBRUNSWICK
1. One way or another, the government gets 98% of your income.
2. You're poor, but not as poor as the Newfies.
3. No one ever blames anything on New Brunswick
4. Everybody has a grandfather who runs a lighthouse.
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN NOVA SCOTIA
1. Everyone can play the fiddle. The ones who can't, think they can.
2. You can pretend to have Scottish heritage as an excuse to get drunk and
wear a kilt.
3. You are the only reason Anne Murray makes money.
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
1. Even though more people live on Vancouver Island, you still got the big,
new bridge.
2. You can walk across the province in half an hour.
3. You can drive across the province in two minutes.
4. Everyone has been an extra on "Road to Avonlea."
5. This is where all those tiny, red potatoes come from.
6. You can confuse ships by turning your porch lights on and off at night.
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN NEWFOUNDLAND
1. If Quebec separates, you will float off to sea.
2. If you do something stupid, you have a build-in excuse.
3. The workday is about two hours long.
4. It is socially acceptable to wear your hip waders to your wedding
(thank you Terry Roth, Theresa's friend to the end and beyond):
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
1. Vancouver: 1.5 million people and two bridges.
2. Your $400,000 Vancouver home is just 5 hours from downtown.
3. You can throw a rock and hit three Starbucks locations.
4. There's always some sort of deforestation protest going on.
5. Weed
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN ALBERTA
1. Big rock between you and B.C.
2. Ottawa who?
3. Tax is 7% instead of approximately 200% as it is for the rest of the
country.
4. You can exploit almost any natural resource you can think of.
5. You live in the only province that could actually afford to be its own
country.
6. The Americans below you are all in anti-government militia groups.
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN SASKATCHEWAN
1. You never run out of wheat.
2. Your province is really easy to draw.
3. You can watch the dog run away from home for hours.
4. People will assume you live on a farm.
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN MANITOBA
1. You wake up one morning to find that you suddenly have beachfront
property.
2. Hundreds of huge, horribly frigid lakes.
3. Nothing compares to a wicked Winnipeg winter.
4. You can be an Easterner or a Westerner depending on your mood.
5. You can pass the time watching trucks and barns float by.
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN ONTARIO
1. You live in the centre of the universe.
2. Your $400,000 Toronto home is actually a dump.
3. You and you alone decide who will win the federal election.
4. The only province with hard-core American-style crime.
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN QUEBEC
1. Racism is socially acceptable
2. You can take bets with your friends on which English neighbour will move
out next.
3. Other provinces basically bribe you to stay in Canada.
4. You can blame all your problems on the "Anglo *#!%!"
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN NEWBRUNSWICK
1. One way or another, the government gets 98% of your income.
2. You're poor, but not as poor as the Newfies.
3. No one ever blames anything on New Brunswick
4. Everybody has a grandfather who runs a lighthouse.
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN NOVA SCOTIA
1. Everyone can play the fiddle. The ones who can't, think they can.
2. You can pretend to have Scottish heritage as an excuse to get drunk and
wear a kilt.
3. You are the only reason Anne Murray makes money.
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
1. Even though more people live on Vancouver Island, you still got the big,
new bridge.
2. You can walk across the province in half an hour.
3. You can drive across the province in two minutes.
4. Everyone has been an extra on "Road to Avonlea."
5. This is where all those tiny, red potatoes come from.
6. You can confuse ships by turning your porch lights on and off at night.
TOP REASONS TO LIVE IN NEWFOUNDLAND
1. If Quebec separates, you will float off to sea.
2. If you do something stupid, you have a build-in excuse.
3. The workday is about two hours long.
4. It is socially acceptable to wear your hip waders to your wedding
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2005
Did anyone else catch Radiohead on Showtime last night?
I love Radiohead. At their atonal worst, I love Radiohead. This was a concert from France sometime after Hail to The Thief. Thom Yorke was in fine, playful form.
I love Radiohead. At their atonal worst, I love Radiohead. This was a concert from France sometime after Hail to The Thief. Thom Yorke was in fine, playful form.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2005
What took them so friggin' long:
ABC News "Primetime" To Expose Hidden Campus Crime Dangers Tonight
The ABC News program "Primetime" is scheduled to air an extensive investigation into "harrowing stories of crime on college campuses" as part of a special two hour broadcast tonight at 9 PM Eastern/8 PM Central. The story includes segments on the murders of two University of North Carolina Wilmington students, Christen Marie Naujoks and Jessica Lee Faulkner, by fellow students with criminal records; a brutal robbery that left a University of Tennessee student with permanent brain damage; and the problem of "tailgating" where people walk into residence halls behind students who live there circumventing security put in place to keep unauthorized people out.
The campus crime segment is expected to be broadcast during the first hour of the program. Please consult your local listings for the exact time and channel in your area.
ABC News "Primetime" To Expose Hidden Campus Crime Dangers Tonight
The ABC News program "Primetime" is scheduled to air an extensive investigation into "harrowing stories of crime on college campuses" as part of a special two hour broadcast tonight at 9 PM Eastern/8 PM Central. The story includes segments on the murders of two University of North Carolina Wilmington students, Christen Marie Naujoks and Jessica Lee Faulkner, by fellow students with criminal records; a brutal robbery that left a University of Tennessee student with permanent brain damage; and the problem of "tailgating" where people walk into residence halls behind students who live there circumventing security put in place to keep unauthorized people out.
The campus crime segment is expected to be broadcast during the first hour of the program. Please consult your local listings for the exact time and channel in your area.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2005
Louise Chaput
This from a local New Hampshire newspaper:
Chaput memorial hike
PINKHAM NOTCH— Family and friends of Louise Chaput will host a memorial hike on Saturday, Nov. 12, hoping to keep the unsolved murder of the Canadian hiker from being forgotten.This month marks the fourth anniversary of Chaput’s brutal death. Her body was found Thanksgiving afternoon 2001, about 200 yards off the Glen Boulder trail in Pinkham Notch.
The 52-year old psychologist had left her Sherbrooke, Quebec home on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2001 to spend a couple days hiking Mount Washington alone after a planned fall hiking trip with friends had fallen through.She had a reservation at the Appalachian Mountain Club Pinkham Notch facility for Thursday night. While she never signed in, authorities believe that at about 3 p.m. she asked a clerk at the visitors center to recommend a short hike. When Chaput did not return home by evening on Nov. 19, her longtime boyfriend reported her missing. Her body was discovered three days later. She had been stabbed.
Every November since 2001, a pair of loyal friends of Chaput have traveled to New Hampshire to generate publicity about the case. They hope to spark some recollection or tip that will help police solve the case. Last year Chaput’s eldest daughter, Corrine Chaput, made the trip with her mother’s longtime friends, Denis Masson and Marie Pinault. This year, the three will be joined by Chaput’s other daughter, Constance. “We feel, and so do the police, that it is important to keep Louise’s tragic death from being forgotten,” said Masson. Masson said there have been cases where a tip surfaces years after the crime that results in the case being solved. He and Pinault hope their efforts can trigger such a tip.
“The memories are terrible yes, but the trip to New Hampshire at this time of the year has had an unsuspected healing effect upon us because it allows us to remember and talk about our friend Louise,” Masson said.
The memorial hike which will start at approximately 11 a.m. from the AMC’s Pinkham Notch Visitors Center and take the Direttissima trail to the Glen Boulder Trail and then connect with the Lost Pond trail back to the visitors center. The entire hike is expected to take about an hour.
Chaput family and friends invite area residents and hikers to join the hike.“Mount Washington is a beautiful place to enjoy. After all, that’s what Louise had in mind,” said Masson
This from a local New Hampshire newspaper:
Chaput memorial hike
PINKHAM NOTCH— Family and friends of Louise Chaput will host a memorial hike on Saturday, Nov. 12, hoping to keep the unsolved murder of the Canadian hiker from being forgotten.This month marks the fourth anniversary of Chaput’s brutal death. Her body was found Thanksgiving afternoon 2001, about 200 yards off the Glen Boulder trail in Pinkham Notch.
The 52-year old psychologist had left her Sherbrooke, Quebec home on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2001 to spend a couple days hiking Mount Washington alone after a planned fall hiking trip with friends had fallen through.She had a reservation at the Appalachian Mountain Club Pinkham Notch facility for Thursday night. While she never signed in, authorities believe that at about 3 p.m. she asked a clerk at the visitors center to recommend a short hike. When Chaput did not return home by evening on Nov. 19, her longtime boyfriend reported her missing. Her body was discovered three days later. She had been stabbed.
Every November since 2001, a pair of loyal friends of Chaput have traveled to New Hampshire to generate publicity about the case. They hope to spark some recollection or tip that will help police solve the case. Last year Chaput’s eldest daughter, Corrine Chaput, made the trip with her mother’s longtime friends, Denis Masson and Marie Pinault. This year, the three will be joined by Chaput’s other daughter, Constance. “We feel, and so do the police, that it is important to keep Louise’s tragic death from being forgotten,” said Masson. Masson said there have been cases where a tip surfaces years after the crime that results in the case being solved. He and Pinault hope their efforts can trigger such a tip.
“The memories are terrible yes, but the trip to New Hampshire at this time of the year has had an unsuspected healing effect upon us because it allows us to remember and talk about our friend Louise,” Masson said.
The memorial hike which will start at approximately 11 a.m. from the AMC’s Pinkham Notch Visitors Center and take the Direttissima trail to the Glen Boulder Trail and then connect with the Lost Pond trail back to the visitors center. The entire hike is expected to take about an hour.
Chaput family and friends invite area residents and hikers to join the hike.“Mount Washington is a beautiful place to enjoy. After all, that’s what Louise had in mind,” said Masson
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 06, 2005
Sue asked about the current state of Theresa's investigation...
I just finished a big public policy paper for school so I have a little time to address this.
Yes, there is a current investigation, but it's slow going. Theresa's case has had the same investigator for about two years now (after being bounced around to several different investigators). The investigation is based out of the Montreal office of the Surete du Quebec. No, they don't work on it full time, but you have to see it from the police's point of view.
1. There is more pressure on the police to solve current crimes as these appear to be a more dangerous and immediate threat to the community.
2. The number of leads and suspects in Theresa's case is dwindling. If I'm given some information, the current Surete have been very quick and thorough to pursue it, but leads have dried up. A couple of suspects were vigorously looked at and cleared (more on that when I get some time - it's a lot of information, maybe a project for the Christmas holidays). Last week I sent the police some information on a new suspect and I have no doubt they will track it down. They have been very cooperative in the last few years.
But let's be realistic, we're soon going to reach the point (if we're not there already) where the police will have done all they can do.
I just finished a big public policy paper for school so I have a little time to address this.
Yes, there is a current investigation, but it's slow going. Theresa's case has had the same investigator for about two years now (after being bounced around to several different investigators). The investigation is based out of the Montreal office of the Surete du Quebec. No, they don't work on it full time, but you have to see it from the police's point of view.
1. There is more pressure on the police to solve current crimes as these appear to be a more dangerous and immediate threat to the community.
2. The number of leads and suspects in Theresa's case is dwindling. If I'm given some information, the current Surete have been very quick and thorough to pursue it, but leads have dried up. A couple of suspects were vigorously looked at and cleared (more on that when I get some time - it's a lot of information, maybe a project for the Christmas holidays). Last week I sent the police some information on a new suspect and I have no doubt they will track it down. They have been very cooperative in the last few years.
But let's be realistic, we're soon going to reach the point (if we're not there already) where the police will have done all they can do.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 03, 2005
I can tell you how Theresa spent her last day alive. This is what I've been able to piece together through statements given to the police:
On the morning of Friday, November 3rd, 1978, Theresa was preparing for the last day of the school week. It was her eighth week at Champlain Regional College. Outside the temperature was about 55 degrees. It was sunny, not a cloud in the sky. On that day Theresa was wearing a white t-shirt, blue corduroy pants she had borrowed from a friend, a beige knee-length sweater, on her feet, Chinese slippers without socks, and along, dark green scarf.
At about half past seven she entered the dinning hall located in the King’s Hall building. She ate breakfast with her friends Jo-Anne Laurie and Carolina Greenwood. They talked about music and classes; Greenwood was preoccupied studying for a morning calculus test. They were rushed and did not want to miss the 8:00 am shuttle bus that would take them thirteen kilometers to the college campus in Lennoxville.
These buses ran every hour, on the hour between the hours of eight and six (there was no noon service). Occasionally, if there was a special event on campus, a late bus would run to bring students back to the residence. The twenty-minute ride takes students across the isolated Townships countryside. On this day the sky was blue, but the trees were naked and the landscape barren.
The King’s Hall shuttle bus would travel into Lennoxville along route 143 past the Paysane motel (still there) - past Perrette’s, and Disco Jeans, and Jerry’s Pizza. At the corner of Belvedere the bus would slow and turn in front of Le Lion d’Or It would crosse the train tracks at the rail yard and enters the college campus. The bus would then deposit students in front of the Dewhurst dining hall at approximately twenty after eight.
Theresa hurried with her friends, Jo-Anne and Caroline. She had less than ten minutes to make it to her first class. Along the way she deposited some belongings in her locker located in the Nichols building across campus. That morning she had two classes, Physics and Chemistry. In Chemistry Theresa was joined again by her friend, Jo-Anne. Jo-Anne asked if Theresa had any plans for the weekend. Theresa said that she intended to stay in residence; she had a psychology paper due on Monday. After Chemistry, Jo-Anne Laurie said that she never saw Theresa again.
My sister had lunch at the Dewhurst dining hall (eating “Dewey Grub”). During lunch my brother came over to talk to her. He made some remarks about the blue corduroys she was wearing – they looked silly. Theresa had borrowed them from a fellow student, Johannah Knoops.
Theresa ate lunch with her friend, Caroline Greenwood. Earlier in the week Greenwood had invited Theresa to spend the weekend at her parent’s place in Hemmingford, a small community south of Montreal. At lunch Theresa told Greenwood that she had too much homework, and would not be able to get away for the weekend. Theresa then helped Greenwood locate a friend who would be willing to hitchhike with her to Hemmingford. According to Greenwood, she never saw Theresa again after lunch.
Theresa was not seen that afternoon. Presumably she spent the remainder of the day attending classes, although no one witnessed this. That evening, two students, Suzanne DeRome and Josie Stepenhorst were having dinner in Dewhurst. DeRome and Stepenhorst were roommates in Gillard House, Compton. They shared a room three doors down from Theresa. At approximately 6:00 pm, Theresa came over to their table. She asked if they were going home for the weekend. DeRome and Stepenhorst replied that they were not. The girls then decided to get together that evening to listen to records. Theresa agreed to stop by their room around 9:00 pm. Before leaving, Theresa asked Stepenhorst for a cigarette. Stepenhorst replied that her cigarettes were in her coat pocket in the lobby, and to help herself. Theresa left the Dining hall. She gave no indication where she might be going, or what she might be doing between 6:00 and 9:00 pm.
At 6:15 pm Josie Stepenhorst was on board the bus returning to the residences in Compton. By now it had gotten dark. As the bus was pulling away, Stepenhorst glanced out the window and saw Theresa leaving Dewhurst dining hall. She was walking toward the bus. She apparently missed the last regularly scheduled bus that evening. It would be a five-hour wait until a special bus was sent out to retrieve students from the campus pub. Apart from this late night bus, there was no other way for students to get back to their residence.
Six in the evening outside the Dewhurst dining hall was the last time my sister was reported having been seen on campus. After 6:00 pm, it is difficult to determine what happened next. She may have returned to her locker, retrieved some books and proceeded to the library to work on her homework. This was often her habit. She may have left Dewhurst dining hall and made the half-mile walk up the street to the Lion Pub. Possibly she had some drinks, waiting for the midnight bus. Or maybe she met someone in the pub. Or perhaps she got tired of waiting, exited the Lion, and stood on the corner of highway 143 and Belvedere intending to hitchhike.
Back in Compton, it was a quiet night at King’s Hall. Many students had gone home to their parents’ for the weekend. Theresa’s roommate, Pamela Mitchell, has done this; room 235 was empty. Most of the jocks, normally a rowdy bunch on a Friday evening, had all gone to bed becasue the football team had a big game in the morning.
Over in Gillard house things were quiet too. A Student named Greg Deacon, who was in the same chemistry class as Theresa, dropped by her room to see if she has completed her homework. He knocked, but there was no answer.
By 9:00 pm Suzanne DeRome and Josie Stepenhorst were back in their room listening to records. The door to their room was open. Theresa never came by to listen to records.
Shortly after 9:00 pm a student named Sharon Buzzee was walking through the entranceway of King’s Hall. Buzzee glanced over at the main staircase and was surprised to see Theresa standing there as if she’d come in from outside. Buzzee stopped to talk with her. She asked why Theresa did not leave to spend the weekend with Caroline Greenwood as she had planned. Theresa replies that she decided not to go; she had too much homework to do. Buzzee asked Theresa what her plans were for that night. She replied that she intended to do her homework. As Buzzee left, Theresa appeared to be heading up the stairs of King’s Hall toward the second or third floor.
Sharon Buzzee was the only one to report having seen Theresa on the King’s Hall staircase. Around nine-thirty, another student, Tamara Westall says she saw Theresa in the King’s Hall dining room. She is there, according to Westall, grabbing a late night snack prepared for students. No one witnesses this encounter either. This was the last time anyone claimed to have seen Theresa alive.
On the morning of Friday, November 3rd, 1978, Theresa was preparing for the last day of the school week. It was her eighth week at Champlain Regional College. Outside the temperature was about 55 degrees. It was sunny, not a cloud in the sky. On that day Theresa was wearing a white t-shirt, blue corduroy pants she had borrowed from a friend, a beige knee-length sweater, on her feet, Chinese slippers without socks, and along, dark green scarf.
At about half past seven she entered the dinning hall located in the King’s Hall building. She ate breakfast with her friends Jo-Anne Laurie and Carolina Greenwood. They talked about music and classes; Greenwood was preoccupied studying for a morning calculus test. They were rushed and did not want to miss the 8:00 am shuttle bus that would take them thirteen kilometers to the college campus in Lennoxville.
These buses ran every hour, on the hour between the hours of eight and six (there was no noon service). Occasionally, if there was a special event on campus, a late bus would run to bring students back to the residence. The twenty-minute ride takes students across the isolated Townships countryside. On this day the sky was blue, but the trees were naked and the landscape barren.
The King’s Hall shuttle bus would travel into Lennoxville along route 143 past the Paysane motel (still there) - past Perrette’s, and Disco Jeans, and Jerry’s Pizza. At the corner of Belvedere the bus would slow and turn in front of Le Lion d’Or It would crosse the train tracks at the rail yard and enters the college campus. The bus would then deposit students in front of the Dewhurst dining hall at approximately twenty after eight.
Theresa hurried with her friends, Jo-Anne and Caroline. She had less than ten minutes to make it to her first class. Along the way she deposited some belongings in her locker located in the Nichols building across campus. That morning she had two classes, Physics and Chemistry. In Chemistry Theresa was joined again by her friend, Jo-Anne. Jo-Anne asked if Theresa had any plans for the weekend. Theresa said that she intended to stay in residence; she had a psychology paper due on Monday. After Chemistry, Jo-Anne Laurie said that she never saw Theresa again.
My sister had lunch at the Dewhurst dining hall (eating “Dewey Grub”). During lunch my brother came over to talk to her. He made some remarks about the blue corduroys she was wearing – they looked silly. Theresa had borrowed them from a fellow student, Johannah Knoops.
Theresa ate lunch with her friend, Caroline Greenwood. Earlier in the week Greenwood had invited Theresa to spend the weekend at her parent’s place in Hemmingford, a small community south of Montreal. At lunch Theresa told Greenwood that she had too much homework, and would not be able to get away for the weekend. Theresa then helped Greenwood locate a friend who would be willing to hitchhike with her to Hemmingford. According to Greenwood, she never saw Theresa again after lunch.
Theresa was not seen that afternoon. Presumably she spent the remainder of the day attending classes, although no one witnessed this. That evening, two students, Suzanne DeRome and Josie Stepenhorst were having dinner in Dewhurst. DeRome and Stepenhorst were roommates in Gillard House, Compton. They shared a room three doors down from Theresa. At approximately 6:00 pm, Theresa came over to their table. She asked if they were going home for the weekend. DeRome and Stepenhorst replied that they were not. The girls then decided to get together that evening to listen to records. Theresa agreed to stop by their room around 9:00 pm. Before leaving, Theresa asked Stepenhorst for a cigarette. Stepenhorst replied that her cigarettes were in her coat pocket in the lobby, and to help herself. Theresa left the Dining hall. She gave no indication where she might be going, or what she might be doing between 6:00 and 9:00 pm.
At 6:15 pm Josie Stepenhorst was on board the bus returning to the residences in Compton. By now it had gotten dark. As the bus was pulling away, Stepenhorst glanced out the window and saw Theresa leaving Dewhurst dining hall. She was walking toward the bus. She apparently missed the last regularly scheduled bus that evening. It would be a five-hour wait until a special bus was sent out to retrieve students from the campus pub. Apart from this late night bus, there was no other way for students to get back to their residence.
Six in the evening outside the Dewhurst dining hall was the last time my sister was reported having been seen on campus. After 6:00 pm, it is difficult to determine what happened next. She may have returned to her locker, retrieved some books and proceeded to the library to work on her homework. This was often her habit. She may have left Dewhurst dining hall and made the half-mile walk up the street to the Lion Pub. Possibly she had some drinks, waiting for the midnight bus. Or maybe she met someone in the pub. Or perhaps she got tired of waiting, exited the Lion, and stood on the corner of highway 143 and Belvedere intending to hitchhike.
Back in Compton, it was a quiet night at King’s Hall. Many students had gone home to their parents’ for the weekend. Theresa’s roommate, Pamela Mitchell, has done this; room 235 was empty. Most of the jocks, normally a rowdy bunch on a Friday evening, had all gone to bed becasue the football team had a big game in the morning.
Over in Gillard house things were quiet too. A Student named Greg Deacon, who was in the same chemistry class as Theresa, dropped by her room to see if she has completed her homework. He knocked, but there was no answer.
By 9:00 pm Suzanne DeRome and Josie Stepenhorst were back in their room listening to records. The door to their room was open. Theresa never came by to listen to records.
Shortly after 9:00 pm a student named Sharon Buzzee was walking through the entranceway of King’s Hall. Buzzee glanced over at the main staircase and was surprised to see Theresa standing there as if she’d come in from outside. Buzzee stopped to talk with her. She asked why Theresa did not leave to spend the weekend with Caroline Greenwood as she had planned. Theresa replies that she decided not to go; she had too much homework to do. Buzzee asked Theresa what her plans were for that night. She replied that she intended to do her homework. As Buzzee left, Theresa appeared to be heading up the stairs of King’s Hall toward the second or third floor.
Sharon Buzzee was the only one to report having seen Theresa on the King’s Hall staircase. Around nine-thirty, another student, Tamara Westall says she saw Theresa in the King’s Hall dining room. She is there, according to Westall, grabbing a late night snack prepared for students. No one witnesses this encounter either. This was the last time anyone claimed to have seen Theresa alive.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 02, 2005
A few words about the remarks concerning the pictures
I'm glad you like them. I have more and I will put them on the blog shortly.
Finding the place where Theresa's body was discovered: yes, it's very difficult. It took me a LONG time to figure this out. When I asked my parents they directed me to a completely different road, my brother had the right road but the wrong spot (memory is a funny thing). I eventually got hold of the original crime scene map drawn by a Surete du Quebec officer that pin-pointed the exact location.
So... if you are in Compton, head back toward Lennoxville and take a LEFT at chemin de la station. drive West down into the valley. The spot is not the first bridge, but the second bridge. On your right is a pond (bog?). The third tree on the West bank is the spot.
To the other reader who left a comment: You are quite right, it is odd that the police would discount the eye-witness account of Theresa on the stairs. But I think you have to understand police mentality. Because the sighting wasn't varified by a second person it is hard for them to give it credence. On the other hand, Sharon Buzzee's account is compelling. She doesn't account any conversation, but a conversation specific to that weekend (the BIG football game, the fact that Theresa was not traveling to Hemingford to stay with a friend that weekend (an event that only happened the weekend of November 3rd).
And there's this; when I contacted Sharon Buzzee in 2002 - after over 20 years since she last talked about this event - the first thing out of her mouth was, "yes, I'm sure I talked to Theresa on the staircase at 9:00 pm on the night of November 3, 1978".
Also, the commenter is correct; it was completely Patricia Pearson's theory that Theresa may have left the residence to buy cigarettes. As for walking alone? One week prior, Theresa was observed doing just that, walking alone to Entre Deux for cigarettes (the account is detailed in a student's statement to the Surete du Quebec).
We all love a mystery. This one keeps me guessing.
I'm glad you like them. I have more and I will put them on the blog shortly.
Finding the place where Theresa's body was discovered: yes, it's very difficult. It took me a LONG time to figure this out. When I asked my parents they directed me to a completely different road, my brother had the right road but the wrong spot (memory is a funny thing). I eventually got hold of the original crime scene map drawn by a Surete du Quebec officer that pin-pointed the exact location.
So... if you are in Compton, head back toward Lennoxville and take a LEFT at chemin de la station. drive West down into the valley. The spot is not the first bridge, but the second bridge. On your right is a pond (bog?). The third tree on the West bank is the spot.
To the other reader who left a comment: You are quite right, it is odd that the police would discount the eye-witness account of Theresa on the stairs. But I think you have to understand police mentality. Because the sighting wasn't varified by a second person it is hard for them to give it credence. On the other hand, Sharon Buzzee's account is compelling. She doesn't account any conversation, but a conversation specific to that weekend (the BIG football game, the fact that Theresa was not traveling to Hemingford to stay with a friend that weekend (an event that only happened the weekend of November 3rd).
And there's this; when I contacted Sharon Buzzee in 2002 - after over 20 years since she last talked about this event - the first thing out of her mouth was, "yes, I'm sure I talked to Theresa on the staircase at 9:00 pm on the night of November 3, 1978".
Also, the commenter is correct; it was completely Patricia Pearson's theory that Theresa may have left the residence to buy cigarettes. As for walking alone? One week prior, Theresa was observed doing just that, walking alone to Entre Deux for cigarettes (the account is detailed in a student's statement to the Surete du Quebec).
We all love a mystery. This one keeps me guessing.
Some Photos
This is the corner of Belvedere and highway 147 in the town of Sherbrooke (from the vantage point of the Lion pub). Police believe if Theresa was hitchhiking back to her residence the night she disappeared, then she was probably picked up on this corner (just in front of the bank).
This is Gillard House, the residence where Theresa was living in Compton - 13 kilometers from the town of Lennoxville where she was attending school at Champlain College.
King's Hall, the main residence at Compton which is adjacent to Gillard House (it is unfortunate that the place looks like the hotel in The Shining). For a while it operated as a resort hotel, but now it is abandoned.
This is the main staircase inside King's Hall. A student, Sharon Buzzee stated that she talked to Theresa on these stairs at approximately 9:00 pm on the night she disappeared. Police doubt this claim and believe Theresa never made it back to the residence.
This was once a pub called Entre Deux in the village of Compton, about 1/2 mile from the King's Hall residence. Theresa often came down here for cigarettes or the occasional beer. She might have been doing just that the night she disappeared and got picked up along the way.
This is Belevedere road just outside of Sherbrooke. Theresa's wallet was found by the guardrail in the Spring of 1979 about a week after her body was found.
Theresa's wallet.
Much was made of this ticket stub in the National Post article. I found it tucked in the back of the wallet. The title "Crime & Punishment" had some guessing it was a clue sent by the killer. We later learned that Theresa did in fact attend a performance of this play at the Centaur theater in Montreal when she was in high school.
Theresa's body was found in this water near this tree. The bridge is "chemin de la station", connecting Compton with Compton Station.
Theresa with a friend.
This is the corner of Belvedere and highway 147 in the town of Sherbrooke (from the vantage point of the Lion pub). Police believe if Theresa was hitchhiking back to her residence the night she disappeared, then she was probably picked up on this corner (just in front of the bank).
This is Gillard House, the residence where Theresa was living in Compton - 13 kilometers from the town of Lennoxville where she was attending school at Champlain College.
King's Hall, the main residence at Compton which is adjacent to Gillard House (it is unfortunate that the place looks like the hotel in The Shining). For a while it operated as a resort hotel, but now it is abandoned.
This is the main staircase inside King's Hall. A student, Sharon Buzzee stated that she talked to Theresa on these stairs at approximately 9:00 pm on the night she disappeared. Police doubt this claim and believe Theresa never made it back to the residence.
This was once a pub called Entre Deux in the village of Compton, about 1/2 mile from the King's Hall residence. Theresa often came down here for cigarettes or the occasional beer. She might have been doing just that the night she disappeared and got picked up along the way.
This is Belevedere road just outside of Sherbrooke. Theresa's wallet was found by the guardrail in the Spring of 1979 about a week after her body was found.
Theresa's wallet.
Much was made of this ticket stub in the National Post article. I found it tucked in the back of the wallet. The title "Crime & Punishment" had some guessing it was a clue sent by the killer. We later learned that Theresa did in fact attend a performance of this play at the Centaur theater in Montreal when she was in high school.
Theresa's body was found in this water near this tree. The bridge is "chemin de la station", connecting Compton with Compton Station.
Theresa with a friend.
A reader asks some compelling questions:
I was reading through your posts and noticed a few similarities with some of the cases I have looked into out my way. Your Quote-incidentally, Roch was also assigned to the original investigations of Manon Dube and Louise Camirand. And he insists that these are not connected to your sister.
He then goes on to suggest the involvement of a police informant, citing the case of Shannon Murrin out west.
Did your sister accidentally see or here something or just wrong place wrong time? Someone who knows the inner workings of the informant network in your area at that time could have what you need to put two and two together. Any big busts there just before an informant was found dead. Sorry I do not have any specifics, just the way that cop (Leo Hamel) behaved is beyond suspicious, he knows who did it. And hey, you may not be able to do anything about it even if there is evidence, but you did well to get this far. Best D.A.
What D.A. suggests is not that far-fetched and I'll tell you why; but let me begin by saying that the only reason the hitch-hiking theory has stuck is because, given all the circumstances, that is what's most plausible. But that is not to say something else may have happened, we just don't unfortunately have all the information to make a firm conclusion.
Informants
Four months before Theresa disappeared the bodies of Raymond Grimard, a police informant, and his girlfriend, Manon Bergaron were found in a field near Waterville, just West of Sherbrooke. One month prior to that, Carole Fecteau, a young girl who associated with Grimard and Bergeron was also found dead in a field. All three had been shot execution style.
Two local thugs, Jean Charland and Fernand Laplante were eventually picked up and charged with the murders. The Surete du Quebec coerced confessions out of them. Laplante was beaten so severely in the head that he lost hearing in one of his ears. Defense attorneys hired a private detective named Robert Buellac who uncovered the mistreatment and denounced the SQ loudly in the local papers, eventually launching a $225,000 civil suit against the police. The SQ shot back by arresting Buellac several times under false pretenses, including their claim that Buellac was "impersonating a police officer".
All of this took place over the winter of 1978-79 when Theresa was still technically "missing". What makes this so interesting is that Buellac was the private investigator who eventually was hired by my father to locate Theresa (because my father felt the police were not doing their job) and that Roch Gaudreault - the SQ officer assigned to the cases of Camirand, Dube and Theresa Allore - was also involved in the Charland -Laplante affair. Much of the friction between the police and Buellac extended from the bad blood created from this matter, but was there something more? Why would two thugs with only a history of B/E suddenly kill three people "execusion style"?
I don't know, and I am always cautious of trying to tie in too many lose ends from too many cases. Without a doubt, in the 1970s officers of the Surete du Quebec (and other Township police forces) were mixed up in all sorts of illicit activities. Nevertheless in this case I am simply left to mark it all down as more wacky lore from the mysterious Eastern Townships circa 1978. For the record, for 25 years - even after his full parole - Fernand Laplante has maintained his innocence in the murders of police informant Raymond Grimard, Manon Bergeron, and Carole Fecteau. In 2004 I attempted to contact M. Laplante, but he was not interested in talking to me. Can you blame him.
I was reading through your posts and noticed a few similarities with some of the cases I have looked into out my way. Your Quote-incidentally, Roch was also assigned to the original investigations of Manon Dube and Louise Camirand. And he insists that these are not connected to your sister.
He then goes on to suggest the involvement of a police informant, citing the case of Shannon Murrin out west.
Did your sister accidentally see or here something or just wrong place wrong time? Someone who knows the inner workings of the informant network in your area at that time could have what you need to put two and two together. Any big busts there just before an informant was found dead. Sorry I do not have any specifics, just the way that cop (Leo Hamel) behaved is beyond suspicious, he knows who did it. And hey, you may not be able to do anything about it even if there is evidence, but you did well to get this far. Best D.A.
What D.A. suggests is not that far-fetched and I'll tell you why; but let me begin by saying that the only reason the hitch-hiking theory has stuck is because, given all the circumstances, that is what's most plausible. But that is not to say something else may have happened, we just don't unfortunately have all the information to make a firm conclusion.
Informants
Four months before Theresa disappeared the bodies of Raymond Grimard, a police informant, and his girlfriend, Manon Bergaron were found in a field near Waterville, just West of Sherbrooke. One month prior to that, Carole Fecteau, a young girl who associated with Grimard and Bergeron was also found dead in a field. All three had been shot execution style.
Two local thugs, Jean Charland and Fernand Laplante were eventually picked up and charged with the murders. The Surete du Quebec coerced confessions out of them. Laplante was beaten so severely in the head that he lost hearing in one of his ears. Defense attorneys hired a private detective named Robert Buellac who uncovered the mistreatment and denounced the SQ loudly in the local papers, eventually launching a $225,000 civil suit against the police. The SQ shot back by arresting Buellac several times under false pretenses, including their claim that Buellac was "impersonating a police officer".
All of this took place over the winter of 1978-79 when Theresa was still technically "missing". What makes this so interesting is that Buellac was the private investigator who eventually was hired by my father to locate Theresa (because my father felt the police were not doing their job) and that Roch Gaudreault - the SQ officer assigned to the cases of Camirand, Dube and Theresa Allore - was also involved in the Charland -Laplante affair. Much of the friction between the police and Buellac extended from the bad blood created from this matter, but was there something more? Why would two thugs with only a history of B/E suddenly kill three people "execusion style"?
I don't know, and I am always cautious of trying to tie in too many lose ends from too many cases. Without a doubt, in the 1970s officers of the Surete du Quebec (and other Township police forces) were mixed up in all sorts of illicit activities. Nevertheless in this case I am simply left to mark it all down as more wacky lore from the mysterious Eastern Townships circa 1978. For the record, for 25 years - even after his full parole - Fernand Laplante has maintained his innocence in the murders of police informant Raymond Grimard, Manon Bergeron, and Carole Fecteau. In 2004 I attempted to contact M. Laplante, but he was not interested in talking to me. Can you blame him.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 01, 2005
Lion d'or
Today is my brother's birthday. He is forty-five. I was thinking about this story he told me recently. On his eighteenth birthday, November 1st, 1978, he was celebrating on the Champlain College campus at a little local pub called the Lion. Eventually, Theresa showed up and gave him an Adidas bag for his birthday present. Inside was a bottle of Tequila and a half-dozen limes. She taught him how to do Tequila shots.
The Lion pub, Lennoxville Quebec
That was one of the last times he saw her. In forty-eight hours she would be dead.
Now here's another funny story I didn't learn about until a few years ago. About a week previous to that night Theresa was having a drink at the Lion when a palm reader came into the place. Being adventurous, Theresa had him do a reading. He said that she came from a close family, but that something very soon was going to happen to break us apart.
Today is my brother's birthday. He is forty-five. I was thinking about this story he told me recently. On his eighteenth birthday, November 1st, 1978, he was celebrating on the Champlain College campus at a little local pub called the Lion. Eventually, Theresa showed up and gave him an Adidas bag for his birthday present. Inside was a bottle of Tequila and a half-dozen limes. She taught him how to do Tequila shots.
The Lion pub, Lennoxville Quebec
That was one of the last times he saw her. In forty-eight hours she would be dead.
Now here's another funny story I didn't learn about until a few years ago. About a week previous to that night Theresa was having a drink at the Lion when a palm reader came into the place. Being adventurous, Theresa had him do a reading. He said that she came from a close family, but that something very soon was going to happen to break us apart.
