Who Killed Theresa?: 06/01/2006

Friends, it's the holiday weekend (July 1st, July 4th)

So sporadic blogging in the next few days.

While waiting please sign the cold-case petition. (Signer le petition des enquettes non-resolus)

Let's go for 100 signatures by Monday

Mr.Q

For your edification: Jean Quenneville is no mystery-man, he's a run-of-the-mill bureaucrat in the Charest cabinet.

Here's what happened. Recall that the petition calls for:

1. Inquiry into the SQ
2. Reform the SQ's communication practices
3. Create a cold-case squad.

Now we didn't want to blind-side the liberal government with these requests (Hey, I've spoken to Charest, he's a nice guy!). So back in May I contacted his offices and was told a guy named David Rheault was the go-to person in justice for the liberals. So I phoned Rheault just to give him a heads up of what was coming down the pike. Then I called him again. Then I called him again! These guys never return calls.

So I figured, "ok, their loss, I'll go ahead and blindside them with the request". I mailed it directly with back-up documentation to Charest, Dupuis, Marcoux, this guy Rheault and a half-dozen other Liberal cronies from the Townships. That was on June 12th.

I hear nothing. So then I pester them and finally get someone to say, "oh ya, that request? It's being handled by Jean Quenneville."

Ok, fine so I phone Jean Quenneville. And I phone again. And I phone again!

Nothing. It's really amazing to me; how is it that the people cannot get in touch with a politician? What's wrong with this picture?

And what's worse is the press. So we have this press conference where we say we want a cold case squad; and we want the Charest government to create it. Isn't the next logical step to ask the Charest government, "Hey! Minister Dupuis! About this request! Are you going to honor it?"

Why do I have to walk through the ABC steps of creating change?

So now I'm really pissed. Yesterday I turned the whole matter over to the BQ and the PQ: I figure maybe they'd like something like this to sink their teeth into. Even better, I think Serge Menard - the former Minister of Public Security in charge of implementing the Poitras commission changes? - is now an opposition leader in my brother's riding (Laval - Rosemere). So I wrote him too.

So now you have your update on the SQ, BQ, PQ and Mr. JQ

It's like those painfully frustrating Abbott and Costello routines

Madame Boucher,

I have waited 24 hours and I still have no response from M. Quenneville. May I please have his email (it's not a secret, is it?).

My family is very tired of waiting for justice in this matter.

Sincerely,

John Allore

--------------------------------------------------------------
-----Original Message-----
From: Line Boucher
Sent: Jun 28, 2006 3:32 PM
To: johnallore@earthlink.net
Subject: Re: Rép. : Fw: Reguest for Inquiry

Monsieur Allore,

Le message a été envoyé à M. Quenneville.Entre-temps, je vous souhaite une belle fin de journée.

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

Madame Boucher:

Allow me to explain this to you. I don't want to wait for M. Quenneville to contact me; if I do that I'll be waiting forever. So I would like to contact him. Now, I live in the United States. It costs a lot of money for me to make a long distance call to Quebec. It would be much more efficient for me to contact M. Quenneville through email.

So if you could provide me with the email I am sure I will enjoy the rest of my week.

Sincerely,

John Allore

PEOPLE: PLEEEEEEAAAAAAASSSSEEEEE SIGN THE PETITION!!!!

More on Poitras

Interesting stuff this Poitras Commission. It cost taxpayers $20 million. Of the 175 proposals presented, the commision had these specific recommendations:

1. That a civil body should overseee the Surete du Quebec

2. The Surete du Quebec should have a mission statement (they didn't have a mission statement? Well they do now)

3. Improve training for crime investigators (no progress there I should think)

4. The Surete should not conduct its own internal investigations, those should be done by the RCMP or MUC police.

5. That the Surete had poor management practices and needed to implement a performance evaluation system.

From these, then Minister of Public Security, Serge Menard set up six committees to look into improving criminal investigations, human resources practices and technology improvements, and he gave a 3 year timetable to implement changes.

In 2001 Menard proposed a 3 year strategic plan for change from 2001 - 2004 (you can view it here; it's less of a plan and more of a fantasy - what, did he draw this out on a cocktail napkin?)

Menard vowed not to let the opportunity for change in the provincial police force escape, stating,

"This report is not going to sit on a shelf... Just because we're not talking about it doesn't mean we're not acting."

But there was a problem. The Party Quebecois was ousted in 2003. Jean Charest came to power and Menard was replaced by then Public Security minister Jacques Dupuis.

So what happened to all the reform?

If I worked for the Liberals and was answering my complaint the first thing I would do is document all the changes that have taken place in the 7 years since Poitras.

Comment is so good it deserves its own post

Excerpts from 1999 Gazette article on the Poitras Commission Report titled:

"Control for SQ urged Lawbreaking force needs civilian overseer: report"

by MONIQUE BEAUDIN

"The provincial government has to set up a civilian body to overhaul the Surete du Quebec, a backward and disorganized police force that routinely breaks the law during criminal investigations, is engaged in turf wars with other police forces and lacks professionalism in the way it does police work, a public inquiry has concluded."

"...The Poitras report lists complaints about SQ officers uttering threats to potential witnesses. One investigator is quoted as saying to a witness: "I'll tell you something about how it works at the Surete du Quebec. Drugs get planted in your car, the police are called and you're screwed."

"...The report paints a picture of a police force that is reluctant to use new investigative procedures, abuses its powers of arrest and detention to interrogate people who have not been arrested, relies too much on informers and does not check out information that informers give investigators."

"...Furthermore, the SQ... is unable to conduct criminal investigations of its own officers or other police forces because of a "law of silence similar to that found in organized crime," it says.""...The Poitras report also says the SQ's unwillingness to share information with other police forces - particularly Montreal Urban Community police - has hurt criminal investigations."

Thanks to Maritime Missy for the heads-up

Oh goody, another ride on the Quebec Justice Merry-Go-Round

(This time please grant me the serenity not to tell anyone to go f%#$ themselves)

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

Mdm Boucher:

Voici le demand que J'ai envoyee pendant deux semaines. Je voudrai une reponse de la gouvernment si vous plait.

Merci,
John Allore
919 360-7075

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

Original Message-----
From: Line Boucher
Sent: Jun 27, 2006 11:34 AM
To:Fw: Reguest for Inquiry

Monsieur Allore,

Le dossier a été remis à M. Jean Quenneville, conseiller politique au cabinet du premier ministre. Vous pouvez le contacter au numéro suivant : (418) 643-5321.

Au plaisir

LINE BOUCHER
Adjointe exécutive,
direction aux politiques
Cabinet du premier ministre

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

Merci:

May I have his email please. I've waited 6 weeks for M. David Rheault to return my calls. I have no intention of waiting another 6 weeks for M. Quenneville.

John Allore
www.whokilledtheresa.blogspot.com

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

Je vais envoyer votre message à M. Quenneville pour qu'il vous appelle sous peu.

Line Boucher

Your government at work

So I called the Quebec government this morning to follow-up on the letter we sent two weeks ago. David Rheault is supposed to be Charest right-hand-man for Quebec justice. Ya, and guess who's suddenly jumped off on the 4 week vacation?

The woman I spoke to Line Boucher had never even heard of any of this. Never mind it was all over the news. Never mind our request was sent directly to Charest, Dupuis, Marcoux, Bernard Brodeur, Pierre Reid, Pierre Paradis, Monique Gagnon-Tremblay and Daniel Bouchard.

The Quebec government never heard of it.

While we wait, please sign the petition.

Signer la pétition

The Pillowman

The good news

Amelia and I both auditioned for Martin McDonagh's The Pillowman over at Manbites Dog theatre in Durham. It's a twisted little piece of theater about cops, child killers and the position of art in a totalitarian society.

The good news

Both Amelia and I had callbacks this after noon.

The bad news

I got cast, Amelia didn't. There's a role in the play of "the little Jesus" or "Little green pig": in the London production it was played by an adult, but in the Broadway production it was played by a child. Manbites producers thought it too disturbing to have a little girl go through the stages of the cross (crucifixion, stabbed in the side, crown of thorns, etc, etc...).

Hey! Amelia and I were up for it! Let the kid decide! We're a warped little family unit here!

I get the role of the sadistic detective, Ariel.

(I really wanted to be in a play with my daughter.)

Things are moving...

When Sue begins to blog she will say what she can say, but things are definitely moving.

And 36 signature on the justice reform petition: not bad for three day's work. Keep signing! It's important!

Me and T

What I find funny is the people who have come forward claiming to be experts, or with credentials of crime expertise who are clueless. I have heard more logical, inspired theories from the likes of this blog motley crew: Sue, Missy, Queenie, Anon, Old Townshipper, Following-It-All, The Priors, dear Holly, ni; all of you are more perceptive than any of these dilettantes.

Seriously... there are things I would like to talk about, but I can't talk about. I can only say that for anyone who may have information about these crimes - watch out: we know some things and we're moving closer to you.

Now would be a good time to come forward, before it's too late.

John A

So what did we find?

That seems to be the question everyone is asking. Sorry to be coy, but for obvious reasons I can't be too specific.

I would say we found about 6 or 7 pieces of evidence that warrant further testing, investigation. Amongst these pieces there is some evidence that the Magog police got wind of that they would like to inspect. We have no intention of showing it to Magog police until we do private analysis, but you might want to ask yourselves,

"does the Magog police have any unsolveds on their books that they'd like to talk to the public about?"

For anyone who was there I believe that the conditions were a little rough, but could have been worse if it had been hot like it was on Sunday. The forest was quite dense in spots, there was a lot of soupy marsh. The bugs were not bad and - thankfully - no blackflies. It was virtually impossible to "dig up" any evidence; if things were buried, they stayed buried - there was so much land to cover. We were fortunate however that there were several spots that were simply garbage dumping grounds that dated back to the seventies, and some of these spots revealed some goodies.

There was a lot made of the car that was found. I had actually found that car some years ago when I first went to Giguare. Here is a photo from back then:

I find the car more creepy than anything, I doubt it is relevant.

And here's a picture of the creepy shack behind the car:

Again, what does it mean? Who knows? (believe me, the evidence we found is much more interesting than this).

Finally here's a shot of the general area we searched (a base command post was set up in the clearing):

I will post some more photos as soon as I receive them. If anyone else has photos, please send and I will post them for you.

Down to Business

Ok, want justice reform in Quebec? Then sign the petition for the creation of a cold-case bureau in the Surete du Quebec:

"Click me"

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

Signer ici pour la petition de reforme pour les enquettes non-resolus:

Clique ici!

A well deserved thank you

I have asked Sue Sutherland to join me as a blogging partner here at Whokilledtheresa?

I have heard a lot of thank yous for Sue in the past weeks; all of them deserved. But I thought I'd share some things that you don't know:

1. Sue organized everything with this search party. The co-ordination with the police, Quebec Secour, the radio operators, the sniffer dogs, the correspondence with the Surete du Quebec insisting that they participate. Everything. At one point she was disappointed that we couldn't get a helicopter. I thought it was overkill, but you know what? After slugging through those woods? We could have used a helicopter.

2. In short order I watched Sue work the phones. In the space of a drive through Montreal she called Leo Hamel, Roch Gauldreault, police officers, detectives, assault victims, you name it. Handling all of them with much more grace and poise than I could ever muster.

3. While we were at the search site on Saturday, Sue found out that Florent Henri - one of two men who originally found the body of Louise Camirand - was still living up the street. She called Florent and convinced him to come to the site and show us exactly where the body was found. The price? A kiss on each cheek for Florent (I don't think Florent would have been so receptive if I had made the same offer - Sue took one for the team).

4. On Sunday I drove with Sue throughout the Townships showing her all the important sights of the crimes. Each corner, lamp post, phone both, etc... was plastered with Who Killed Theresa posters. Sue did that weeks prior.

This is a person who will not take "no" for an answer. She is calm and focused, and only wants to see justice done. It is my hope that Sue will post in the French language and provide us all with developments in what she is attempting to accomplish.

So please welcome Sue Sutherland to Whokilledtheresa?

Susan Armstrong, dead at age 54

Very sad news that Susan Armstrong died of heart failure yesterday. Susan co-founded the Missing Children's Network and was instrumental in getting the Amber Alert system implemented on the island of Montreal. In 2002 she wrote me the following email:

Dear John Allore,

I want to tell you how touched I was by your article in the Gazette. In 1984, after the abduction and disappearance of a 4 year old boy in Montreal, I co-founded the Missing Cchildren's Network. I left two years ago after 15 years as it is the kind of work you cannot do forever... We helped many families find their children. I wanted you to know that since that time, I have been pressuring the Montreal police to implement the Amber alert and finally, they are going to do it. They have assigned an officer who is working full-time on the project. If it saves one life... I am waiting until they are up and running and then I will put pressure on the SQ to implement it as well. I hopw that knowing that maybe another life will one day be saved (the Amber alert has helped 35 children in the States so far)and that some people are doing something for missing people will comfort you.

I wish you peace.

Sincerely,

Susan Armstrong

A very decent person. She will be missed.

On behalf of my brother, my parents and my family I would like to thank the people of the Townships for all their assistance and kindness in participating in the evidence recovery search last weekend near Magog,. Particularly, we would like to extend our deepest appreciation to the following:

1 Members of Quebec Secours who put so much effort into this event. Their professionalism was apparent in helping to keep the day’s activity focused and organized.

2 The amateur radio operators who came on board to help with communications.

3 The volunteers – many of them crime victims from Quebec – who gave so selflessly, only wishing to contribute to justice; your contributions were fitting; my brother and I were humbled and deeply moved by your efforts.

4 The several police officers of Quebec who came anonymously to lend support.

5 My dear friends Pierre-Hugues and Diane who speak so eloquently for Quebec victims of crime, and Miss Sue Sutherland who organized this search on behalf of justice for my sister, Theresa.

6 The National Post: for 5 years they have demonstrated leadership and persistance in shining a national light on problems with criminal justice in Quebec.

7 Friends and members of the Townships community who pitched in to assist as needed – again, such kindness touched us deeply.

Coming home to the United States I found myself searching for rental properties on Lac Memphremagog on the internet. Perhaps this is the most fitting expression of my feelings - that I was stirred again by the beauty of Quebec and its people, and how I wish to come back and share that beauty with my family.

Sincerely,

John Allore

If your French is rusty here (in English) is what we sent M. Charest and company:

June 12, 2006

This document is addressed to the Quebec Premiere, the Quebec Minister of Justice and the Quebec Minister for Public Security from the victims of crime and surviving family members of murder victims. The complaints to which we refer concern the 3 unsolved murders that took place in the Sherbrooke area between 1977 and 1978, and the 26 documented cases of sexual attacks that also occurred in that region from 1977 through 1982. Our complaint is against the Surete du Quebec and their investigations into these events from 2002 until the present.

We believe the Surete du Quebec has done an unacceptable job in attempting to solve these crimes and thus have placed the public safety of all Quebec citizens in jeopardy. Specifically our complaints are as follows:

1. Investrigators failed to return phone calls to families and victims even when families and victims specifically requested that they needed to talk to investigators.

2. Investigators failed to contact witnesses

3. Investigators failed to follow up on potential suspects provided to investigators by victims and family and the public.

4. Investigators refused to assist the families and their associates in efforts to recover evidence that could help solve crimes.

5. The Surete du Quebec failed to dedicate enough resources towards solving the murders of Theresa Allore, Louise Camirand and Manon Dube.

6. The Surete du Quebec does not have a communication system in place whereby citizens can provide information, tips or leads that could prove critical to solving crimes. Citizens providing information are treated with disrespect – especially women victims of sexually assault who are commonly ridiculed – phone calls are not returned. Information gets lost. Further, there is a failure on the part of all police bodies in Quebec to efficiently communicate with each other.

7. The Surete du Quebec still regards the death of Theresa Allore as “a suspicious death”, while Quebec’s Indemnisation des Victimes d'Actes Criminels (IVAC) ruled it a “death, criminal in nature”, and the RCMP maintains that any unexplained death “must be treated as a homicide unless circumstances direct otherwise.”

8. The Surete du Quebec has refused to investigate the three unsolved murders that took place in the Sherbrooke area from 1977 -1978, as well as the 26 documented incidents of sexual assaults that happened at the same time as events that possibly are related, could inform each other, and could help solve crimes.

We the undersigned call upon the Quebec government to take the following actions:

1. Commence a full inquiry into the actions of the Surete du Quebec and their negligence in attempting to solve these crimes, to ensure the public that these errors are never repeated, and may never be suffered by any citizen of Quebec again.

2. Reform the system of communication currently used by the Surete du Quebec. To protect the public interest, ensure citizens that information coming into police is captured and acted upon, and that information provided to victims and families of victims is initiated by police, and provided in a seamless and timely fashion. As well, ensure there is a timely and efficient method of communication employed by all police agencies in Quebec to communicate with each other.

3. Provide the Surete du Quebec with sufficient funding to allow them to dedicate resources to cold-cases; specifically we ask that a cold-case bureau be established in the Surete du Quebec, and we ask the Minister of Public Security to form a task force of special investigators for all unsolved murders in the province of Quebec.

We ask for your assistance in these matters with the greatest respect for the work you perform and the service you provide to the people of Quebec.

Signed,

John Allore,
Andre Allore,
Chantal Dube,
Victim 1,
Victim 2,
Victim 3,
Victim 4,
Victim 5,
Victim 6

C.c. Bernard Brodeur, Pierre Reid, Pierre Paradis, Monique Gagnon-Tremblay,
Daniel Bouchard

It would appear Canes coach Peter Laviolette has a big everything

"Honey, hold this for me will you?"

Ce document, s’adresse au Premier Ministre du Québec, le Ministre de la justice et le Ministère de la sécurité publique, de la part des victimes de crimes et des membres survivants des familles de victimes de meurtres. La plainte à laquelle nous référons concerne les 3 meurtres non résolus qui on eu lieu dans la région de Sherbrooke entre 1977 et 1978, et fait aussi mention des 26 cas d’assauts sexuels survenus dans cette région entre 1977 et 1982.

Notre plainte est dirigée contre la Sûreté du Québec, et concerne leur investigation au sujet des évènements survenus de 2002 jusqu’à aujourd’hui.

Nous croyons que la Sûreté du Québec a fait un travail inacceptable dans leur pseudo tentative de résoudre ces crimes, et on ainsi placer la sécurité des citoyens de tous le Québec en danger. Voici les grandes lignes de la nature de notre plainte :

1- La Sûreté du Québec a omis de retourner les appels aux familles et victimes, et ce même après que les familles aient spécifiées qu’ils avaient besoin de parler à un enquêteur.

2- La Sûreté du Québec a omis de contacter des témoins.

3- La Sûreté du Québec a omis de donner suite à certaine dénonciation de la part des victimes et des familles concernant d’importants suspects.

4-La Sûreté du Québec a refusé d’assister les familles et leurs associés dans leurs efforts pour retrouver des indices de preuves qui pourraient aider à résoudre les crimes.

5-La Sûreté du Québec a omis d’utiliser toutes les moyens nécessaires pour résoudre les meurtres de Theresa Allore, Louise Camirand et Manon Dubé.

6- La Sûreté du Québec a omis de mettre en place un système de renseignements pour que les citoyens puissent donner des informations qui pourraient être susceptibles de résoudre ces crimes. Les citoyens qui ont donné des renseignements furent traités sans respect, particulièrement certaine femme qui ont été victimes d’assauts sexuels, elles ont été ridiculisées, elles n’ont jamais eu de retour à leur appel. Les informations furent perdues.

7-La Sûreté du Québec traite encore l’affaire Theresa Allore comme étant une mort (accidentelle), alors que L’IVAC (Indemnisation des victimes d’actes criminels) ont reconnu qu’il s’agissait d’une mort de nature criminelle, de plus, le RCMP maintiens que toute mort inexpliquée « doit être traité comme un homicide jusqu’à preuve du contraire ».

8- La Sûreté du Québec a refusé d’enquêter sur les trois meurtres non résolus qui ont eu lieu à Sherbrooke entre 1977 et 1978, ils ont aussi négligés les 26 autres incidents rapportés concernant des assauts sexuels survenus au même moment et qui pourrait possiblement être reliés.

Nous, les sous signataires, demandons au gouvernement du Québec de faire les actions suivantes :
1-Ordonner une enquête publique sur les actions de la Sûreté du Québec et la négligence dont ils ont fait preuve en essayant de résoudre ces crimes, dans le but de rassurer le public que ces erreurs ne seront jamais répétées, et qu’aucun citoyen du Québec n’aura a en souffrir à l’avenir.

2- Réformer le système de communication présentement utilisé par la Sûreté du Québec. Pour protéger l’intérêt du public, assurer le citoyen que l’information que la police récolte est dûment répertoriée et utilisée à bon escient. S’assurer aussi que l’information fournie aux victimes et à leurs familles provienne de la police et soit fournie de façon concise et sans délais.

3- Fournir à la Sûreté du Québec des fonds suffisant pour leur permettre d’assigner des ressources aux cas non résolus; plus spécifiquement, nous demandons qu’une unité entièrement dédiée aux cas non résolus soit formée au sein de la Sûreté du Québec.

Nous demandons votre assistance concernant nos demandes, avec le plus grand respect pour le travail que vous faite et les service que vous fournissez aux citoyens de Québec.

Signé,

John Allore,

Andre Allore,

Chantal Dube,

Victime 1,

Victime 2,

Victime 3,

Victime 4,

Victime 5,

Victime 6

A long weekend, three National stories - ending today...

If you have anything to add, say it here.

The Post did a nice job on the story in today's paper.

"Mr. Allore has now collected accounts of 18 other incidents of intimidation, harassment and sexual assault, any of which may help unravel the enigma of Theresa's fate."

Sitting on my ass at my brothers drinking a beer

I hate this kind of blogging, but I have nothing to do so I'm gonna blab.

Got in to Dorval last night around 5:30pm (it will never be Pierre Trudeau airport for me). They finally finished that seemingly decade-long renovation of the customs area: it's quite beautiful and I hear they're adding a hotel.

And Sue was there to greet me! What a nice surprise. So we sat at the lounge for an hour and chatted.

I've never met Sue. In fact, up until yesterday - having known her for 5 years - I'd never even talked to Sue. It was quite strange. Like meeting someone via the internet, only for quite macabre reasons.

And Sue's so nice! (actually I knew this; I had her scoped out by various moles and informants - if she was
"s-t-r-a-n-g-e" she would have been ditched long ago. )

So... I hooked up with my rental car and drove to my brudder's place. Just in time for a photographer from The Post to arrive and take some quick photos of the two of us (see The National Post tomorrow a.m.). Then we watched the hockey game and talked about Saturday (Andre's creeped-out to set foot in those woods - who wouldn't be?).

Tonight I'm meeting Sue to strategize. Then it's off to Sherbrooke tomorrow to meet Pierre, and the press conference.

Damn you CBC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mr. Dressup to go off the air

The CBC had been using an embalmed Ernie Coombs for the past 11 years

Not in Kansas anymore

Headline on the front page of The Montreal Gazette:

"Suspect shot dead by Surete"

The headline refers to an investigation into fraudulant government construction contracts; I guess things got out of hand.

"Don't worry Guy, I have it set for stun"

In North Carolina such is the stuff of white-collar crime. Only in Montreal would they call in the SWAT team and shoot someone to death.

If you're looking for me I'll be at the bar...

Some of us may be gathering at The Lion in Lennoxville friday around 9-ish (corner of 147 and Belevidere). Stop by, I'd love to meet you.

Bien Mes Amis...

Demain Je vais au Quebec. Bonne voyage.

(I'll let you know what happens)

4 Days until the search for evidence near Magog

If you still wish to volunteer contact:

justice4theresa@hotmail.com

Violent Crime Is Up for First Time in 4 Years

Some blame pro-lifers, some credit "broken windows".

I think it's tied to wars, with increases in crime a lagging indicator - that's my new theory: don't steal it.

What do you think?

Five Days until search for evidence in Magog related to Theresa Allore Murder Investigation

Background

Theresa Allore was last seen on the evening of Friday, November 3, 1978 in Lennoxville, Quebec. Her body was found the following spring, April 13th, 1979 in Compton, Quebec. On Saturday, November 4th, 1978 two hunters – Stephen Mandigo and Samuel Burnham – spotted clothing in the woods off Giguare road near Austin, Quebec. The location was ¼ a mile down Giguare road, about 500 yards into the interior of the forest off Giguare. The hunters described seeing “darkish pants and a t-shirt”. Theresa Allore was last seen wearing dark blue corduroys and a t-shirt. On Wednesday, November 15th, 1978 the hunters and the chief of the Lennoxville police went back to the sight but were unable to re-locate the clothing.

The sighting of the clothing is significant for two reasons:

1. Theresa Allore’s clothing was never recovered.

2. The Giguare road sight is within a few hundred yards of where the body of Louise Camirand was discovered on Friday, March 25th 1977 sexually assaulted and murdered.

The Search

On Saturday, June 17th 2006 volunteers will gather at the Giguare road location to search the surrounding area in attempt to recover the remains of any possible evidence related to this case.

Organization

The search party is being coordinated by Sue Sutherland, a criminology student at the University of Montreal. Sue is working in coordination with Quebec Secours and the Magog police force. The Surete du Quebec, respnsible for the investigation of death of Theresa Allore, are not participating in the evidence recovery.

For further information, or to volunteer to join the search party please contact:

justice4theresa@hotmail.com

Good News

The National Organization for Victim Assistance accepted my application to present at their annual conference in Orlando in August (The World Society of Victimology conference is running concurrent with NOVA in Orlando).

In addition the U.S. Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has awarded me a full scholarship to attend the conference.

My presentation is on surveying techniques: how grassroots organizations can do online surveys, and simple statistical analysis.

Press Release
June 9th, 2006

Press conference to be held in coordination of Theresa Allore evidence search

On Friday, June 16th a press conference will be held in Magog to discuss matters concerning the recovery of evidence related to the murder of Theresa Allore who died in 1978. In attendance will be Sue Sutherland, overseeing the recovery efforts, John Allore, brother of the victim Theresa Allore, and Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu, President l’Association des Familles de Personnes Assassinées ou Disparues.

Mr. Allore and M. Boisvenu will also discuss their request to Quebec’s Minister of Public Security, Jacques Dupuis to create a permanent, unique task force to address cold-cases in the province of Quebec.

Location: Magog Police Headquarters, 44 rue Sherbrooke

Time: 2:00 pm, Friday, June 16th

Excellent article in the Toronto Star on the arrest of the O-Sage 17

I must admit, the image of Toronto police with automatic weapons and decked out in full military regalia a la 24 does nothing but unnerve me:

Police put on a `good spectacle'

A nice appreciation of Pierre in today's Journal:

Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu ne chômera pas

Le père de Julie, assassinée en 2002 par le récidiviste Hugo Bernier, et d’Isabelle, décédée tragiquement dans un accident de la route cet hiver, n’a pas le temps de s’ennuyer depuis qu’il s’est retiré de son emploi de sous-ministre adjoint au ministère des Régions. Ses deux téléphones cellulaires et celui de sa maison de Rock Forest sonnent sans arrêt.

« Avant mon apparition à Tout le monde en parle, l’association comptait environ 150 familles. Nous sommes passés à plus de 250 depuis, raconte-t-il avec une certaine fierté. Ça me demande énormément de temps. »

On le croit. Durant l’entrevue avec le représentant du Journal, il a dû répondre à trois appels, acceptant d’aller donner une conférence dans un cégep, tout en en déplaçant une autre en raison d’un conflit d’horaire...

« Je fais aussi beaucoup de représentation auprès des élus, continue celui qui a rencontré le ministre Marcoux en milieu de semaine. Le bureau de l’association à Montréal s’en vient et celui de Québec ne devrait pas tarder. Nous voulons offrir un service à la grandeur de la province, même chez les autochtones. »

Une histoire pour des milliers de gens Également, M. Boisvenu commencera sous peu la rédaction d’un livre en compagnie d’un scribe qui lui sera assigné par les Éditions de l’Homme. Il compte y raconter son histoire, celle de ses deux filles, de l’AFPAD, mais aussi y celle d’autres familles éprouvés par les épreuves de la vie.

« J’ai découvert en côtoyant des familles que la plupart d’entre elles ont besoin de modèles de gens qui s’en sont sortis, qui ont retrouvé un sens à leur vie, explique-t-il. Lorsque l’on fait des témoignages, on peut aider autant qu’un psychologue.

« Si mon ouvrage peut contribuer à diminuer les souffrances d’une seule famille, notre drame n’aura pas été inutile », ajoute-t-il.

La sortie du bouquin est prévue pour l’été 2007. Le courageux Sherbrookois aimerait la faire coïncider avec le 3e colloque des victimes d’actes criminels du Canada qui devrait avoir lieu à Sherbrooke, l’an prochain.

Qui prend soin de lui ? Débordé à prendre soin de familles dispersées aux quatre coins du Québec, Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu a-t-il le temps de prendre soin de lui ? Qui le supporte lorsque la soupape est prête à sauter ?

« Mon break, c’est ma femme Diane, indique-t-il. Quand je n’en peux plus, nous partons trois ou quatre jours faire de l’observation d’oiseaux. Mais de toute façon, je n’ai jamais travaillé seulement 35 heures par semaine. Le boulot ne m’effraye pas. »

Son énergie, il la prend dans la satisfaction d’aider. Sans plus.

« Chaque fois qu’une famille vient nous voir, c’est une victoire, indique-t-il. Aider peut devenir très salvateur. » L’objectif ultime est évidemment de faire bouger les choses au niveau politique et rendre un jour l’AFPAD caduque.

« Peut-être que dans 10 ans, je prendrai une véritable retraite car notre association sera devenue inutile », termine-t-il avec le sourire.

Oh the old, "I heard in prison that there's $$$ in that house so we'll rob it"... Thank god no one does that anymore:

He said the police believed that the suspects had targeted the home for robbery after hearing exaggerated accounts of money and other valuables inside. Those accounts were "fiction," Chief Foley said.

Pierre B says I made the front page of La Nouvelle in Sherbrooke...

La Nouvelle... is that a Sherbrooke paper? I don't know. I remember giving an interview to some French guy a couple of weeks ago (my pidgin French). Was that what that was?

From Georgy Girl to Weight Watchers to The Lost Colony...

how the somewhat mighty have fallen.

Finally the finals

Oh Canada, my home and native land
But now we'll see exactly where I stand.

Edmonton's looked good, but rather streaky
with one week's rest those Oiler bones are creaky

In the Oilers Canada's pitched there last ditch hopes
To say "we'll win in seven" is a dead man's dope

The Canes will win, and doubt? I haven't any
The question is the games, and just how many?

The Canes in seven? Peca won't last that long
And Pronger's out of gas, his tank is gone.

The Canes in six? That's nice but it's been taken
Old Rollie's legs are shakin' and a quakin'

The Canes in five? Maybe? but I'll go for more
And so instead I'll say THE CANES IN FOUR!

on the high wheat plains of western Kansas

Last night I finished In Cold Blood. I'm wondering what kept me from reading it all these years. Here are some of the assumptions I had going into it:

1. I didn't want to read another "killer on the road" tale.

2. What did I care about a family of four murdered on the prairies?

3. It's 40 years old, it must be so dated.

4. Shotgun deaths: big deal! Give me some really sick stuff.

5. Truman Capote: Big swish who wrote Breakfast at Tiffany's: he can pull this off?

Ya, so call me an idiot. This book is so damn good on so many levels. I empathized with everybody in this whole affair: the killers, the Clutters, agent Dewey, Babe the horse even!

The writing is so effortless and natural. The work of the detectives (whether true accounts or Capote's invention - I doesn't really matter) is so correct.

I cannot get the characters out of my head. And the places Capote takes you, it's unreal... how the hell did he do this, then essentially never write anything that good again?

I'm sorry this is a late addition to my true-crime readings; it should have been first.

For a great photo essay on the whole project check out In Cold Blood: A Legacy, in photos

"Then, starting home, he walked toward the trees, and under them, leaving behind him the big sky, the whisper of wind voices in the wind-bent wheat"

Who Killed Theresa?

Friday, June 30, 2006

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