22 years later: supervised releases granted for a sadistic murderer who killed and raped a mother in Gatineau

Relatives of a mother strangled to death and then sexually assaulted are outraged that the Parole Board of Canada is refusing them a copy of the decision which will allow the sadistic murderer to obtain supervised releases after 22 years in detention.

• Also read: Relatives terrified that sadistic murderer of mother could get out of prison

“I am speechless. I feel like I wasted my time. Why make us go through this whole process if ultimately we are not taken into consideration?” says Christine Dubé’s daughter.

She was 11 years old when her mother was violently murdered and she asks to keep her identity secret because she fears the murderer, Stéphane Mongeon.

Last month, the young woman and several members of her family each read a poignant letter before the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) to oppose the killer being granted time out of prison. The Journal attended the public hearing.

Impossible to understand

This week, the family was informed that the Commission authorized escorted outings. To add to the indignation of relatives, they were refused access to the full decision which details the commissioners’ reasons, evoking a change to a law.

“We would like to at least understand their decision. It should be a transparent process, this is unacceptable in our country. At the moment, we have the impression that information is being hidden from us,” her daughter strongly deplores.

The senseless murder of Mongeon shocked the province in 2002. After meeting Christine Dubé at a sales kiosk, he made an appointment with the RRSP financial representative. When she arrived at his house, he beat and strangled her to death before sexually assaulting her.

The man, now 53 years old, then hid the body in a sand pit, near Maniwaki. He was sentenced to life in prison for premeditated murder.

Even if Mongeon will for the moment be escorted during his outings for family relationships, it is a “terrifying” first step towards his possible parole, believes the victim’s daughter.

“If his exit goes well, the rest falls into place. The prison center may grant him others. Then, he could ask for semi-release,” she explains.

Left to their own devices

And during this “difficult process”, the victims are completely left to their own devices, she says: “He had the right to a lawyer for the hearing, to a case management team which really put him in value. I didn’t have much confidence that our little letter was going to change anything.”

She knocked on the doors of several law offices to try to assert her rights, but in vain.

She is also stunned that no geographic restrictions have yet been imposed on the murderer.

“I have lived in fear since I was 11. When I arrive home in the evening, my boyfriend has to come pick me up from my car. It will just amplify this feeling of fear,” explains the one who feels totally helpless.

Mongeon was at the time a real sexual pervert who had his mind set on raping women. In the 1990s, he was convicted six times for gross indecency. However, he assured that he had worked hard on him during his incarceration “to face [s]”are demons.”

“There is not a day when I do not regret what I did,” he said during the hearing. His case management team also ensured that he took full responsibility for his offenses and that he had seriously participated in the various targeted programs.