The trial for the first degree murder of Charles Lassonde, accused of having removed and killed Serge Boutin in Danville, Estrie, started on Monday morning in Sherbrooke.
• Read also: Serge Boutin buried alive: Lana Dubois would have omitted to reveal a crucial info at the trial for murder of her father
• Read also: Serge Boutin buried alive: the two alleged murderers would have returned to the crime scene
• Read also: Serge Boutin would have been buried alive by Charles Lassonde and Lana Dubois
The jury was able to hear the version of the facts of Lana Dubois, ex-spouse of the accused, on the sordid night and the excruciating end that they would have subjected to the victim in July 2021.
The former conjoint of Charles Lassonde, who recognized his participation in the crime and who pleaded guilty to a reduced chief of manslaughter, testifies since Tuesday against his ex. His story from the night of July 6 to 7, 2021 sowed dismay in the courtroom.
To take revenge on the victim, Serge Boutin, whom they suspected of wanting to attack them in several ways, they would have wanted him for a few hours in the sector of Val-des-Sources, in Estrie, before finally finding Its trace.
Lassonde would have told his spouse of the time that Serge Boutin, that everyone nicknamed “Bibitte” in this trial, wanted to rape her, had stolen her cell phone, had made a double key to their car in order to Flying them and more. It is not clear at this stage whether these elements were founded or not.
Charles Lassonde and Lana Dubois would have removed it, attached and wrapped in a plastic, before burying it alive, in the middle of the night.
“Charles saw a cavity on the edge of the path,” said tears in the eyes, the witness, Lana Dubois. I stopped the vehicle, I left the lights on. It was the lighting there was, ”she said.
“Charles asked Bibitte to go to bed on his back, he released a shovel. There was a cavity and there was a kind of small earth wall. He took the land of the wall and he started to garrish with the earth on his face, “said Lana Dubois. Part of the scene would have been filmed.
The victim, who had herself set up her own sweater on his head, probably as a bandage, would then have asked to replace this sweater on his mouth and his eyes to avoid receiving earth in these places. Lassonde would rather have gone a plastic roll to extend it in the hole where the victim was still, before starting to throw away from him. Dubois would then have installed pieces of wood on the ground to recognize the place in the future.
They would have returned to the crime scene the same day
Lassonde and Dubois would have gone a household round in a daycare, a few minutes after buried the victim. A few hours later, in the morning, they would be returned to the site where the victim was, near a career.
“I was hopeful-it will seem silly to you maybe-I hope that he had been able to push himself from there, that he was still alive, that he had been able to escape. […] When I came back to the scene and I saw that the woods were still placed, I noticed that he was dead, that he had not escaped finally, “said Dubois to the 14 jurors.
-Charles Lassonde and Lana Dubois were both arrested in a business in Victoriaville on 1is August 2021, a few weeks after the crime.
The credibility of Lana Dubois undermined
The ex-conjoot of the accused, an “important” witness according to the crown, has seen his credibility undermined several times, in return. The accused’s lawyer, Me Martin Latour, touched the target several times and Lana Dubois seemed to change their ideas and answers on many occasions, in addition to impatient and multiply the hesitations.
Lana Dubois, in particular, admitted that she had already failed to reveal important information in a trial before jury when she was a teenager. She then testified for the crown against her father, who was accused of murder. He was finally acquitted.
“When I decided to tell the truth, because all my life I had a mard life, when I decided to take charge and today to live a new life by being no longer in Drugs, by no longer making crimes, theft, I am at 51 years old, it’s time to become an honest citizen and take charge. This is what I do, ”replied Mme Dubois, which led to another exchange between her and the lawyer for Charles Lassonde.
“After a complete life of dishonesty and lies, there is a new Lana who decided to be honest. Is that exact? ” asked me Latour. “Yes,” simply replied Lana Dubois.
Friday afternoon, Me Latour launched a question that looks like accusations, alleging that Lana Dubois had “stored” Charles Lassonde to “save [sa] skin”.
“I didn’t save my skin. I took my share of responsibility and I pleaded guilty of manslaughter. I still did not wish the death of my friend, ”replied Lana Dubois, who reiterated that Charles Lassonde had mounted her against his friend.
Already five days of trial
On Monday, at the opening of trials, the prosecutor Stéphanie Landry had warned the 14 jurors that a “abracadabrant” story awaited them.
Two first witnesses had been heard. Johanne Boutin, the victim’s sister, had shed several tears, especially when she told the disappearance of her brother. She also gave her DNA to the police to identify her body.
The technician of crime and police officer of the Sûreté du Québec Christian Quentin also came to testify, as was François Rossignol, investigator with major crimes.
The accused, who carries the beard and a long ponytail, carefully listens to testimonies since the beginning of the week. Lassonde, regularly, takes notes in a large notebook, sometimes nods to certain responses of witnesses in addition to taking a look towards the courtroom on occasion. Members of his family attended some of the trial days this week.
The trial will continue on Monday. In total, the Crown plans to make around fifteen witnesses heard over five weeks.
