The Larocques Accused of First-Degree Murder: Inside the Crime Scene Mess

The Larocques are accused of the first degree murder of a 32-year-old man, their neighbor, in a rooming house on Chemin Sainte-Foy in November 2022. Their trial is scheduled for five to six weeks.

The prosecution’s first witness began his testimony on Wednesday. The crime scene technician, Sylvain Dumont, was responsible for making the first analysis of the scene. He took multiple photos of Manuel Paradis’ room, of his injuries, in addition to having captured photos of the Larocques during their arrest.

The prosecution presented crime scene photos to the jury on Wednesday. The Crown prosecutor, Me Matthieu Rochette, had already warned the court: the photos are difficult to look at.

When the police arrived at the rooming house, Manuel Paradis’ body was on the ground, covered in blood. He is shirtless and has numerous lacerations, including one that cuts his face. The man also has several defensive wounds on his hands and forearms. Manuel Paradis’ hand was so cut that his thumb was almost detached.

The body was indeed found in a “lamentable” state, as the prosecutor had warned.

The members of the jury looked at the photos of the victim without strong reaction. Some signs of discomfort were seen on one or two faces. Submitting the more delicate photos went smoothly.

The two accused also looked at the photo album without much reaction. Looking impassive, father and son Larocque did not flinch at the sight of the destroyed body of Manuel Paradis.

Mess

Cédric Larocque, 22, took several notes during the testimony of agent Sylvain Dumont, while his father Dominic was not very active in his chair, in the detainee box.

The 56-year-old father wears his long hair in a ponytail, while his son got rid of his long hair and beard for the trial. His appearance therefore turns out to be very different, compared to the Quebec police photos taken on the evening of his arrest.

According to the prosecution, the broken baseball bat was used by the Larocques to inflict blows on Manuel Paradis. (Quebec Police)

Manuel Paradis’s room was in total disorder. Photos presented in court show several piles of clothes on the ground, kitchen tools scattered everywhere. Around ten knives were found in this mess, some with blood on the blade, others clean.

A plastic BB gun was also seized at the scene. The baseball bat used to hit Manuel Paradis, according to the prosecution, was also found near the body, broken in two from the force of the impact.

Through the mess, there were traces of blood everywhere: on the floor, on the walls, on the mattress.

Investigator Dumont mainly positioned the jury on Wednesday. With his photo albums, he described the scene well by indicating the rooms visited. He also presented the rooming house where the crime was committed, with its land. These elements will be useful during future testimony.

Cédric Larocque is represented by Me Mathieu Giroux while his father Dominic is represented by Me Éva Bouchard, both from legal aid.

2024-05-22 21:25:36
#disfigured #mutilated #victim