Nanaimo, British Columbia- A 28-year-old woman named Paris Laroche is currently on trial for the first-degree murder and interference with human remains of her boyfriend, Sidney Mantee, 32, in 2020. The case, which took a grim turn, involves Laroche leading undercover officers to two city parks where she had scattered at least 14 different pieces of Mantee’s remains.
The B.C. Supreme Court heard that Mantee was killed in his apartment before being dismembered and his remains were distributed in Neck Point Park and Pipers Lagoon Park. The remnants of the victim were found in various locations within the parks.
During the trial, evidence was presented, including a large clawed framing hammer, a short-handled sledgehammer, a sheathed hunting knife, two small hacksaws, and several kitchen knives with black handles. The court was also shown receipts for a new backpack and bone fragments that were found in the couple’s apartment on Rosehill Street.
Furthermore, Mantee’s DNA was found on the tools, knives, backpacks, and around the apartment, implicating Laroche in the case. The court also learned that Mantee was last seen withdrawing cash from a Nanaimo bank and that his mother had been communicating with Laroche through text messages.
The case took a darker turn as it was revealed that police had initially been treating Mantee’s disappearance as a missing persons case until an acquaintance of Laroche came forward with information that led to her arrest.
Throughout the trial, shocking details emerged, including Laroche’s continued residence in the apartment where the crime took place and her involvement in a smudge ceremony that was conducted in the apartment. The case has gripped the community and has shed light on the complexities of the human psyche. The trial is expected to continue with more testimonies and evidence being presented.