A man from Quebec has been convicted of second-degree murder for the death of a 10-year-old girl over three decades ago in a suburb of northern Montreal. The family of the young victim has finally found closure.
Réal Courtemanche, aged 62 and already incarcerated for previous offenses, acknowledged on Friday that the case evidence conclusively proves his guilt in the murder of Marie-Chantale Desjardins. The tragic incident occurred on July 16, 1994, when the 10-year-old went missing after leaving a friend’s house in Sainte-Thérèse, Quebec. Her body was discovered four days later in the woods near a shopping center in Rosemère.
Courtemanche’s arrest in 2023, while in prison, led to the resolution of Desjardins’s long-standing cold case, thanks to advancements in DNA technology. During a court session in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, the victim’s mother, Sylvie Desjardins, emotionally addressed Courtemanche, expressing profound sorrow and strength as she spoke on behalf of her deceased daughter, highlighting the impact of his actions on their family.
Following the arrest of Courtemanche at La Macaza Institution in Quebec’s Laurentians region, the prosecution and defense recommended a maximum penalty of life imprisonment without parole for 25 years for the second-degree murder charge. Typically, parole eligibility for such convictions ranges from 10 to 25 years served.
Quebec Superior Court Justice Hélène Di Salvo will announce the sentencing decision on November 10. Courtemanche, a repeat offender with numerous convictions dating back to 1981, was designated a dangerous offender in 2015 due to his history of violent criminal behavior, including a prior conviction for kidnapping and assault.
Judge Jacques Trudel’s 2015 ruling highlighted Courtemanche’s extensive criminal record, which included 89 convictions since 1981, emphasizing his persistent violent tendencies. Despite his prior offenses, Courtemanche’s involvement in Desjardins’s murder had remained unknown until recent developments.