Defense Launches Case in 1996 Cold-Case Manslaughter Trial
Serge Audette, the 72-year-old defendant in a high-profile cold-case homicide trial, commenced his defense presentation on Friday at the Montreal courthouse. Audette faces manslaughter charges for the 1996 disappearance of Patricia Ferguson, a 23-year-old single mother from Pointe-aux-Trembles whose body has never been recovered.
Contradictory Testimony Emerges in Court
The defense's first witness, Yves Vallières, 54, provided testimony that directly contradicts key prosecution evidence. Vallières testified that in 1996, he assisted Ferguson in moving from Sept-Îles to eastern Montreal, describing her as a devoted mother whose primary focus was her infant daughter, Sabrina.
Vallières recounted a specific incident where Ferguson asked him to babysit her daughter while she ran errands one evening. "She didn't show up the next morning," Vallières told the court, describing how he panicked and cared for the baby for three days before leaving her with people who knew Ferguson.
Prosecution Challenges Witness Credibility
Prosecutor Louis Bouthillier aggressively cross-examined Vallières, highlighting significant discrepancies between his 1996 police statement and his 2022 testimony. The prosecution pointed out that Montreal police investigators had confronted Vallières about these inconsistencies during their renewed investigation.
"They said this isn't the same statement you gave before. I said: 'Well, it's been 25 years'," Vallières responded during cross-examination.
Trial Delayed for Further Investigation
The prosecution requested a trial delay to determine whether the original 1996 investigator can testify about initial discussions with Vallières. Quebec Court Judge Dennis Galiatsatos granted the request, with proceedings scheduled to resume on Monday.
Background of the Case
Audette was charged with manslaughter in 2023, nearly three decades after Ferguson's disappearance on June 6, 1996. The case was reopened following a documentary by former TVA reporter Marie-Christine Bergeron that aired on Noovo and Crave, prompting Montreal police to investigate the disappearance as a homicide.
The prosecution's key witness previously testified that she was likely the last person to see Ferguson alive, claiming the young mother had asked her to babysit while visiting Audette in his apartment in the same building.
Defendant's Personal Struggles
According to recent Parole Board of Canada decisions, the trial is taking a significant toll on Audette. The board extended his requirement to reside at a halfway house for an additional four months, citing the stress of media attention and legal proceedings.
Audette's case-management team recommended the extended halfway house stay, noting that the defendant finds the high-profile trial particularly stressful. The summary indicated the trial is impacting Audette's finances, mental and physical health, and relationships with loved ones.
Defendant's Criminal History
Audette is currently on release from an indefinite sentence imposed in 1999 after being convicted of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman and declared a dangerous offender. He was first granted day parole in February 2016 and full parole in August 2017.
Following his arrest as a suspect in Ferguson's death, Audette was returned to a federal penitentiary before being released with strict conditions, including the halfway house residence requirement.
The defense will continue presenting its case when the trial resumes, seeking to challenge the prosecution's narrative in this decades-old disappearance case that has captured Montreal's attention.
