The Monster of the Miramichi is Dead: How a Serial Killer Terrorized New Brunswick
Allan Joseph Legere, the convicted serial killer and rapist known as the Monster of the Miramichi, died Monday at the age of 78 while serving a life sentence at the Edmonton Institution in Alberta. His death marks the end of a dark chapter in New Brunswick's history, during which he murdered five people in a brutal three-year crime spree in the late 1980s.
A Chilling Beginning: The First Murder
The crowd shouted "hang him" as Legere was led into a New Brunswick courtroom in July 1986 to answer for what would be his first murder. Little did they know on that cool, unsettled day that the Chatham man was just beginning his reign of terror.
Then 38 years old, Legere was charged alongside two men from Newcastle with second-degree murder in the beating death of John Glendenning, a 66-year-old shopkeeper. The crime occurred during a robbery at Glendenning's Black River home the previous month. The victim died from strangulation, with a shirt tied tightly around his neck.
Brutal Violence and Escape
The robbers had tied John Glendenning's hands and feet before beating him so thoroughly that photographs of his body showed hardly a spot that wasn't bruised. Some injuries may have been caused by blows from a piece of wood, but mostly the attackers used their fists and boots.
During the same incident, the perpetrators tied, beat, and sexually assaulted Glendenning's 62-year-old wife as they hunted for a safe said to contain substantial money. She eventually freed herself and called police. The doctor who first examined her later told the court he "couldn't believe that a person could be that badly beaten and still be alive."
Two accomplices pleaded guilty minutes before the widow took the stand, but Legere fought the charges. A jury convicted him in January 1987, sentencing him to life in prison with no chance of parole for 18 years.
The Daring Escape and Reign of Terror
Then on May 3, 1989, Legere executed a daring escape while guards from the Atlantic Institution escorted him to Georges Dumont Hospital in Moncton. According to a chronology from the University of New Brunswick, Legere "faked needing toilet paper and escaped out of the hospital."
He had hidden a collapsed TV antenna in his rectum and a piece of metal in a cigar to open both his cuffs and leg shackles. The Correctional Service of Canada would later blame sloppy security for Legere's well-planned escape.
In the hospital parking lot, Legere pushed a woman inside her car and took off with her as a hostage. She escaped unharmed, but many others would not be so fortunate.
Seven Months of Fear
Legere went on to terrorize the Miramichi area for seven months following his escape. Soon after leaving the hospital, he beat up, bound, and robbed a man whose wallet and 1986 Chrysler New Yorker were later found in Newcastle.
His crime spree continued when Legere stole jewelry from a woman who reported spotting someone in her window. As people reported sightings of Legere to police, someone broke into another Chatham home, stealing a duffle bag, pie, and $100 worth of meat from a freezer.
The Monster of the Miramichi's death in prison brings closure to a terrifying era that left deep scars on New Brunswick communities, particularly in the Miramichi region where his crimes created years of fear and trauma.
