Charles Lassonde, arrested in August 2021 for kidnapping Serge Boutin, is currently on trial for murder. Audio evidence from his prison calls reveals his belief in evading surveillance and his confidence regarding the charges against him. Following his partner Lana Dubois’s cooperation with police, investigators located Boutin’s body. Testimonies from law enforcement and Lassonde’s ex-partner provide further insights into the case, with the jury expected to reconvene for further proceedings soon.
Charles Lassonde’s Electronic Surveillance and Trial Insights
Following his arrest in August 2021 for the kidnapping and confinement of Serge Boutin, Charles Lassonde was placed under electronic surveillance. Today, during his first-degree murder trial, audio recordings of his prison calls to family members were presented to the jury, shedding light on his mindset during this tumultuous period.
Initially, Lassonde was awaiting a bail hearing for the kidnapping charges and had not yet been charged with murder. In his calls, he expressed concerns about being monitored but believed he had devised a method to evade surveillance by using a code shared with another inmate. “They don’t even know I’m talking on the phone right now. They listen less at that time,” he claimed.
Revelations from Prison Conversations
Despite his beliefs, Lassonde’s strategy proved ineffective. He conveyed to a young woman named Julie that he anticipated his release, asserting, “They really have nothing there, okay. For a kidnapping, you need a victim. Where is the victim? She’s not here. It’s not because we killed her.” This conversation reflected his apparent confidence in the weakness of the charges against him.
In other recordings, the police informed Lassonde that his partner, Lana Dubois, was speaking against him. He recounted a police officer’s comments to him about Dubois suggesting she had revealed damaging information. “If Lana had emptied her sandbox, they wouldn’t have come to ask me questions, but to arrest me for the murder of Serge,” he stated.
Another significant conversation played for the jury involved Lassonde and Dubois discussing their upcoming bail hearing. Dubois expressed her apprehensions, saying, “I’m not ready to answer questions,” to which Lassonde responded, “You have two days left, so do some visualization.” He emphasized the importance of maintaining their relationship in the eyes of the authorities, urging her not to allow any doubts about their coupling.
Collaboration and Discovery of Serge Boutin’s Body
In a startling turn of events, more than two years after the kidnapping, Lana Dubois decided to cooperate with law enforcement in November 2023. Investigator Francis Paul Girard testified about retracing the steps of the fateful evening with Dubois, guiding them to key locations tied to Boutin’s abduction.
Dubois led investigators to various sites, including where she claimed Boutin was buried. The search revealed multiple areas of interest, including a sloped wooded region marked by items that indicated a burial site. Girard noted that a colleague ultimately discovered Boutin’s body in one of these designated areas. Images presented to the jury showed gloves and shovels found at the scene, further implicating the accused.
Additional testimonies included that of Marc-Antoine Choquette, an investigator from the Sûreté du Québec, who detailed his role in the case and the arrest of Lassonde and Dubois. He recounted interrogating Dubois for five hours post-arrest and shared insights about the couple’s history with Boutin. Dufour, Lassonde’s ex-partner and mother of his children, also recalled a conversation with Lassonde, where he claimed to have hosted Boutin, suggesting tensions that led to the violent confrontation.
As the trial continues, the jury has been dismissed for the day, with further legal discussions scheduled. Judge Claude Villeneuve announced that the jury would reconvene on Monday to proceed with the trial.