Cédrika Provencher’s father and grandfather made a surprise appearance at the civil case opposing Jonathan Bettez to the Sûreté du Québec, and the brief planned hearing took place in a rather cold atmosphere.
• Read also: Cédrika Provencher affair: Jonathan Bettez is “looking forward” to testifying
• Read also: Cédrika Provencher affair: the former CEO of the SQ will be questioned
Martin Provencher and Henri Provencher, the father and grandfather of little Cédrika, were the first to enter the room of the Montreal courthouse. Sitting on the right side, they scanned the people entering, until the “primary suspect” in the child’s disappearance and murder arrived.
The latter is demanding $10 million from the state, under the pretext that the provincial police have done everything to convince the population that he is a murderer and a pedophile.
Except that when he entered the room, Jonathan Bettez did not look at the relatives of the 9-year-old child, killed in the summer of 2007. He instead fixed his eyes in front of him, before taking his place on a bench on the left, on his lawyer’s side, as he has been doing with his father and mother since Monday.
Cédrika Provencher’s grandfather Henri Provencher and his father, Martin Provencher, visiting the Montreal courthouse for Jonathan Bettez’s case against the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), in Montreal, on Wednesday January 24, 2024.
Photo Agence QMI, Joël Lemay
No crossed glances
The hearing ultimately only lasted a few minutes, but although glances were thrown from both sides during this short time, the eyes of the two families never met.
And as the case was quickly adjourned for the day, Martin and Henri Provencher left the scene while Bettez and his relatives headed in the opposite direction.
Neither Cédrika’s father nor grandfather wanted to make a statement, saying they preferred to take the time to think and see how things would unfold.
Special constables were present on site as a preventative measure, but there was no excess.
Jonathan Bettez, suspect in the Cédrika Provencher case, at the Montreal courthouse, in Montreal, Monday January 22, 2024.
Photo Agence QMI, Joël Lemay
Always suspicious
This short appearance, however, occurred when, as recently as Monday, an SQ investigator recalled that Bettez was still suspected of being the author of the murder which shocked all of Quebec.
“Everything that has been done to keep it out [des suspects] didn’t bear fruit, no way [d’enquête] did not allow it to be put aside,” said Chantal Daudelin.
At the time, the police had deployed great resources to find the murderer, but without success. The bones of the nine-year-old child were discovered in 2015, but again, no charges could be filed.
Bettez was then targeted by a police operation, but although he had been accused of possession of child pornography, he was acquitted because the evidence against him had been collected improperly.
“[Les policiers] followed him night and day, searched his computers, his cell phone, monitored what he did on the internet, tapped him, interrogated him for 14 hours… they put pressure on his family and friends …How to explain that we have not found any tangible elements [pour l’inculper du meurtre de Cédrika Provencher]?» had railed Me Jessy Héroux by affirming that his client was “looking forward” to testifying.
The hearings, before Judge Gregory Moore, are scheduled to last until Friday. No trial date on the merits has yet been set.