An undercover police officer testified in the murder trial of Charles Lassonde, detailing an operation from August 1, 2021, aimed at gathering information about the missing Serge Boutin. The officer recounted interactions with Lassonde and his girlfriend, Lana Dubois, revealing troubling claims about Boutin’s fate. Additional testimonies from witnesses, including a neighbor and a friend of Boutin, provided insight into the events surrounding Boutin’s alleged abduction, emphasizing missed opportunities to report suspicious activities.
Undercover Agent Testifies in Charles Lassonde’s Murder Trial
On Thursday afternoon, an undercover police officer took the stand during the first-degree murder trial of Charles Lassonde. Shielded from view behind a screen, the officer recounted an operation he undertook with his partner on August 1, 2021, at the residence of Lassonde and his then-girlfriend, Lana Dubois. Their objective was to gather information concerning the disappearance of Serge Boutin, the alleged victim.
While providing testimony under his badge number to maintain anonymity, the agent outlined the mission assigned to them. “Our goal was to engage with Charles Lassonde and Lana Dubois to collect information about ‘Bibitte’ [the victim Serge Boutin] and stimulate discussions among those involved,” he stated, detailing the events to the 13 jurors present.
The operation took them to Victoriaville, specifically to Dubois’s home. “In our cover story, we posed as individuals searching for ‘Bibitte’ because he owed us money,” he elaborated.
The undercover agents arrived around 1-2 AM, and an audio recording of the encounter was played for the jury. “We’re looking for someone. People told us, ‘You can help us. Someone owes us a lot of money,'” one of the officers said at the start of the conversation. Dubois shared that Boutin had spent the previous week at her home, recounting various troubling incidents involving him, including identity theft and hacking.
Key Testimonies from Witnesses
During the conversation, Lassonde claimed, “We gave him to other guys he owed money to,” when asked about Boutin’s whereabouts. Unable to provide the names of these individuals, he even suggested that the undercover agents leave a phone number for follow-up information.
At one point, an undercover officer inquired, “Is he dead?” to which Dubois replied, “I don’t think he’s dead. I believe he’s working to pay off his debt.” Lassonde further implicated that bikers might have taken Boutin in Danville. The agents concluded their discussion after nearly 20 minutes.
In cross-examination, Lassonde’s attorney, Martin Latour, attempted to portray the undercover agents as “big shots.” However, the officer clarified, “We were just trying to personify people looking for ‘Bibitte’ because he owes us money. We were cautious not to appear intimidating.”
Another significant witness, Lyne Royer, who lived near the scene of Boutin’s alleged abduction, provided audio testimony before her passing. She described witnessing part of the incident on the night of July 6 to 7, 2021, noting that the event felt like a brief eternity. Regrettably, she did not call the police, mistakenly believing it was merely a “drunken fight that went wrong.” In her emotional recounting, she expressed deep remorse for failing to alert authorities.
Lastly, Martin Chainey, a childhood friend of Boutin, testified about his interactions with Dubois in July 2021. He revealed that they had communicated through the Meta Messenger app and planned to meet, believing Dubois was single at that time. However, when he arrived, he was surprised to find Lassonde present. Chainey emphatically stated that there was never any discussion about a threesome involving himself, Dubois, and Boutin. The defense opted not to cross-examine him.