A man from Quebec has been convicted of second-degree murder in the death of a 10-year-old girl in a northern Montreal suburb over three decades ago, providing closure to the family of the young victim. Réal Courtemanche, 62, who was already serving time for other offenses, acknowledged on Friday that the evidence presented in the case overwhelmingly demonstrates his guilt in the killing of Marie-Chantale Desjardins.
The tragic incident occurred on July 16, 1994, when the 10-year-old went missing after leaving a friend’s residence in Sainte-Thérèse, Quebec, situated northwest of Montreal. Her body was discovered four days later in the woods behind a shopping center in the nearby community of Rosemère. The case of Desjardins remained unsolved until Courtemanche’s arrest in 2023 while in prison, thanks to advancements in DNA technology.
During a court session in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, the victim’s mother, Sylvie Desjardins, emotionally addressed Courtemanche, expressing her profound sorrow and resilience in speaking on behalf of her deceased daughter, highlighting how his actions had taken away her child from the family. Sylvie later spoke to reporters outside the courtroom, stating, “It really brings things full circle, it closes a 31-year journey. Marie-Chantale can now rest in peace.”
Courtemanche was apprehended by Quebec provincial police at La Macaza Institution in the Laurentians region of Quebec in December 2023. Both the prosecution and defense recommended the maximum penalty for second-degree murder, which is life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for 25 years. Typically, for convictions of this nature, the period served before parole eligibility can vary from a minimum of 10 years to a maximum of 25 years. The final decision on the sentencing is expected from Quebec Superior Court Justice Hélène Di Salvo on November 10.
Courtemanche, with numerous convictions dating back to 1981, was labeled a dangerous offender in 2015 and received an indeterminate sentence following his conviction for kidnapping and assaulting a woman with a knife. A 2015 decision by Quebec court Judge Jacques Trudel highlighted Courtemanche’s persistent criminal behavior, which remained violent and impulsive over the years, leading to multiple convictions for offenses involving violence or threats.
Until his recent conviction in the Desjardins case, Courtemanche’s involvement in the murder was unknown.