Vancouver, British Columbia – A trial in Vancouver, B.C. Supreme Court has seen shocking testimony in the case of Paris Jayanne Laroche, who is facing charges of first-degree murder and interference with a dead body. The trial, now in its fifth day, revealed chilling details of the alleged murder of Laroche’s ex-boyfriend, Sidney Joseph Mantee, who was reported missing at the age of 32.
According to testimony, an undercover investigator gained Laroche’s trust, leading her to reveal disturbing information about Mantee’s murder and the disposal of his body. Laroche reportedly admitted to using a knife, hammers, and saws in the gruesome act, and detailed how she dismembered Mantee’s body and disposed of it in several water bodies in Nanaimo.
During a covert operation in April 2021, Laroche handed over items to investigators, including a hammer which she claimed was used to strike Mantee in the head. Two saws were said to have been used to dismember the body, and a sledgehammer to break up Mantee’s skull and larger bones. She also allegedly used a knife to slash his throat and kept his bones in her refrigerator after the murder.
In a shocking turn of events, Laroche led officers to the locations where she claimed to have disposed of Mantee’s body. The trial, scheduled to last 20 days, was moved to Vancouver due to the lack of suitable facilities in Nanaimo to house Laroche during the trial.
With a plea of not guilty, Laroche is being represented by legal representatives Glen Orris and Robyn Young, while Crown counsel Sabrina Avery and Nick Barber lead the prosecution. The presiding judge over the trial is Justice Robin Baird.
The trial has garnered significant attention due to the gruesome nature of the allegations and is set to resume on Monday, Jan. 29th.