Close X
Monday, December 16, 2024
ADVT 
National

Man Accused Of Killing Teenager Tina Fontaine Waives Court Appearance

Darpan News Desk IANS, 15 Dec, 2015 12:22 PM
    WINNIPEG — The case of a man accused of killing 15-year-old Manitoba girl Tina Fontaine will not be back in court until after the holidays.
     
    Raymond Cormier, 53, waived an appearance in a Winnipeg courtroom on Tuesday and his case was put over until Jan. 8.
     
    Cormier is charged with second-degree murder in the death of the teen, whose body was found wrapped in a bag in the Red River on Aug. 17, 2014.
     
    His lawyer, Pam Smith, said her client will be fighting the charges.
     
    "He will be contesting the charge," she wrote in an email. "He will not appear until he makes a bail application, if he does."
     
    Cormier has spent almost half his life behind bars.
     
    Parole board documents indicate he has a long history of violent crime fuelled by drug addiction. The parole board, noting he was a high risk to reoffend, revoked Cormier's statutory release in 2012 after he had served time for robbery.
     
    The 2012 report says Cormier had at that time racked up over 80 convictions — 17 of which were offences involving violence. Previous court documents show that since 1978, Cormier has spent more than 23 years in prison for various offences that include assault and theft.
     
    "File information indicates that you were under the influence of illegal substances for most of your past offences and the assaults were most often during your attempt to steal money from your victims for drugs," said the parole board report.
     
    Although many were calling for an inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women, Tina's death in 2014 focused the country's attention on the issue.
     
    She had only been in Winnipeg a couple of weeks after leaving her great-aunt's home on the Sagkeeng First Nation, about 70 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg.  
     
    She was in the care of Child and Family Services, but police said Tina became an exploited youth in the Manitoba capital. They say she met Cormier at a residence they both frequented.
     
    Court documents allege Tina was killed around Aug. 10, 2014 — 10 days after she was first reported missing from foster care. Police picked her up two days before it's believed she was killed, but did not take her into custody.
     
    Tina's family has said she was found a few hours later, passed out in a downtown alley, and taken to hospital. She was picked up by social workers and placed in a downtown hotel, but ran away again shortly before she was killed.
     
    The province has since ended the practice of housing children in care in hotels.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Provincial Negotiations Spur Six-Month Wait For New Federal Child Benefit

    Provincial Negotiations Spur Six-Month Wait For New Federal Child Benefit
    OTTAWA — The federal Liberals will take the next few months to negotiate with provinces over a new national child benefit after advocates raised concerns the government's plan could end up hurting those receiving provincial help.

    Provincial Negotiations Spur Six-Month Wait For New Federal Child Benefit

    Uber Raises Stakes As It Aggressively Expands Toronto Food Delivery Service

    Uber Raises Stakes As It Aggressively Expands Toronto Food Delivery Service
    TORONTO — Uber has chosen the streets of Toronto for its latest experiment in food delivery.

    Uber Raises Stakes As It Aggressively Expands Toronto Food Delivery Service

    Mike Duffy: Conservative Senator Advised Me To Make Expense Claims

    Mike Duffy: Conservative Senator Advised Me To Make Expense Claims
    OTTAWA — Sen. Mike Duffy says he was specifically advised by a senior Conservative colleague to file expense claims for his home near Ottawa.

    Mike Duffy: Conservative Senator Advised Me To Make Expense Claims

    Vietnamese 'Boat People' Unite To Sponsor Syrians: 'It's The Least We Can Do'

    Vietnamese 'Boat People' Unite To Sponsor Syrians: 'It's The Least We Can Do'
    TORONTO — There are many memories of his desperate escape from a chaotic Communist Vietnam nearly 40 years ago that haunt Kyanh Do.

    Vietnamese 'Boat People' Unite To Sponsor Syrians: 'It's The Least We Can Do'

    Peace, Quiet And The Occasional Flashmob: How Libraries And Patrons Are Evolving

    Peace, Quiet And The Occasional Flashmob: How Libraries And Patrons Are Evolving
    HALIFAX — Libraries can conjure up images of dim, musty spaces and stern librarians with index fingers pressed to their lips, ready to shush.

    Peace, Quiet And The Occasional Flashmob: How Libraries And Patrons Are Evolving

    Canadian Man Faces DUI-Related Charges Following 4-Vehicle Crash In Florida

    Canadian Man Faces DUI-Related Charges Following 4-Vehicle Crash In Florida
    DANIA BEACH, Fla. — A Canadian man has been arrested on six DUI-related charges following a four-car crash in Florida.

    Canadian Man Faces DUI-Related Charges Following 4-Vehicle Crash In Florida