A Nanaimo man was brutally murdered in his apartment in 2020 and his remains were gruesomely scattered in two city parks, the B.C. Supreme Court has been told. Paris Laroche, 28, of Nanaimo, is currently on trial for first-degree murder and for interfering with human remains in the death of her boyfriend, Sidney Mantee, 32.
During the trial, Crown prosecutor Nick Barber revealed that Laroche led undercover officers to where she had left 13 bone fragments at Neck Point Park and Pipers Lagoon Park. Additionally, a 14th bone fragment from Mantee was found by a resident walking through Neck Point. The popular recreational area is on a peninsula and includes hiking trails and beaches, and nearby Pipers Lagoon Park attracts birdwatchers, beachcombers, and other nature lovers.
The evidence presented in court included bone fragments, several distinctive tools, such as large clawed framing hammer, a short-handled sledge hammer, a sheathed hunting knife, two small hacksaws, and several kitchen knives with black handles and blades of varying lengths. Among the evidence found in the apartment were bone fragments, including from the backpacks, and an April 30, 2021, store receipt for a new backpack.
The court also learned that Laroche continued to live in the apartment until her arrest and even allowed Mantee’s family members to enter the apartment for a smudge ceremony. It was revealed that the first 13 sections of Mantee’s bones were cremated and returned to his mother in Southey, with the 14th bone fragment later returned to her.
The case took a turn when a tip from an acquaintance of Laroche’s led to her arrest in May 2021. Prior to that, the police were investigating Mantee’s disappearance as a missing persons case. Laroche had also been interviewed and released the next day. However, a year later she was arrested again, denied bail, and has since been in custody.
Throughout the trial, further testimony and evidence were provided, shedding light on the chilling details of this horrific crime. This shocking case continues to unfold in court, as new details and evidence emerge.