Mike on Crime

By Bruce Owen and Mike McIntyre
Winnipeg Free Press

A former Hells Angels associate accused of masterminding the slayings of his elderly parents and brother in St. Leon four years ago now stands accused of plotting to kill his sis­ter, nephew and former friend, the Free Press has learned.

Jérôme Labossière, 38, was arrested Thurs­day at Stony Mountain Institution on allegations he discussed plans with a fellow inmate to kill the three targets. None of them was harmed as police became aware of the plans almost right away, RCMP spokeswoman Sgt. Line Karpish confirmed Friday.

Jérôme Labossière has been charged with three counts of counselling to commit murder.

Karpish would not comment on details of the scheme, which allegedly took shape between Dec. 27, 2007 and July 19, 2008.

“We can’t get into specif­ics,” she said. “There are safe­ty issues and we just won’t go there.”

Court documents iden­tify the intended targets as Labossière’s nephew, Daniel Labossière, his sister, Nicole Labossière-Clark and Brian Brisson. Daniel Labossière owns a local construction firm, Nicole Labossière-Clark is a school teacher and Brisson is a former ac­quaintance of Jérôme when he was connected to the Hells Angels.

A justice source said Brisson and Daniel Labossière are potential witnesses against Jé­rôme Labossière in the triple-murder case.

The latest allegations stunned the Labossière family, who’ve already seen five family mem­bers gunned down since 2005.

“You just live on pins and needles,” one rela­tive said Friday. “We were such a normal family and then all hell broke loose.”

Jérôme Labossière’s lawyer said he is waiting to get disclosure from the Crown on the latest charges.

“Mr. Labossière maintains his innocence. We’ll wait to see what we’re provided with,” Sheldon Pinx said.

The killings started in November 2005 when someone broke into the family’s farmhouse out­side St. Leon and shot to death Fernand Labossi­ère, 78, his wife Rita, 74, and their son Rémi, 44, before setting the building on fire.

RCMP have said it was set ablaze to destroy evidence. Police refuse to discuss motive, but court documents filed over the past two years in an ongoing civil case indicate it was about the family’s $1.3-million estate.

Jérôme Labossière, Jeremie Toupin and Michel Hince were arrested last May 1 and each charged with three counts of first-degree mur­der and three counts of conspiracy to commit murder. The case is set for a month-long prelim­inary hearing in March 2010.

The arrests came about two weeks after Joël Labossière, 34, and his pregnant wife, Magda­lena, 33, were found shot to death in their St. Vital home. The April 20, 2008 double-slaying left their one-year-old daughter an orphan. Jé­rôme Labossière is Joël’s uncle. At the time of his death, Joël was involved in a court battle with Jérôme over the estate and had recently taken out a protection order barring Jérôme from con­tacting him and his immediate family. Jérôme had appealed the order, saying he was not a threat to anyone.

RCMP arrested Kelly John Clarke last May and charged him with two counts of first-degree murder in the slayings of Joël and Magdalena Labossière. The investigation is ongoing.

Sources allege the newest charges against Jérôme Labossière involve “de­tailed” discussions he had with a Stony Mountain inmate both inside prison and while the two were in the community on par­ole.

Court documents identify the inmate as Joseph Jamie Guiboche. He was arrested in May 2006 for aggravated assault and pleaded guilty weeks later in The Pas. Guiboche, 27, was sentenced to 26 months at Stony Mountain. Jérôme also went to Stony in the summer of 2006 after pleading guilty to selling cocaine for the Hells Angels and being caught giving drugs to a secret agent in a massive undercover police operation. He was released on parole in December 2007.

Jérôme Labossière and Guiboche had never met prior to their stint behind bars — a fact sources say is important because Guiboche went to police with detailed information about the plot including specifics on Labossière family mem­bers.

Police did not use any wiretaps or secret re­cordings in their investigation, a source said.

Karpish said RCMP would not comment on whether Guiboche was paid.

The Labossière family said the new charges compound the stress the family is under. Some have invested in high-tech security systems while one has hired bodyguards. “We can’t move,” the spokesperson said. “I just want to black it out and not wake up some days. We just don’t want to go to any more funerals. The Sopranos (TV show) isn’t even this bad.”

Sources have told the Free Press that the Hells Angels have severed all ties with Jérôme Labossière, but the family believes he is still connected to the outlaw motorcycle gang inside Stony Mountain and imprisoned on the same range as convicted bikers Ernie Dew, Jeff Peck and Ian Grant.

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The Labossière family’s tragedy

NOV. 26, 2005: Fernand and Rita Labossière, along with their son, Rémi, are shot to death in their St. Leon home before it is set on fire.

DEC. 6, 2005: Jérôme Labossière claims a $500,000 life insurance policy may have been a factor in the killings of his parents and brother. He also complains that RCMP should have sealed off the fire scene sooner as critical evidence might have been lost.

FEB. 15, 2006: Jérôme Labossière is one of 13 people arrested in Project Defence, an undercover police operation that targeted three members of the Hells Angels in Manitoba.

MAY 29, 2006: Jérôme Labossière pleads guilty to drug trafficking and is sentenced to six years in prison and levied a $30,500 fine.

NOV. 25, 2006: On the first anniversary of the Labossières’ deaths, someone breaks into Jérôme Labossière’s St. Leon home. A Harley-Davidson motorcycle, snowblower and garden tractor are stolen. In orange spray paint, someone writes “Leave Killre Killer” on the house.

NOV. 27, 2006: The Free Press learns a second will in the Labossière estate has surfaced. It says all of Rémi Labossière’s farmland and property are to be held in trust for Jérôme Labossière’s 12-year­old son. The July 5, 2005, will contradicts an Aug. 9, 2000 will that left all assets to all nieces and nephews. In 2006, the value of the estate was estimated at $1.3 million.

DEC. 13, 2007: Jérôme Labossière wins day par­ole at a hearing at Stony Mountain Institution.

JAN. 9, 2008: Jérôme Labossière is arrested for allegedly contacting family members despite a court order prohibiting him from doing so.

APRIL 20, 2008: Jérôme Labossi­ère’s nephew, Joël Labossière and his wife Magdalena, (right) pregnant with the couple’s second child, are found dead in their south Win­nipeg home. The couple’s one-year-old daughter survives and now lives in Austria with Magda­lena’s family.

MAY 1, 2008: RCMP arrest Jérôme Labossière as he drives a truck in east Winnipeg. He and two other men are each subsequently charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his parents and brother. His parole is revoked.

MAY 28, 2008: Kelly John Clarke is arrested by Winnipeg police while driving in Garden City. He is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Joël Labossière and his wife, Magdalena.

NOV. 26, 2008: Jérôme Labossière gives up his claim to the family’s St. Leon estate. Remi’s will from 2000 now stands. It also allows Jérôme Labossière to rent the land for 21 years.