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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Jury hears of confession in rural triple slaying

By: Mike McIntyre

Posted: 01/25/2012 1:00 AM

A man accused of carrying out a triple murder-for-hire allegedly made a tearful confession to a family member of the victims.

Jérôme Jérôme Labossière and Michael Hince have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder for the November 2005 attack in St. Leon that killed Fernand, 78, Rita, 74, and Rémi Labossière, 44. A third accused, Jeremie Toupin, is expected to testify against the pair this morning.

Daniel Labossière, the grandson of Fernand and Rita, told jurors on Tuesday how Hince made a startling revelation following a January 2006 night out partying and drinking at a Winnipeg bar. At that time, the case remained an active police investigation and no arrests had been made.

"He was crying, very emotional. He said 'I can't believe what I did on that farm. I can't live with myself. I want to kill myself'," Daniel Labossière testified. He said Hince then made a gun motion while pointing it at his own head.

Daniel Labossière said both he and Hince were intoxicated and he reacted angrily by shoving Hince. "I snapped. I told him to stop talking about it, that I didn't want to hear about it," he said.

Daniel Labossière also told jurors his uncle, Jérôme, had been upset with Rémi for a long time because of how he was running the family farm into financial ruin. He claims Jérôme made a cryptic comment to him on the day of the triple funeral, saying "the parents were a surprise." He also spoke about Hince and Toupin as being "good guys, they're capable... look what they've done for me" without giving other details, Daniel said.

Jurors heard previously from several other Labossière family members who claimed Jérôme callously dismissed the violent deaths of his mother, father and brother as being "casualties of war." The Crown alleges Jérôme ordered the "hit" on his own family, which they say Hince and Toupin carried out. All three victims were shot before the farmhouse was burned to the ground in an apparent attempt to conceal evidence.

Daniel Labossière said Tuesday Hince once asked him "Did Jérôme tell you what happened on the farm?" without further explanation.

Shawn Desrochers, another nephew of Jérôme's, also testified Tuesday how Jérôme was trying to buy family members out of their share of Rémi's will. Jérôme was allegedly offering his seven nieces and nephews $25,000 if they would renounce their 1/7th share of the farm, valued at approximately $1.3 million. Desrochers said he declined.

"When I told (Jérôme) I didn't agree with it he became agitated. I asked him 'Am I gonna get a bullet in the head if I don't agree with this?' He said 'No comment,' " said Desrochers.

www.mikeoncrime.com

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 25, 2012 B1

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