WARNING: This story may be disturbing for some readers.
The woman who is charged with murdering and dismembering her boyfriend in March 2020 denied killing him when first questioned by police on May 27, 2021.
It was part of the nine-hour police interview that was filmed over two days.
Crown Counsel continued to play it at the Vancouver courthouse during the trial Thursday.
The officer in charge of interviewing Paris Laroche in May of 2021 directly asked her if she killed Sidney Mantee.
She replied no and told the officer how Sidney Mantee snapped during an argument before packing up and leaving.
Laroche said she believed it was March 3 and she called in sick to work and cleaned up the stuff he’d left behind.
She said she tried to stay in other rooms than him while he was getting ready to leave.
The Nanaimo woman told police she didn’t know where Mantee had gone and they had never communicated since.
Laroche said she felt like a weight was gone after he left.
“What do you think happened next?” Cpl. Tiffany Eisenor asked.
“I think he may have gone to live in the woods,” responded Laroche. “He was done with society. He didn’t have a good job. He didn’t have the education to get a good job.”
Laroche told the officer she had been losing weight for about six months before Mantee had left because she was stressed with him living there.
Eventually officers told Laroche they were going to search her apartment and interview her friend, Robin Bartle, the friend she had told about killing Mantee.
Laroche said she was okay with that.
The search of the apartment and another search at Diver Lake was widely reported that day with police saying they believed a missing man had met with foul play.
At different points, Laroche said she’d like a lawyer present to answer certain questions.
The Crown will continue playing the interview at the trial Friday.
SEE PREVIOUS:
- JAN. 31 STORY: Trial for Nanaimo woman accused of murdering boyfriend hears from officer
- JAN. 26 STORY: Undercover officer testifies about Nanaimo sting in woman’s murder trial
- JAN. 24 STORY: Friend of Paris Laroche testifies about her murder confession in Nanaimo
- JAN. 23 STORY: Former boss testifies in trial of Nanaimo woman accused of murdering boyfriend
Kendall Hanson
