OPP officer killed, 2 others injured in 'ambush' east of Ottawa

[Michael Jack]

Prosecutors in the trial of Alain Bellefeuille wrapped up their arguments Wednesday by telling jurors there's "overwhelming evidence" to find him guilty of the murder of an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer and the attempted murder of two others two years ago.

Bellefeuille has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial, which is taking place in l'Orignal, Ont., began in March.

Crown attorney Louise Tansey stood in silence for 14 seconds before beginning her closing remarks Wednesday — the same length of time that passed between the moment Sgt. Eric Mueller and Const. Marc Lauzon entered Bellefeuille's rented home in Bourget, Ont., on May 11, 2023, and the moment the first shots rang out.

They were there to conduct a wellness check after a concerned neighbour of Bellefeuille's called in the early morning hours.

Mueller died. Lauzon and another officer were severely wounded.

'Devastating, calculated and precise'

Bellefeuille's lawyer said his client was asleep when he woke to what he thought was a home invasion. Earlier, Bellefeuille told the court he felt "fear" and "panic" and acted in self-defence when he fired his rifle at what he thought were intruders.

The defence said Bellefeuille was had "no beef" with police, and felt like he was in a "nightmare" when he realized he had shot officers.

But in the Crown's closing submissions, Tansey called Bellefeuille's actions that night "devastating, calculated and precise."

Tansey asked jurors to closely review the body-camera footage recovered from the officers and shown in court.

Bellefeuille fired four separate volleys using an illegally modified magazine. He also removed a body-worn camera from Mueller and later threw it into bushes.

The Crown argued those weren't the actions of someone acting in self-defence, but a "cold and calculated killing."

Crown describes a 'rampage'

Tansey said the officers were lawfully carrying out their duties, noting they'd knocked on Bellefeuille's door 64 times before entering.

"Officers tried 14 minutes to get a response from him," Tansey said, listing the steps the officers had taken before entering Bellefeuille's home: calling his phone, shining lights, banging on windows, knocking on doors and shouting his name.

"They were met with a hail of bullets," she said, describing Bellefeuille's response as a "rampage."

Prosecutors rejected Bellefeuille's claim that he'd been asleep when the officers came knocking, pointing out that he was wearing the same clothes he'd had on the previous day, had a half-smoked cigarette and a pillow propped up on his bed.

They also asked jurors to ignore Bellefeuille's claim that he lived in fear of intruders, noting his door was unlocked when the officers arrived. Rather, they accused him of firing on the officers with "not a hint of panic."

Jurors are expected to receive their instructions from the judge on Thursday, and will then begin their deliberations.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/b ... -1.7540246

[Michael Jack]

The fate of the man accused of murdering an Ontario Provincial Police officer and seriously injuring two others in Bourget, Ont. two years ago is now in the hands of the jury.

Jurors at Alain Bellefeuille’s murder trial began deliberations Thursday afternoon after being instructed by the judge for several hours. The charge to the jury included a review of legal principles, definitions, an overview of some of the evidence and as well as summaries of the Crown and defence positions.

“The only information you can consider in making your decision in this case is the evidence you heard and saw in the courtroom during the trial,” Superior Court Justice Robert Pelletier told the jury of 12, adding the decisions must be made “without sympathy, prejudice or fear.”

Bellefeuille admitted he fired the shots that killed Sgt. Eric Mueller and wounded constables Marc Lauzon and François Gamache-Asselin in the middle of the night on May 11, 2023.

The officers responded to Bellefeuille’s home to conduct a wellness check after a neighbour called 911 and reported hearing yelling, loud music and a gunshot.

Bellefeuille has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. The jury will have to determine Bellefeuille’s mindset in the moments leading up to and during the shooting and whether he knew he was shooting at police.

During the trial that began at the end of March, Bellefeuille took the stand in his own defence and testified that he had been sleeping when he heard banging at the back of his house, saw flashlights shining into this bedroom and thought the officers were intruders. He said he never heard police announce themselves as officers while entering the home.

The Crown argued Bellefeuille was lying in wait and ambushed the officers, firing several shots in rapid succession from a semi-automatic rifle with an illegally modified magazine. From the time the officers entered the unlocked front door announcing themselves as police to the time shots rang out was 14 seconds.

Bellefeuille admitted he was drinking, listening to loud music and slamming doors in the hours before the shooting—he was angry he was being forced to move out of his home.

Instructions to the jury

The judge told the jury Bellefeuille could be found guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, manslaughter or not guilty in relation to the death of Mueller.

For a first-degree murder conviction, Pelletier said the Crown must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Bellefeuille intended to kill Mueller and that he knew Mueller was a police officer acting in the course of his duties or was aware of indications that Mueller could be a police officer but deliberately ignored that and didn’t inquire further.

When it comes to the charge of attempted murder relating to Lauzon, the jury could find Bellefeuille guilty of attempted murder, aggravated assault, discharging a firearm with intent or not guilty.

When it comes to the charge of attempted murder relating to Gamache-Asselin, the jury could find Bellefeuille guilty of attempted murder, aggravated assault, assault causing bodily harm, assault with a weapon, discharging a firearm with intent or not guilty.

According to the law, when considering self-defence, Pelletier told the jury it had to consider whether Bellefeuille believed on reasonable grounds force was being used or threatened against him, whether he shot his firearm for the purpose of protecting himself and whether his response was reasonable in the circumstances as he believed them.

If the Crown proves one or more elements do not exist beyond a reasonable doubt, then Bellefeuille cannot be found to have been acting in self-defence, Pelletier said.

The remaining 12 people are now sequestered to deliberate.

Two jurors dismissed during trial

The trial started at the end of March with 14 jurors—two being alternates.

Two jurors were dismissed at various points in the trial.

The first was on April 30 after the court was informed some jurors felt intimidated and that they weren’t free to express their opinions because of another juror’s behaviour.

A second juror was dismissed the following week. In that case the juror was late to court on May 9 and couldn’t be reached by phone so OPP were sent to check on them. An officer ended up driving them to the courthouse in a police cruiser in an effort to get the delayed proceedings underway. The judge didn’t think the juror was compromised but based on the optics, with the case involving police officers, the juror was dismissed. The judge said it was to preserve public confidence in the justice system. He did not blame the police officer or the juror.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/j ... p-officer/

[Michael Jack]

Prosecutors, across weeks of trial, have tried to portray Alain Bellefeuille as a monstrous cop killer who plotted and executed an ambush that had him lying in wait only to kill police at his rural home on May 11, 2023, defence lawyer Leo Russomanno told the jury in a closing address Tuesday.

The police call to Bellefeuille’s home was actually a wellness check after a neighbour thought he may have killed himself when she thought she heard gunfire, Russomanno continued. Turned out he didn’t, and was asleep after a long day’s work and a night of drinking when the police entered his home without announcing themselves outside.

OPP Const. Marc Lauzon entered first with gun drawn for the suicide call and said “Hello Alain, police. Hello Alain, police.” That was in the mud room and Bellefeuille was in his bedroom and grabbed his rifle out of fear, and after seeing a shadowy figure with a flashlight and gun drawn, Russomanno said. Bellefeuille crouched behind his bed and fired blindly through the bedroom walls at the armed intruders, killing one and wounding another.

It was 2:30 in the morning, and the only reasonable conclusion, after flashlights at the back windows and twice at the front, would be that intruders had just stormed his home, Russomanno told the jury. “This is how Alain Bellefeuille’s nightmare began. It became another nightmare, a worse nightmare when he realized he had shot a police officer.”

Bellefeuille is on trial for first-degree murder in the killing of Sgt. Eric Mueller, and attempted murder of two officers, including Lauzon.

Russomanno highlighted the gaps in the Crown’s case, the absence of evidence and notably — the absence of motive.

“Alain Bellefeuille is not a monster,” the lawyer began.

He said Bellefeuille was just a regular guy who worked hard. Had family and friends. Liked hunting and fishing. Had plans for the future. Had a dog. Had nothing against the police.

“The Crown couldn’t point to any motive Alain would have to harm the police,” Russomanno told the jury.

“Alain Bellefeuille lived through a nightmare. He will never stop punishing himself for what he did, regardless of the outcome of this case.”

That Bellefeuille killed Mueller is not in question, but his state of mind is and he says he acted in self-defence and out of panic, fear and confusion.

Russomanno raised the absence of evidence in the Crown’s ambush theory.

“Alain Bellefeuille had zero reason to expect police officers banging on his back door, or their presence at all. The absence of any such evidence is crucial,” Russomanno said.

He told the jury Bellefeuille didn’t have the luxury of looking back at the horrifying moments, frame-by-frame, like the trial did. There was no time to weigh options, in real time, after armed people entered his home at 2:30 a.m., particularly with a pounding heart and racing mind.

Responding police officers who took the stand had difficulty recounting details from the chaotic scene. Police were searching for wounded officers in the forest when they were already at the hospital.

Some officers warned about friendly crossfire and to be safe when searching. One officer accidentally fired their C-18 rifle in the search. The bullet hit the ground and nobody was wounded. That officer told court he forgot to mention it in his police duty book at the time.

It was hard for some of the officers to explain their logic during the events in question. One officer called it a “shit show.”

Most officers didn’t even know what the original call was about. There was no briefing, no talk about a plan and one of the original responding officers testified he didn’t know his fellow officers were going to enter the home until they did. He was the third officer on the scene, but didn’t go in. He took cover behind a cruiser when he heard the gunfire. He then ran into the woods and told officers over the radio he was being hunted down.

He wasn’t. Bellefeuille had put his rifle down and called 911 after he shot the police officer. He told the dispatcher he thought it was a home invasion and then told paramedics to hurry as the slain officer was bleeding out fast but still breathing.

The arresting officer ended up punching Bellefeuille about the head when he was cuffed and face down. Rifle trained at Bellefeuille’s head, the officer told Bellefeuille to make a move so he could shoot him. He testified that his emotions got the best of him because Bellefeuille had just killed his fellow officer and friend. The police officer, in full body armour with a C-18 rifle, said he was in fear.

And so was Bellefeuille. His defence lawyer said that only others, including highly-trained police, were seemingly given a pass for not being able to explain their actions.

“They had difficulty explaining the logic behind their actions. Alain Bellefeuille received no such allowances. His confusion, his despair, his fear, are all being sold to you as proof that he’s lying.

“The Crown suggests a diabolical scheme. An orchestrated cover-up,” Russomanno told the jury.

The defence lawyer also hit at the Crown’s narrative that Bellefeuille was just acting to cover up his actions, and that his words moments after the shootings were all theatre. When Bellefeuille called 911, he told the dispatcher he thought it was a home invasion. When Mueller was dying, Bellefeuille said sorry. When paramedics came, they had no police backup. Bellefeuille ordered them to come in, and told them to hurry because Mueller was still breathing.

When the arresting officer arrived later, Bellefeuille was unarmed.

Bellefeuille removed the dying officer’s bodycam but not before leaning over and saying he shouldn’t have broken into his house, then says sorry. Then, around the time he would have seen the police vest, he called 911, saying he didn’t know the guy he shot was a police officer.

The bodycam was found in the neighbour’s yard.

“Did he do everything perfectly? The Crown says this is indicative of murderous rage. We say it is the product of fear, panic, and being overwhelmed with the confusion of the moment, from thinking he was the victim of a violent home invasion to realizing that he had shot a police officer,” Russomanno told the jury.

The Crown was to deliver its closing address on Wednesday.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-ne ... ce-closing

[Michael Jack]

Of everything the jury doesn't know about in the case against Alain Bellefeuille as they begin deliberations — and, as with all jury trials, that's more than the general public might think — perhaps the most significant is a violent note found in Bellefeuille's van.

The undated and unsigned note, attributed to the man accused of murdering a police officer and attempting to murder two others during a wellness check east of Ottawa in 2023, is directed at the "Majestry" (think: royalty or monarchy, according to the judge) and everyone who pledges allegiance to it. Those who "came with their boats," "stepped foot on This Place of piece [peace]," and "destroyed Earth."

The note curses them. It says they "Will all burn alive" and "ALL DIE A HORRIBLE DEATH!"

Weeks into the trial, the Crown sought to introduce the note as evidence. A photo of it had been provided to defence counsel as part of the disclosure process many months earlier, but it was not discussed during pre-trial motions — when lawyers on both sides argue before a judge about what should be admissible or not during the trial, among other issues.

'A real connection there'

On April 25, after the jury had been dismissed for the day, assistant Crown attorney Louise Tansey argued the note is evidence of motive and animus — that Bellefeuille's shooting of three Ontario Provincial Police officers was essentially a manifestation of the violence called for in the note against the "majestry."

"It's not lost on anyone through these proceedings that the OPP uniform in fact has a crown on it. That's something that's been shown repeatedly throughout this [trial]; it's on the OPP vehicles; it's on the crests worn by Sgt. Mueller and Const. Lauzon and all of the officers attending," Tansey told Superior Court Justice Robert Pelletier.

"There is a real connection there, and there are some expressions of both animus towards that group of people, and also, I say, motive, as far as the deserving to die, burning alive, and most specifically, dying a horrible death. There can be no doubt that is the death that Sgt. Mueller died — a horrible one."

Link 'monumentally weak,' defence argues

Defence lawyer Leo Russomanno argued that the "monumentally weak" link between the people described in the note and police acting as agents of the Crown isn't clear or direct enough, calling it "dangerously prejudicial evidence."

"I say that it is particularly prejudicial because it is an Indigenous man on trial for murder, because it does give rise to stereotypes of an Indigenous people who are anti-establishment, who seek to perpetrate violence against the state because they don't recognize the authority of the state," Russomanno said.

Pelletier sided with the defence and ruled the note inadmissible, writing that if it "has any bearing whatsoever on Mr. Bellefeuille's state of mind at the time of the shooting, the connection is speculative, and the value of the evidence is very limited."

In his endorsement, the judge wrote that the note is "clearly a lament of the effects of colonization," and that the author's biggest gripe "is against those responsible for the appropriation of land.

"There is no aggression expressed towards the police," Pelletier ruled

Intimidating behaviour led to juror's dismissal

In trials with juries, a lot happens that jurors don't know about — everything from routine case management and scheduling issues to disagreements on law between lawyers and more.

Sometimes problems arise concerning juries themselves, as in the ongoing trial of five hockey players accused of sexual assault in London, Ont.

During Bellefeuille's trial two jurors were dismissed on separate occasions, and CBC can now report what led to the dismissal of the first juror on April 30.

On April 29, the foreperson of the jury wrote a note to the judge addressing a matter so sensitive that members of the public, including the media, were asked to clear the room so the judge and lawyers could discuss it among themselves.

When open court resumed it was learned that the foreperson had brought up bullying behaviour by another juror that made some members of the panel feel like they couldn't freely express their opinions — and startlingly, that the behaviour had been going on since Day 1 of the trial a month earlier.

'Fear of reprisals and comments'

The foreperson was asked to identify the juror involved, and did so by passing another note to the judge. The following day, the lawyers and judge agreed to dismiss the juror involved, but the defence wanted every remaining juror to be questioned one at a time about whether they were able to follow and focus on the evidence day after day.

The Crown objected, saying that the juror's dismissal would handle the issue, and that the jury could be instructed to raise any issues with the court individually.

The judge sided with the Crown, and the juror was brought back into the courtroom.

"Certain jurors have felt that their views could not be expressed freely and openly without the fear of reprisals and comments from you which have been described to me as intimidating at times," Pelletier told her.

"I do not want to give you the impression that your efforts and your dedication to your task as a juror has not been appreciated. It is however felt, and I have decided, that it is necessary to discharge you as a juror at this time."

2nd juror dismissed

A week later another juror was dismissed, this time after an OPP officer gave him a ride when he failed to arrive at the courthouse on time on May 9. The decision to give the ride was made jointly by courthouse staff and OPP, but the judge never ordered it.

"This causes me some disquiet. Not on the issue of whether there has been any interference, but on the issue of whether it could be reasonably perceived that that risk exists. As we know, justice needs to be done and needs to be seen to be done," Pelletier told the lawyers in the absence of the jury.

The officer's body-worn camera footage was reviewed, and the Crown and defence spoke to him in private in the small barrister's lounge not far down the hallway from the courtroom.

Back in court, the Crown argued not to dismiss the juror, saying there was no evidence that anything untoward had happened. The judge decided that the optics were bad regardless, and the juror was dismissed.

Pelletier didn't blame the officer, court staff or the juror, and said everyone was simply trying to get proceedings underway as soon as possible.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/i ... -1.7541199

[Michael Jack]

He shot at 3 OPP officers in May 2023, killing Sgt. Eric Mueller and critically wounding Const. Marc Lauzon

It took the jury a little more than a day to reach their verdict in the trial of Alain Bellefeuille — guilty as charged for the first-degree murder of Sgt. Eric Mueller and the attempted murder of two other officers who were entering Bellefeuille's home in the early morning hours of May 11, 2023.

The 41-year-old received two life sentences Saturday, to be served concurrently. He will have no chance for parole for 25 years — automatic for first-degree murder — and no chance of parole for 20 years for the attempted murders, also concurrently.

Bellefeuille remained calm as the verdict was read, while his relatives in the courtroom gallery cried. He had admitted to killing Mueller and injuring constables Mark Lauzon and François Gamache-Asselin, but had maintained his innocence. He testified that he thought he was the victim of a home invasion that morning and didn't know he was firing at police.

The officers had been dispatched to his rented rural house in Bourget, Ont., east of Ottawa, after a neighbour called 911 and reported hearing loud noises including shouting and gunfire, followed by silence.

Crucial evidence in the case — for the Crown and the defence — came from the body-worn cameras of Mueller, Gamache-Asselin and other officers who arrived after the shots were fired, including then Const. Ionut "John" Mihuta, who arrested Bellefeuille. At the time, body-worn cameras were quite new for OPP.

That footage can be seen in the following stories:

Heart-rending statements read in court

Marie-France Ethier — Mueller's widow and mother of their two young children — told court Saturday in French that while Mueller was a dedicated officer, it was his family life that came first for him, and that he'd wanted to be a father more than anything else.

He did all the cooking, took care of the house, spent dozens of hours at his daughter's bedside when she was in hospital, and understood "that his time and presence mattered to those he loved so much," she read from her victim impact statement.

"The tragedy of losing a parent at such a young age, under any circumstances, has serious and harmful consequences for a child. But losing Eric under these violent and cruel circumstances, where the events will live forever in the media and in collective memory, will have lasting effects on my children and me," Ethier told court in French.

"I hope this court can recognize the depth of our grief and loss, as well as the impact Eric's murder has had on our lives. No sentence can bring back our Eric or ease our pain, but your decision will help give us a sense of closure and reaffirm the value of the life Eric led, as well as the ultimate sacrifice he made."

Mueller's mother, Ginette Mueller, told court she woke up at 2 a.m. the morning of the shooting "with a heaviness in my heart and a feeling of deep worry that I didn't understand," only for police to show up a few hours later and tell her her son had died.

"He had achieved his dream of having a family ... two children, a lovely wife, and even though his sister Kathy lived far away, he loved laughing and sharing moments with her, sometimes at my expense. My daughter and I continue to suffer daily from this terrible, almost unreal nightmare from which we can never recover," she read in French from her victim impact statement.

"Later, we will be able to tell the children that their dad was a hero to all of us, and we were and are so passionate about this extraordinary man who was their father, my son."

Kathy Mueller wrote in English that when their father died in 1999, her brother was just 18.

"Despite his own grief, he stepped up. He protected our mother and me without hesitation. That's who Eric was: effortlessly devoted, always dependable, always leading with quiet strength," she told court, reading from her statement.

"So it came as no surprise when he became a police officer. Eric was a natural. Fair. Compassionate. Grounded. He made everyone around him feel safe."

'Life-changing impact'

After Saturday's proceedings, OPP spokesman Bill Dickson read a joint statement from OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique, OPP union president John Cerasuolo and Mueller's family, saying the verdict "reinforces our focus on what Sgt. Mueller stood for — an unwavering commitment to the community, to his family and to the safety and protection of others."

The verdict also took into account the "life-changing impact" felt by Lauzon and Gamache-Asselin, who "exhibited the highest standard of bravery in the face of life-threatening danger," Dickson added.

"For nearly nine weeks, emotional testimonies and the public release of the body-worn camera video have significantly intensified the emotional impact that we have all been feeling since that heartbreaking morning of May 11, 2023. It has been especially hard for Sgt. Eric Muellers' family, the two wounded officers and their families, our OPP members, their loved ones, and for the entire community of Prescott-Russell," he said.

'Completely heartbroken,' defence says

Bellefeuille's defence lawyer, meanwhile, wrote in a statement that Bellefeuille's supporters are devastated.

"On behalf of Alain, his family, and friends, and all of us who knew him to be utterly incapable of the crimes that were ascribed to him, we are completely heartbroken with this result," Russomanno wrote.

Bellefeuille has 30 days to decide whether he wants to appeal.

He had pleaded not guilty in March when his bilingual trial began in Superior Court in L'Orignal, Ont. — the oldest courthouse in Ontario. The Crown team consisted of Louise Tansey, François Dulude and Emma Loignon-Giroux, while Bellefeuille was represented by Russomanno and Biagio Del Greco.

For 27 days, Mueller's family, dressed in black, and a large crowd of supporters and colleagues of the victims filled the wooden benches on the Crown's side of the courtroom gallery. On Saturday, there were hugs and sighs of relief among them when the verdict was read.

Lauzon, who suffered life-altering injuries and has not returned to work, attended most days, and his frequent smiles and laughter during breaks stood out in a sea of sombre faces. Gamache-Asselin, who suffered a minor knee laceration and is back at work, occasionally attended.

The defence side of the room behind the prisoner's box filled up at key moments, such as on the first day of Bellefeuille's testimony earlier this month, but on most days the proceedings were attended by his sister, mother and aunt. Bellefeuille often showed his gratitude to them by whispering or miming "I love you" from the prisoner's box.

Security was tight. Two cruisers brought Bellefeuille to the small courthouse every day, with a team of special constables accompanying him through the same few entrances and hallways used by the public, jury, judge and lawyers. Two officers guarded the door inside the courtroom, and tactical officers were stationed outside the courthouse.

Bellefeuille took the stand in his own defence. He testified he'd been asleep and was woken by his barking dog, flashing lights and banging outside his rented rural home. He said he immediately believed someone was trying to break in, and that he'd been afraid of such an attack ever since friends of his suffered a violent home invasion years earlier.

Russomanno had urged the jury to consider the events from Bellefeuille's perspective, stressing that it all happened over the span of just four minutes — from the time police arrived to the time his client called 911 to report that he'd shot an officer.

In the Crown's closing submissions, Tansey called Bellefeuille's actions that night "devastating, calculated and precise."

Bellefeuille fired four separate volleys from his high-powered SKS rifle, which was equipped with an illegally modified magazine that could hold 22 rounds instead of the five allowed.

He also removed Mueller's body-worn camera, hid it in his pocket, and later threw it into his neighbour's yard.

The Crown argued that wasn't the behaviour of someone acting in self-defence, but rather of someone who had committed a "cold and calculated killing."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/a ... -1.7540994

[Michael Jack]

Alain Bellefeuille has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Eric Mueller and the attempted murder of constables Marc Lauzon and François Gamache-Asselin.

The guilty verdicts were read in court just after 10 a.m. on Saturday. The jury began deliberations on Thursday afternoon.

The officers responded to a wellness check at Bellefeuille’s home in Bourget, Ont. in the middle of the night on May 11, 2023 when they were ambushed and shot seconds upon entering his home.

Mueller was a married father of two young children.

After the verdict the defence asked for each juror to be polled to ensure they each agreed with the verdict.

“These were just good police officers, good guys, using the skills and training to try to do the right thing,” said assistant Crown attorney Louise Tansey.

Bellefeuille was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years for first-degree murder. He was also sentenced to 20 years in prison for each count of attempted murder. The sentences will be served concurrently.

He will also have to provide a DNA sample, will be banned from having firearms and weapons for life and is ordered not to communicate with several people, including members of the officer’s families.

“It is the cruelest irony that the victims of these offences were there to offer their assistance. These officers and those who came to their assistance were there doing what they’re expected to do — protect us all, without protection themselves in the circumstances of this case,” Superior Court Justice Robert Pelletier told the court during sentencing.

“How do you explain a world where this kind of evil exists?” sister says

Bellefeuille sat expressionless in the prisoner’s box as victim impact statements were read in court.

Mueller’s sister Kathy turned to look at Bellefeuille and spoke directly to him.

“That night you, you Mr. Bellefeuille, you didn’t just take a police officer. You destroyed a future. You shattered a family. You devastated a community, and you stole my remember when’s,” she said.

Kathy Mueller said going through the trial felt like a second funeral—a long and painful one.

“Today, in this courtroom, we bury the unknowns we have carried for two years and replace them with a horror story we never wanted to hear,” she said.

“We will never accept, Mr. Bellefeuille, how Eric’s life was taken and we will carry that pain forever. It’s heavy, it’s constant and it’s at times unbearable, but even so, we will carry his memory.”

She said for her brother, fatherhood fulfilled him.

“His children will grow up without Eric’s signature bear hugs, his contagious laughter, his steady, reassuring voice. They will grow up without the man who was supposed to always be in their corner.”

Mueller’s wife and his mother, along with Lauzon’s wife, read victim impact statements in French.

“When I was younger, I had the chance to spend several summers camping here in L’Orignal, and I would have never in my worst nightmares imagined making this kind of declaration under these circumstances,” said Mueller’s wife Marie-France Ethier.

“But here I am in this room today.”

Ethier said she was also there to speak on behalf of their two children, Hugo and Jasmine, “to claim their rights as innocent victims of this act of violence.”

“What is clear is his death has opened a hole in our lives that we will never be able to heal.”

Mueller’s mother, Ginnette Mueller, recalled the evening her son was killed, saying she began to feel a deep sense of worry that her son was still in Bourget after checking his location on her phone.

“The time passes and each time I check, my phone shows me that he’s still there. I really started to worry, probably my mother’s intuition. Something has happened to Eric… I could feel it and I wasn’t able to go back to sleep,” she said.

She remembered when officers arrived at her door in the morning to tell her Eric had died. The officers then accompanied her to the hospital to see his body.

“I see my son lifeless, almost unrecognizable. I wished that my love for him would give him life again… but Eric was no longer… I embraced him, his cold body tore me into pieces that to this day do not reconnect.”

Lauzon’s wife Patricia spoke about the panic and shock she felt when police came to her door telling her that her husband had been shot several times, recalling the chaos at the hospital and how close they came to losing him.

She said Lauzon is passionate about policing, kind-heated and compassionate. She said family is always his priority.

“Know that your game, your thoughtless actions, your lies and our words will haunt you for the rest of your days. For our part, we’re coming through this trial stronger than you think, and know that no one can destroy us. We are warriors armed with love and positive strength,” she said in French.

Bellefeuille declined to address the court when given the opportunity. His lawyers also declined comment following the verdict.

OPP: Mueller’s legacy ‘continues on’

“For nearly nine weeks, the emotional testimonies and public release of body worn camera footage have significantly intensified the emotional impact we have all felt since that heartbreaking day in 2023. It has been especially difficult for Sgt. Eric Mueller’s family, our two wounded officers, our OPP members and their loved ones,” OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said in a statement on behalf of the OPP, the Mueller family and Ontario Provincial Police Association.

“Today’s verdict reinforces our focus on what Sgt. Mueller stood for - an unwavering commitment to the community and to the safety and protection of others. It also acknowledges the life-changing impact felt by Provincial Constables Marc Lauzon and François Gamache-Asselin, who exhibited the highest standard of bravery in the face of life-threatening and life-altering danger​," the statement reads.

“Sgt. Mueller was a dedicated officer who served the people of Ontario for 21 years. His legacy and the impact he had on his community continues on.”

Bellefeuille admitted he fired the shots that killed Mueller and wounded constables Lauzon and Gamache-Asselin. At issue during the trial was whether he knew they were police officers entering his home and his intentions when he fired several rounds from his semi-automatic rifle.

During the trial, that began at the end of March, Bellefeuille took the stand in his own defence and testified that he had been sleeping when he heard banging at the back of his house, saw flashlights shining into this bedroom and thought the officers were intruders. He said he never heard police announce themselves as officers while entering the home.

The Crown argued Bellefeuille was lying in wait and ambushed the officers, firing several shots in rapid succession from a semi-automatic rifle with an illegally modified magazine. From the time the officers entered the unlocked front door, announcing themselves as police to the time shots rang out was 14 seconds.

Bellefeuille admitted he was drinking, listening to loud music and slamming doors in the hours before the shooting—he was angry he was being forced to move out of his home.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Natalie van Rooy

https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/b ... -officers/

[Michael Jack]

Alain Bellefeuille has been found guilty of First-Degree Murder and sentenced to life in prison in the 2023 death of Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Sergeant Eric Mueller during an intervention in Bourget.

Bellefeuille was also found guilty of the attempted murder of OPP Constables Marc Lauzon and Francois Gamache-Asselin in the same intervention. For each of those charges, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison, to be served concurrently with the murder sentence. Bellefeuille is not eligible for parole for 25 years.

According to CTV, the verdict was announced by Superior Court Justice Robert Pelletier just after 10 am on Saturday, May 24, at the courthouse in L’Orignal following a trial that had lasted several weeks. The jury had been in deliberations since Thursday, May 22.

On Thursday, May 11, 2023, the Russell County OPP officers were called to a disturbance at a property on Laval Street/County Road 2 at the eastern edge of Bourget. A citizen heard a gunshot and notified police. Mueller, 42, later died in hospital. One of the other officers was also shot and wounded.

During the trial, the Crown argued the police officers had been ambushed by Bellefeuille.

OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique and Ontario Provincial Police Association (OPPA) President John Cerasuolo issued a joint statement on Saturday, May 24, in response to the verdict.

“For nearly nine weeks, the emotional testimonies and public release of body worn camera footage have significantly intensified the emotional impact we have all felt since that heartbreaking day in 2023. It has been especially difficult for Sergeant Eric Mueller’s family, our two wounded officers, our OPP members and their loved ones. Sergeant Mueller was a dedicated officer who served the people of Ontario for 21 years. His legacy and the impact he had on his community continues on,” read the statement.

Carrique and Cerasuolo’s reaction to the verdict was positive.

“Today’s verdict reinforces our focus on what Sergeant Mueller stood for – an unwavering commitment to the community and to the safety and protection of others. It also acknowledges the life-changing impact felt by Provincial Constables Marc Lauzon and François Gamache-Asselin, who exhibited the highest standard of bravery in the face of life-threatening and life-altering danger.”

https://thereview.ca/2025/05/24/guilty- ... n-bourget/

[Michael Jack]

The man accused of killing a police officer and shooting two others at his eastern Ontario home has been found guilty of murder and two counts of attempted murder.

Alain Bellefeuille’s lawyer says he was handed a life sentence for first-degree murder with no chance of parole for 25 years, and 20-year sentences for each count of attempted murder, to be served concurrently.

Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Eric Mueller was killed and two other officers were injured when they were called to do a wellness check at Bellefeuille’s home in Bourget, Ont. on May 11, 2023.

In a joint statement, the OPP commissioner, the president of the police union and Mueller’s family said Saturday’s verdict, which followed a nearly nine-week trial, reinforced what Mueller had stood for: “an unwavering commitment to the community and to the safety and protection of others.”

The 42-year-old was a father to two children who had been with the police force for half his life.

Constables Marc Lauzon and François Gamache-Asselin were injured in the shooting.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 24, 2025.

https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/ma ... c79f7.html

https://www.villagereport.ca/village-pi ... s-10707313

[Michael Jack]

The man accused of killing a police officer and shooting two others at his eastern Ontario home has been found guilty of murder and two counts of attempted murder.

Leonardo Russomanno, a lawyer representing Alain Bellefeuille, said in an e-mail to The Canadian Press that his client received a life sentence for first-degree murder with no chance of parole for 25 years. He was also handed 20-year sentences for each count of attempted murder, to be served concurrently.

Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Eric Mueller was killed and two other officers were injured when they were called to do a wellness check at Bellefeuille’s home in Bourget, Ont. on May 11, 2023.

A joint statement from OPP commissioner Thomas Carrique, the president of the police union and Mueller’s family said the nearly nine-week trial, which involved the release of body-camera footage and testimony described as emotional, intensified the pain of the attack for all concerned.

They said Saturday’s verdict validated the life-changing effect the shooting had on surviving officers and reinforced Mueller’s own values.

“Sergeant Mueller was a dedicated officer who served the people of Ontario for 21 years,” the statement reads. “His legacy and the impact he had on his community continues on. Today’s verdict reinforces our focus on what Sergeant Mueller stood for – an unwavering commitment to the community and to the safety and protection of others.”

Mueller, 42, was a father to two young children who had been with the police force for half his life. His daughter was nearly two at the time of his death, while his son was nine months old.

His funeral drew a crowd of thousands that packed an Ottawa hockey arena, where Mueller’s brother-in-law Chris Wood described him as a gentle giant, family man and hero.

“He was able to bring instant comfort with one hug, share his approval with one cheeky smile and found humour in life’s imperfections,” Wood said at the funeral on May 18, 2023.

Mueller and his fellow officers were shot after they approached a house at 2 a.m. on May 11 in the small town of Bourget, east of Ottawa, after neighbours complained about the sound of gunshots.

Mueller died later that day in an Ottawa hospital.

Constables Marc Lauzon and François Gamache-Asselin were injured in the shooting. The joint statement said both officers displayed “the highest standard of bravery in the face of life-threatening and life-altering violence.”

Bellefeuille’s family and loved ones expressed their devastation at the verdict in a brief statement provided by Russomanno.

“On behalf of Alain, his family, friends, and all of us who knew him to be utterly incapable of the crimes that were ascribed to him, we are completely heartbroken with this result,” it read.

Mueller joined the OPP in 2002 as a special constable responsible for transporting offenders in Ottawa. He was officially hired as a recruit in 2006 and was promoted to sergeant 2018.

He was recognized for his bravery in 2015 with the Commissioner’s Citation for Lifesaving after helping to lift a burning vehicle to rescue an injured suspect.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/ ... -of-three/

[Michael Jack]

A man accused of fatally shooting an Ontario Provincial Police officer and wounding two others while they conducted a wellness check was found guilty of murder and other charges Saturday.

Alain Bellefeuille was convicted on one count of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder in connection with a May 11, 2023, shooting that left OPP Sgt. Eric Mueller dead.

The verdict was delivered by a jury in Superior Court in L’Orignal, Ont.

Bellefeuille was automatically sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years for the first-degree murder charge. Two 20-year prison sentences for each attempted murder charge will be served concurrently.

He also faces a lifetime prohibition from owning or using a firearm.

Prosecutors said Mueller and the other two officers, constables Mark Lauzon and François Gamache-Asselin, were shot when they responded to a report of a disturbance at a home in Bourget, east of Ottawa. Mueller later died in hospital.

Bellefeuille did not deny that he shot the officers but denied it was premeditated. At the time, OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said the officers were “ambushed.”

In a joint statement released after the verdict, Carrique, Ontario Provincial Police Association president John Cerasuolo and the Mueller family said the testimony and evidence presented in court — including body camera footage of the shooting — “significantly intensified the emotional impact we have all felt since that heartbreaking day.”

“Today’s verdict reinforces our focus on what Sgt. Mueller stood for — an unwavering commitment to the community and to the safety and protection of others,” the statement said.

“It also acknowledges the life-changing impact felt by (Lauzon and Gamache-Asselin), who exhibited the highest standard of bravery in the face of life-threatening and life-altering danger.”

Mueller, a 42-year-old father of two who served the OPP for over two decades, was described as an exemplary officer by his colleagues and those who paid their final respects at his funeral in 2023.

https://globalnews.ca/news/11195458/opp ... y-verdict/

[Michael Jack]

The jury also found him guilty of attempted murder of two other officers.

Angry and armed with a rifle, Alain Bellefeuille not only knew the police were outside his home, but lay in wait and hunted them down seconds after they walked in his front door for a wellness check turned deadly on May 11, 2023.

The police knocked at the back of his home, shone flashlights, turned cruiser lights on outside and announced themselves as they entered the unlocked door to his small home in normally quiet Bourget, a village around 50 kilometres east of Ottawa.

Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Eric Mueller was shot multiple times below the waist. While he was bleeding out on the floor, a menacing Bellefeuille was captured on the dying officer’s bodycam.
In the haunting video, the killer was seen leaning closely over the dying officer, only to say, “You fucked with the wrong motherf—-r, should never have broken into my house.”

They may have been the last words the dying officer heard.

Const. Marc Lauzon was also hit multiple times in the first volley of gunfire, but survived life-altering injuries. Another responding officer who retreated was hit by a ricochet in the leg as he took cover by the cruisers.

Bellefeuille has long claimed he thought they were intruders and took the stand in his own defence at trial.

But the jury didn’t buy his story and on Saturday morning, after just more than one day of deliberations, found Bellefeuille guilty of one count of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. He stood statue-still when the foreperson read the verdicts and sat quietly when his victims’ families read moving impact statements.

Kathy Mueller said her brother was a natural at police work and, later, fatherhood. Family life fulfilled him.

“Endlessly devoted and leading with quiet strength,” she told court.

She said Eric Mueller had never been happier. Then came May 11, 2023, a day she recalls with “unbearable clarity.” The early morning call from her mother, screaming that Eric had been killed. Her body went numb.

Then the nightmare began. “My world collapsed.”

They were close. They grew up in a small Quebec town, were close to nature, built forts and played outdoors until sundown.

She addressed her brother’s killer in court, saying “You didn’t just take away a police officer that night,” but also destroyed a family and shook a community.

“It paused life as we knew it.”

She had a planned trip to visit her brother later that month, and on that day there would be no hug or cheeky smile, just his lifeless body in a casket, she recalled.

She said the trial felt like her brother’s second funeral, and it had “broken us all over again.”

“Trying to make sense out of the senseless.”

The trial ran for eight weeks and the horrifying bodycam video that captured the killing was played again and again and again.

The audio is unsettling, as the officer is heard asking for help and moaning in raw, agonizing pain.

Kathy Mueller said she found it hard to escape the horror of how Eric had died. She was so proud of her brother and what he had become, and now her family was left with the heart-wrenching reality of navigating life without him.

Their mother, Ginette Mueller, also addressed court on Saturday and reminded everyone her son died in a most horrible way simply because he wanted to help. Died in the line of duty.

“It stole a part of my heart that will never heal,” she said.

She said her son was an admirable father and so happy to share his life with his “beautiful sweetheart” wife, Marie-France Ethier.

“His presence was always reassuring and full of love.”

The cop-killer case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant Crown Attorneys Louise Tansey, François Dulude and Emma Loignon-Giroux.

After the convictions, Ontario Superior Court Justice Robert Pelletier noted:

“It is the cruelest irony that the victims were there to offer assistance, doing what they do: protect us all without protection themselves in this case.”

The judge said the case was “the absolute fear of anyone’s nightmare” and said he hoped family, friends and colleagues would continue to find the courage to deal with the awful events.

The doomed 911 call came in just after 2 a.m. on May 11, 2023. A next-door neighbour thought she heard a gunshot and feared Alain Bellefeuille had killed himself, and saying he was sad about getting evicted at the end of the month.

Three OPP officers responded, and after Lauzon spoke to the neighbour, he went next door, and then Mueller pulled his vehicle into the yard.

Together they approached the front door, then went around back, knocked on the back door, Bellefeuille’s window. In all, they knocked 64 times. Then they returned to the front door, and only then, when Lauzon walked in did he announce “Police. Police.”

Mueller’s pistol never left its holster.

He was gunned down on a wellness call, and bled to death on a mudroom floor. Lauzon was downed by bullets, but managed to get up, his body vest still smoking from impact. The wounded Lauzon pressed his back against a wall, his firearm aimed at Bellefeuille’s bedroom door.

Slowly, the nose of Bellefeuille’s rifle poked out of his bedroom door, then disappeared. The wounded Lauzon fired a few rounds into the bedroom. One bullet hit a wall, the other a dresser drawer. Then he retreated from the house and collapsed in the yard.

In closing remarks last week, Tansey told the jury Bellefeuille was “the image of a hunter pursuing his prey,” saying he knew exactly who was outside and that they certainly weren’t intruders, but rather OPP officers with ‘”POLICE” emblazoned on their uniforms.

“He knows they’re police and he’s going to show them they picked the wrong guy,” Tansey told the jury.

She presented Bellefeuille as callous and angry — punctuated with his cruel words to the dying officer.

She told the jury to reject the killer’s cover story of panic and self-defence and the notion that he didn’t know he was shooting at police.

It didn’t take long for the jury to side with the Crown, and, while all conversations in the jury room are secret under Canadian law, we know there was tension in the room, at least for the first four weeks of trial.

That was because one juror was considered a bully by some fellow jurors. They felt bullied and intimidated to the point where they no longer wanted to express themselves for fear of being attacked verbally.

Pelletier discharged that juror. Another juror was also discharged after receiving an OPP escort to the courthouse because they had slept in and were late for court. On optics alone, the judge said, he couldn’t imagine the public would think it was reasonable for a juror to have a police escort in a case where the victims were fellow OPP officers.

The judge thanked the jury for their attention and patience during the trial.

Bellefeuille declined the opportunity to address the court Saturday before he was condemned to life in prison for first-degree murder.

That means he won’t be eligible for parole for 25 years. On the two counts of attempted murder, Bellefeuille was sentenced 20 years for each, concurrently.

Our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark our homepage and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-ne ... ic-mueller

[Michael Jack]

The man accused of killing a police officer and shooting two others at his eastern Ontario home has been found guilty of murder and two counts of attempted murder.

Leonardo Russomanno, a lawyer representing Alain Bellefeuille, said in an e-mail to The Canadian Press that his client received a life sentence for first-degree murder with no chance of parole for 25 years. He was also handed 20-year sentences for each count of attempted murder, to be served concurrently.

Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Eric Mueller was killed and two other officers were injured when they were called to do a wellness check at Bellefeuille’s home in Bourget, Ont. on May 11, 2023.

A joint statement from OPP commissioner Thomas Carrique, the president of the police union and Mueller’s family said the nearly nine-week trial, which involved the release of body-camera footage and testimony described as emotional, intensified the pain of the attack for all concerned.

They said Saturday’s verdict validated the life-changing effect the shooting had on surviving officers and reinforced Mueller’s own values.

“Sergeant Mueller was a dedicated officer who served the people of Ontario for 21 years,” the statement reads. “His legacy and the impact he had on his community continues on. Today’s verdict reinforces our focus on what Sergeant Mueller stood for – an unwavering commitment to the community and to the safety and protection of others.”

Mueller, 42, was a father to two young children who had been with the police force for half his life. His daughter was nearly two at the time of his death, while his son was nine months old.

His funeral drew a crowd of thousands that packed an Ottawa hockey arena, where Mueller’s brother-in-law Chris Wood described him as a gentle giant, family man and hero.

“He was able to bring instant comfort with one hug, share his approval with one cheeky smile and found humour in life’s imperfections,” Wood said at the funeral on May 18, 2023.

Mueller and his fellow officers were shot after they approached a house at 2 a.m. on May 11 in the small town of Bourget, east of Ottawa, after neighbours complained about the sound of gunshots.

Mueller died later that day in an Ottawa hospital.

Constables Marc Lauzon and François Gamache-Asselin were injured in the shooting. The joint statement said both officers displayed “the highest standard of bravery in the face of life-threatening and life-altering violence.”

Bellefeuille’s family and loved ones expressed their devastation at the verdict in a brief statement provided by Russomanno.

“On behalf of Alain, his family, friends, and all of us who knew him to be utterly incapable of the crimes that were ascribed to him, we are completely heartbroken with this result,” it read.

Mueller joined the OPP in 2002 as a special constable responsible for transporting offenders in Ottawa. He was officially hired as a recruit in 2006 and was promoted to sergeant 2018.

He was recognized for his bravery in 2015 with the Commissioner’s Citation for Lifesaving after helping to lift a burning vehicle to rescue an injured suspect.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/ ... -of-three/

[Michael Jack]

L’ORIGNAL – On Sat., May 24, just after 10:00 a.m. Alain Bellefeuille was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Eric Mueller and the attempted murder of constables Marc Lauzon and François Gamache-Asselin.

The three officers had responded to a wellness check at Bellefeuille’s residence in Bourget, shortly after 2:00 a.m. on May 11, 2023. A neighbour had reported hearing a gunshot and was concerned and had called police.

The jury heard that the officers had gone around the outside of Bellefeuille’s residence, knocking on the back door and on his window, knocking 64 times before entering the residence through the front door and announcing “Police, Police.”

The officers were fired on numerous times with a rifle with a modified magazine that could hold 22 rounds. Both Sgt. Mueller and Lauzon were hit several times. Gamache-Asselin was hit in the leg by a ricochet while trying to take cover.

Through the trial Bellefeuille had claimed he didn’t know it was the police who had entered his home and was defending himself. The jury didn’t agree.

Following the finding of guilt and prior to sentencing victim impact statements from the officers family were read to the court. Following this Bellefeuille was offered the opportunity to speak but declined.

Bellefeuille was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years. On the two counts of attempted murder, he was sentenced to 20 years for each to be served concurrently.

The Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Thomas Carrique, the President of the Ontario Provincial Police Association (OPPA), John Cerasuolo, and the Mueller family provided a statement following the issuance of a verdict.

“For nearly nine weeks, the emotional testimonies and public release of body worn camera footage have significantly intensified the emotional impact we have all felt since that heartbreaking day in 2023. It has been especially difficult for Sergeant Eric Mueller’s family, our two wounded officers, our OPP members and their loved ones. Sergeant Mueller was a dedicated officer who served the people of Ontario for 21 years. His legacy and the impact he had on his community continues on.

Today’s verdict reinforces our focus on what Sergeant Mueller stood for – an unwavering commitment to the community and to the safety and protection of others. It also acknowledges the life-changing impact felt by Provincial Constables Marc Lauzon and François Gamache-Asselin, who exhibited the highest standard of bravery in the face of life-threatening and life-altering danger.

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation for the swift and courageous actions of those who attended the scene and prevented further harm. Additionally, we extend that gratitude to our members and the Crown Attorneys, for their dedication to ensuring a thorough investigation and prosecution of this case.”

– OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique, OPPA President John Cerasuolo and the Mueller family

As the matter is currently in the appeal period, the OPP advised that they will be unable to provide further comment at this time and have directed questions relating to the appeal process to the Ministry of the Attorney General.

https://www.therecordnews.ca/2025/05/28 ... ed-murder/