Serge Audette has been found guilty of manslaughter in the 1996 death of Patricia Ferguson in Montreal’s Pointe-aux-Trembles neighbourhood.
The cold case into the 23-year-old mother’s death was reopened after a Noovo Info documentary series raised questions about the original police investigation.
Audette’s trial began on Jan. 19 after a judge denied his request to grant a motion for a stay of proceedings, alleging that the police used “disproportionate methods” to obtain evidence that led to him being charged with manslaughter.
During the trial, Audette’s defence lawyer, Kristina Markovic, told the judge that there was reasonable doubt regarding his guilt, citing frail memories and a lack of concrete evidence, according to Noovo Info.
Markovic told the court that she believed time “weakens the evidence” as a witness’s memories from the 1990s could be altered, “which affects their reliability.”
She also argued that there were several contradictions in the witness testimony during the trial.
She called into question the testimony of Audette’s cellmate, who claimed to have received a confession, calling it unreliable in addition to the lack of “physical evidence.”
Audette’s cellmate’s identity is protected by a publication ban.
For its part, the Crown reaffirmed its theory that Audette killed Ferguson, citing his similar past crimes.
When Ferguson went missing in 1996, her disappearance and the overall case quickly faded from public memory.
In 2022, Montreal police reopened the file following information gathered from a private investigator and Noovo Info journalist Marie-Christine Bergeron.
- READ MORE: Montreal police reopen cold case after outside investigators uncover ‘new, important facts’
Their findings were featured in a true-crime documentary on Crave called “L’appartement 5.”
After the documentary aired, Montreal police sent a team back to Pointe-aux-Trembles to look for clues.
On June 12, 2023, police announced that they had arrested Audette.
He was charged with manslaughter.
- READ MORE: ‘Burst of emotions’ for daughter of Patricia Ferguson after man charged in 1996 cold case
Audette has a long criminal history, having been declared a dangerous offender in connection with several sexual assaults committed primarily in the 1980s and 1990s.
With files from CTV News’ Joe Lofaro and Noovo Info.
