Canada - Marie-France Comeau, 37, & Jessica Lloyd, 27, slain, Ont, 2009 & 2010 - #2

[Sillybilly]

... What happened to cause her injury that no one will discuss from a previous mission, and was it on the battlefield? Wasn't her work computer-related? Was this caused by one of the "friendlies"? ...

She was an intelligence specialist and worked at a computer. She was found dead in her room, and it was ultimately recorded as a suicide.

from: http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/624330#article

"I tell myself she's safe because her job is working on a computer," she said of her daughter's role as an intelligence specialist.

Dianne and husband Ron raised Mendes and sister, Melissa, in Grafton, a tiny town east of Cobourg. It is a dot on a map, nestled between the shores of Lake Ontario and the Highway of Heroes that the young soldier's body will travel along when her remains are returned to Canada in a few days time.

5-page article on the life of Major Michelle Knight Mendes:

http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090620.escenic_1190591/BNStory/National

 

[Summersolstice]

So we learn of another "stellar" rise, and friends in high places, a driven, over-achiever living in Ottawa, etc. More commonalities.

I still ask the questions: Did she know Joe Grozelle at RMC? Did she know something, or see something, or know someone who did? Was she Catholic, and did she confess to a military chaplain, etc., etc.?

I have read many articles about her death, with a great deal of conflicting information. I have read her online obituary. All of these stories leave more unanswered questions. Even the question of how she died leaves an unanswered question.

 

[Summersolstice]

I thought I would post this link, which was posted in this article about Michelle Mendes (http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/04/24/canadian-soldier-death-kandahar.html#socialcomments)


ETA: This book review, especially page two, tells a story:

http://articles.latimes.com/2009/may/13/entertainment/et-book13

And finally, some background about Afghanistan and Canada's involvement:

http://www3.thestar.com/static/PDF/FurtherEvidencetoSpecialCommittee.pdf

 

[nobodyzgirl]

:waitasec:

I am wondering what her death has to do with RW? She was found dead in her room in Kandahar--he wasn't around was he?

Personally, I thought the picture was just put here to show the difference between a garrison cap and a beret and that the military wears both - I could be wrong, though I thought that was the entire reason for the picture and had nothing to do with RW at all.

 

[satchel]

I think this "Double Life" is just such a shock to everyone and there are so many questions. One can't help but question cold cases. Especially when they have a mysterious nature and a connection of some type with RW. Either through school or military association.

 

[Summersolstice]

http://www.trentonian.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2460384

I wonder if the writer is mistaken, and this is the book deal he is referring to:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...tory-of-colonel-russ-williams/article1465869/

 

[pinkeyesucks]

Is anyone else pondering the idea that the attacks started in (or around) September of this past year, and that Marie Comeau's death was "unintentional"? That perhaps, when the Northumberland News printed the article on January 28th entitled "OPP seek public’s assistance in Brighton murder case" it spurred him on. I can almost hear the voice in his head saying "they are on to you, you MUST do something..." It seems way to coincidental. And it turns my stomach. But there are some people that would do anything to protect their little secrets. This is keeping me up at night!

 

[Summersolstice]

Is anyone else pondering the idea that the attacks started in (or around) September of this past year, and that Marie Comeau's death was "unintentional"? That perhaps, when the Northumberland News printed the article on January 28th entitled "OPP seek public’s assistance in Brighton murder case" it spurred him on. I can almost hear the voice in his head saying "they are on to you, you MUST do something..." It seems way to coincidental. And it turns my stomach. But there are some people that would do anything to protect their little secrets. This is keeping me up at night!

Isn't the military a place where senior officers are paid to keep secrets?

 

[pinkeyesucks]

Isn't the military a place where senior officers are paid to keep secrets?

Military secrets, yes. Personal secrets....that's debatable, depending on how far your normal life is separated from your professional life. What happens when professional and private meet? I think he found out. Wonder how he likes his cell.

 

[antiquegirl]

http://www.trentonian.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2460384

I wonder if the writer is mistaken, and this is the book deal he is referring to:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...tory-of-colonel-russ-williams/article1465869/

I believe that the author of that article used unfortunately misleading phrasing and that (so far, at least) there is only one book deal in the works - and that is the one from Random House by Tim Appleby.

However, I do agree with the writer that a book at such an early stage must be an indication of a general consensus of guilt. If Random House weren't somehow assured of this, it would be huge risk for a libel suit.

Also, last week I could have sworn I saw a preview on Global TV for an upcoming special program about RW, but I can't find anything online to confirm it. Has it aired already, or was I hallucinating? If not, the same thought applies: surely they wouldn't do this before either a trial or a guilty plea without risk of a lawsuit. If he were to be acquitted, they'd be in big trouble, no?

JMO

 

[Summersolstice]

Here's what was in the news on November 25, 2009:

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news...eports+Generals/2266001/story.html?id=2266001

 

[Summersolstice]

...stuff happens. Just ask Bruce Poulin:

http://wikibin.org/articles/bruce-poulin.html

And Margaret Dickey, who claimed sexual harassment and found her medical records leaked to the media:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m.../ai_n28757318/

 

[Summersolstice]

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0011733

Lewis Mackenzie's comments about the media in the RW case put his comments in this article into context. Although he admitted he had "no direct knowledge" of the Gagetown incident, he commented anyways. And this article claims that his comment did not match reality.

 

[Summersolstice]

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0011710

Red flags, what red flags? How about this, from the article:

"Tracey Constable was a gung-ho 20-year-old from a military family in Grand Falls, Nfld., when she joined the air force in 1986 as a medical assistant. That November, she began training at CFB Borden - the busiest training base in Canada - amid rumors that a serial rapist was preying on women on the base (members of the military police have confirmed that story to Maclean's; the rapist, they say, was never caught)."

 

[Summersolstice]

http://www.simcoe.com/article/112680
http://www.thestar.com/article/470229

No court martial, no demotion, just a transfer.

 

[Summersolstice]

http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0011718

The advice to talk to a chaplain seems intriguing, in light of the current charges against retired Brigadier-General and chaplain Roger Bazin:

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...arges-laid-against-former-top-forces-chaplain

 

[antiquegirl]

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0011733

Lewis Mackenzie's comments about the media in the RW case put his comments in this article into context. Although he admitted he had "no direct knowledge" of the Gagetown incident, he commented anyways. And this article claims that his comment did not match reality.

Forgive me, but I'm having trouble following all these various trains of thought. There's a lot of innuendo on here lately leading in different directions without clear connections to this particular case. Would it be possible, please, to be more specific and connect the dots for those of us who with short attention spans? TIA

 

[Summersolstice]

Forgive me, but I'm having trouble following all these various trains of thought. There's a lot of innuendo on here lately leading in different directions without clear connections to this particular case. Would it be possible, please, to be more specific and connect the dots for those of us who with short attention spans? TIA

In a context like this, is it surprising that no one saw red flags?

Some very disturbing information has come out of these historic articles. For example, various high-ranking officers' attitudes toward sexual assault are quite apparent. The treatment of women in the military who are victims of sexual assault is quite apparent. What happens procedurally when claims of sexual assault are brought forward? What happens if a low-ranking member of the military or an officer is found guilty of sexual assault? Has anything changed in the dozen years since these articles were written? How transparent is the military in its handling of sexual assault cases? Why would the military ask the Crown Attorney to hand over jurisdiction of a sexual assault case on a base?

And how about the article mentioning a serial rapist at CFB Borden? Has that person ever been caught?

In light of what has happened in the past, should we be surprised by what is happening now?

 

[LadyL]

http://www.simcoe.com/article/112680
http://www.thestar.com/article/470229

No court martial, no demotion, just a transfer.

O/T but I don't see why a court martial or a demotion would be appropriate given the circumstances, unless he has a history of that behaviour in his file. From what info is given, even the fact that he was removed from the post seems extreme. In most industries, employees have a chance to correct their behaviour before being fired or even transferred. JMO.

 

[antiquegirl]

In a context like this, is it surprising that no one saw red flags?

Some very disturbing information has come out of these historic articles. For example, various high-ranking officers' attitudes toward sexual assault are quite apparent. The treatment of women in the military who are victims of sexual assault is quite apparent. What happens procedurally when claims of sexual assault are brought forward? What happens if a low-ranking member of the military or an officer is found guilty of sexual assault? Has anything changed in the dozen years since these articles were written? How transparent is the military in its handling of sexual assault cases? Why would the military ask the Crown Attorney to hand over jurisdiction of a sexual assault case on a base?

And how about the article mentioning a serial rapist at CFB Borden? Has that person ever been caught?

In light of what has happened in the past, should we be surprised by what is happening now?

(BBM)

Thank you, but I'm still not sure what you mean by the BBM part. What is happening now? Last I heard, LE has arrested an officer with reportedly the full cooperation of the military brass, charged him with four crimes, and are investigating if he's connected to more. Am I missing something?