Who was Marcel Reardon? Slain man's siblings share stories, call for justice
CBC News | Posted: May 20, 2016 9:05 AM | Last Updated: May 20, 2016
Siblings question why Anne Norris was released from the Waterford Hospital before their brother's death
Two of Marcel Reardon's siblings are breaking their silence on his death outside a St. John's apartment complex last week.
Jacqueline Fleming and Scott Reardon spoke with CBC on Thursday evening to give their side of the story and clear the air about what they describe as their brother's brutal murder.
Both siblings said it was a shock when they heard the news that their brother had been killed.
"I went into a body shake and I couldn't breathe. My first thoughts were 'Who did it?,'" said Fleming.
"I walked out of the kitchen and see two RNC officers there. I was in shock. I still think I am," said Reardon.
Marcel Reardon was found dead under an outdoor stairway at Harbour View Apartments in St. John's on May 9.
On May 14, Anne Norris, 28, who had been living in the apartment complex, was charged with first-degree murder in his death.
'He'd do anything for you'
Fleming and Scott Reardon both said they knew nothing about their brother's run-ins with the law, his reported drug problems and how he ended up on Brazil Street on the day he was killed.
They portrayed their brother as someone who kept in touch with family and frequently called to check in.
I'm still in denial. I'm still waiting for that phone call from him. - Scott Reardon
"Our brother was a kind-hearted man that lived a life that not everyone was accustomed to," said Fleming.
"I can tell you that he'd give the shirt off his back, he'd do anything for you."
Scott Reardon said his brother called him nearly every day.
In the week and a half since his brother's death, he said he couldn't shake the feeling that the phone would ring with his brother's voice on the other end one more time.
"I'm still in denial. I'm still waiting for that phone call from him," he said.
Now the two siblings are desperately looking for answers and justice.
No answers
One of the hardest things, the family members said, is not knowing why Reardon was killed.
Their last image of their brother is the exact same one anybody reading about his death saw in the news.
"The last vision we will ever have of Marcel is coming out on the stretcher," said Fleming.
"He was brutally murdered to the point where my brothers and I could not see him for one last time, by an approximately 100-pound woman that was released from the mental institution just days before his death."
The charges against Norris have not been proven in court. Her next court appearance is scheduled for May 24.
Reardon's family want to know more about Norris, 28, and particularly how she had been released from the Waterford Hospital days before their brother died. Norris had been treated for bipolar disorder.
The two siblings said they were aware that Reardon had issues with alcohol. They said they have no knowledge of any relationship with Norris.
They said they'd never heard of Norris until she was accused of murdering their brother.
"I believe that with her mental state, with her being released from the hospital, I think that maybe she was released too early," said Fleming.
"They need to take a better look at the mental issues that are out there and work more with them so that they're not released out into the public to be able to do this again."
Scott Reardon believes that his "brother would still be here today if she wasn't [let out]."
The siblings also questioned how a woman of Norris's size was able to move Reardon's body on her own.
"I don't think that that young girl done that on her own," said Fleming.
"She looked too small, too timid, she definitely would not have been able to move him over underneath that step by herself."
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary has said it is not looking for a second suspect in the case.
Looking for justice
As Norris awaits trial, Marcel Reardon's family members are anxiously trying to move on from their brother's death.
They said they spent much of the past week replaying their last conversations with their brother.
"He called me on the Friday prior to this happening, from Sobeys [near the] downtown area," said Scott Reardon.
"It was just a normal conversation. He asked how I was doing, or what I was doing."
Scott Reardon said his brother seemed to be getting back on track in his life. He had mentioned that he had an appointment the following week about taking a welding course, and looked to be making positive changes.
She brutally beat our brother to death. I don't think she should be allowed to walk the streets for a long time. - Scott Reardon
Fleming said the last time she talked to her brother was about a week before May 5, and she had invited him over for a barbecue.
"The weekend that he got murdered is the weekend that he was supposed to be out for a barbecue at my house," she said.
But even though they never got to have that barbecue, Fleming said she still has a nice memory of the last time she spoke to her brother.
"The last words that we said to each other was, he said, 'I love you Jackie,' and I said, 'I love you too, Marcel.'"
While the siblings are still unsure of what happened in their brother's final days, they said they want to see Norris do the time for the crime she is accused of.
"She brutally beat our brother to death. I don't think she should be allowed to walk the streets for a long time," said Reardon.