RCMP take the lead in disappearance, suspected homicide, of 14-year-old Bathurst girl

The RCMP's major crime unit has taken the lead in the investigation into the disappearance of Madison Roy-Boudreau. 

The 14-year-old Bathurst girl hasn't been seen since last May 11, the day she was reported missing to the Bathurst Police Force.

Cpl. Hans Ouellette said investigators have "reason to believe" Madison was in the Middle River area, just southwest of Bathurst, after she was last seen in that northeastern New Brunswick city. That, he said, puts her into RCMP jurisdiction. 

"We continue to work with the Bathurst Police Force to find Madison and bring answers to her family and her community. Anyone with information that could help our investigation should contact their local police or Crime Stoppers," said Ouellette.

He said "RCMP specialized police services" may be in the area in the coming weeks as part of the investigation.

Ouellette said the RCMP have been involved throughout the investigation and provided several specialized services to the Bathurst police, including air services, police dogs, and the underwater recovery team.  

Quarry, waterways searched

Roy-Boudreau was last seen at about 7:30 a.m. on May 11, getting into a grey Ford Ranger pickup truck.

By the next day, police had located the vehicle and kept it under surveillance until May 13, when the driver was arrested. Police have not named that person. 

Searchers also spent several days at a quarry near where the truck was believed to have been seen after Madison's disappearance. 

On May 16, based on information received, police searched a house and property in the Local Service District of South Tetagouche, west of Bathurst.

In August, police announced the teenager's disappearance was being treated as a homicide. They also said they had identified a primary suspect. 

Also in August, Bathurst police and RCMP searched waterways in the Middle River area as part of their investigation.

Man charged with sexual assault

The police have never named a suspect, but in the early days of the investigation, Bathurst police Chief Stéphane Roy mentioned Steven Laurette during a press conference and raised suspicions about his connection to Roy-Boudreau's disappearance. 

On May 14, Laurette appeared in court and was charged with failing to abide by a court undertaking between May 10 and 11 in Bathurst. He's accused of breaching the condition that he not be in the presence of females under the age of 18 unless he is accompanied by someone over 18 who is "aware of the present investigation." 

That "present investigation" involves sexual assault allegations involving a complainant under the age of 16. 

Laurette, who's been in custody since his arrest last May, is scheduled to be back in court in Bathurst on May 4 for a pre-trial conference on the alleged breach. 

• Madison Roy-Boudreau now deemed a homicide victim, and police have identified suspect
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According to court records, Laurette was charged in September 2019 with sexual assault and sexual interference. The latter offence, according to the Criminal Code, applies to, "Every person who, for a sexual purpose, touches, directly or indirectly, with a part of the body or with an object, any part of the body of a person under the age of 16 years." 

The Crown opted to proceed with the more serious indictable charge, which means it's punishable by a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. The summary offence carries a maximum of less than two years. 

The incident is alleged to have occurred between Dec. 1, 2018, and March 12, 2019, at or near Petit-Rocher. Jury selection in that case is scheduled to being on April 15, 2023. 

Tips still coming in 

Ouellette said police are still receiving tips in the case, and he encourages anyone with any information to call police or Crime Stoppers. 

"Whether you think it's small and it doesn't matter, it may matter to the investigation," said Ouellette. 

Madison is five feet four inches tall and weighs 119 pounds. She has brown eyes and medium-length brown hair. She was last seen wearing a grey sweater, camouflage pants and silver shoes.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 1-888-506-RCMP (7267), Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, by downloading the secure P3 Mobile App, or by Secure Web Tips at www.crimenb.ca.