Police relaunch probe into man’s 1986 disappearance
Exactly 30 years ago on Friday, Mychèle Durocher drove into Longueuil to pick up her younger brother from the rooming house where he lived during his studies.
The two had set a time to meet for lunch, as they often did. But when she got there, she couldn’t find him anywhere.
“He just wasn’t there anymore,” Mychèle said on Friday, “And no one could tell me where he was.”
By the end of the day, Mychèle had gone to the local police station to report her brother, 23-year-old Pierre-Jean Durocher, as missing. His backpack was found on the Jacques Cartier Bridge a few days later.
Thirty years later, Longueuil police announced renewed efforts in solving the case on Friday, including releasing a new sketch of what Durocher would look like today.
The force is hoping to find people who might have known Durocher or seen him in the days before he was reported missing.
Durocher worked at the Harvey’s restaurant at de Chambly Rd. and Gentilly St. He was openly homosexual — it was never a secret, Mychèle said, and wasn’t a surprise to the family — and known to visit gay bars and occasionally work in saunas near downtown Montreal.
“It’s one of the reasons why we’re re-launching the investigation,” said Mélanie Mercille of the Longueuil police on Friday. “Thirty years ago, people in the gay community were less open to talking about it. We’re hoping that will be different now given the social changes since then.”
Using improved forensic technology and blood samples given by relatives, police were recently able to recreate Durocher’s genetic profile and run it through a series of tests. His DNA didn’t match any bodies recovered in the years since he disappeared.
Mychèle, now 59, says the family mostly wants answers before it’s too late. Her father has died and her mother is ill. She’s wondered throughout the years whether her brother could have decided to just leave and go start a new life for himself without telling anyone.
But she can’t think of a reason for him to want to — the family was mostly happy, she said, and always kept in touch.
“I never heard about a fight or anything that would have made him want to leave,” she said. “He was a good person, and I don’t think he was up to anything wrong. He didn’t have any problems that I knew of.”
Durocher would be 53 today. Mychèle still hopes he can be found alive, but if the investigation proves he has died, then the family at least hopes his remains can be found.
“So I can bury him beside my father,” she said. “If it can lead to the answers we’ve wanted, then I would accept it.”
Longueuil police are asking anyone with information to contact investigators at 450-463-7211. All information will be handled confidentially.
Thirty years ago, people in the gay community were less open to talking about it. We’re hoping that will be different now.