Teacher’s murder ‘horrible’ for all
Noelle Paquette’s killers make surprise guilty pleas in court Friday
ST. THOMAS — As f amily members wept, horrific details about the murder of a young Sarnia teacher two years ago were revealed Friday after surprise guilty pleas by a man and woman accused in her gruesome death.
Noelle Paquette, a 27-year-old elementary school teacher, had left a New Year’s Eve party in the border city and was walking along Confederation Drive when she fell victim to Michael MacGregor and Tanya Bogdanovich, whom t he court heard planned to kidnap, rape and kill a “random” victim. Her body was f ound in a woodlot on Sarnia’s outskirts on Jan. 2, 2013, after a frantic public search. According to an agreed statement of facts read in court, Paquette was led at knifepoint to the wooded area, where she was raped, then attacked by both accused with knives. Paquette was last seen alive leaving the party near Sarnia’s downtown just after 2 a.m. Jan. 1, 2013.
There was soft sobbing in the courtroom as Bogdanovich, 34, and MacGregor, 22, agreed their guilty pleas were voluntary.
Superior Court Justice Bruce Thomas asked if they understood that by pleading guilty, they agreed they c a used Paquette’s death by kidnapping and forcibly confining her, sexually assaulting her with a weapon or planning her attack. “Yes, your honour,” both said. The t ears became more intense in the packed public gallery when each was asked their pleas to first-degree murder. “Guilty,” said Bogdanovich. “Guilty,” said MacGregor. A first- degree murder conviction carries a mandatory life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years. Shaken members of Paquette’s family left the courthouse without speaking to reporters.
The guilty pleas came as a surprise amid pre- trial motions in St. Thomas that began in August. With the guilty pleas, a highly-anticipated trial that was expected later in 2016 — it was ordered moved from Sarnia to Windsor, after a change-of-venue application — won’t happen.
Senior regional Justice Thomas Heeney, in deciding to hold the trial in Windsor, had ordered pre- trial motions be held at the recently- renovated St. Thomas courthouse.
Outside the courthouse Friday, McGregor’s defence lawyer Brian Grys said his client will get no special treatment for his plea.
“Mr. MacGregor entered a plea of guilty today. In law, that’s generally seen as an expression of remorse.” he said. “Mr. MacGregor neither sought nor will he receive any benefit as a result of the guilty plea and he, in fact, has entered his plea and it is, in fact, an expression of remorse.”
Bogdanovich’s lawyer, Natasha Calvinho, called the case “horrible ... for everyone involved. I can say Ms. Bogdanovich, standing before the court today and accepting responsibility for the charge as laid, which is firstdegree murder, shows a great deal of remorse in l aw,” she said.
Pre-sentence reports, in which more will be learned about the killers, were ordered for both.
“The sentencing hearing is a time for genuine expression of remorse and ... to show who she is beyond this mere horrible act. We’re looking forward to the opportunity to do that,” Calvinho said.
“There’s no consideration. Ms. Bogdanovich has received no benefit for this plea. She is subject to the longest sentence known in Canadian law, the worst sentence you can get. She’s doing this, I think, shows a great deal of remorse and respect for all those involved.”
Arguments began in early December, but this week MacGreg or and Bo gd a no vi ch decided to plead guilty.
MacGregor is originally from London and a graduate of A. B. Lucas secondary school. He was living in Sarnia and taking a carpentry course. Bo gd a no vic hal so lived in Sarnia and in 2011-2012 was on the student council executive of Lambton College. It’s believed she worked as a nurse at a long-term care home in Sarnia.
The couple was arrested at a hotel in London, where they’d gone to get MacGregor medical treatment for injuries to his hands during the deadly attack, on Jan. 3, 2015 — a day after Paquette’s body was found.
The murder of the popular teacher at St. Matthew’s Catholic school shocked Sarnia. Her death sparked Noelle’s Gift, a Sarnia charity that helps disadvantaged children.
The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario established a humanitarian award in Paquette’s name.
Paquette also worked f or Community Living Sarnia Lambton, and helped with the Sunshine Foundation Dreams for Kids charity.
Mr. MacGregor neither sought nor will he receive any benefit as a result of the guilty plea and he, in fact, has entered his plea and it is, in fact, an expression of remorse.” McGregor’s defence lawyer Brian Grys