By Casey Lessard

Similar to the crowd at a Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Mount Carmel church, familiar faces fill the rows of seats at today’s gathering. I see Steve Dietrich, Pat and Marion Sullivan, Marty and Teresa Larkin, Don O’Rourke, and many Regiers. Instead of seeing Father Ray Lawhead at the front of this room, though, he is among the many. Family friends fill the seats house left, with Carlos Rivera’s family at the front. The Regiers occupy the entire house right side. Altogether, the court seats about 100. We, the media, number 20 and have the privileged position of occupying the jury boxes on either side of the court.

It is now several minutes past ten o’clock on October 27, 2008, and we are waiting for Jesse Norman Imeson’s murder trial to begin. Unlike the Riveras, who used the front entrance, the Regier family was able to avoid the throng of reporters and photographers by using the back entrance. Their sober faces bely the fact that they must wonder what the lawyers at the front have to chuckle about. Perhaps today’s proceedings will bring good news. Hopefully those in attendance will leave with a lighter load than they carried in.

At 10:10 a.m., Imeson’s defense lawyer Don Crawford comes to speak with the reporter ahead of me, Peter Edwards of the Toronto Star (he wrote the book One Dead Indian about the Ipperwash crisis).
“We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” Crawford says. “Is this what it takes to get you out of Toronto and into the sticks?”

My stomach growls. Knowing the courthouse would be full, I left home at 6:30 to ensure a seat. Normally I would be fine after a few hours without food, but the tension in the room makes my gut constrict.
It is quiet, with only a spattering of whispers here, then there. The audience is still, staring forward. The court reporter fidgets, police stand on guard, and lawyers chat among themselves.

It’s 10:20, and the bailiff looks over her shoulder at the judge’s door. No action yet. “Go ahead and bring him out,” a voice crackles through an intercom behind the door to my right. Chains rattle beside me and the door opens. Police offices guide Jesse Imeson behind me and to the prisoner’s box in the middle of the court room.

“All rise.”
Imeson stands and his face wrinkles. His chains restrict him from scratching his nose.
“Let me apologize for the delay,” says Superior Court Justice Roland Haines. “I realize this will e an emotional morning, but I ask you to please restrain yourself from any outbursts during the proceedings.”
Crown Attorney Robert Morris reads the charges against Imeson. He will be pleading not guilty to first degree murder charges, but guilty to three counts of second degree murder. Morris tells the court that a guilty plea carries an automatic life sentence, with no parole for at least 10 years and up to 25. The lawyers have agreed that Imeson will serve concurrent life sentences with no parole for 15 years for the murder of Carlos Rivera, and no parole for 25 years for the murders of Bill and Helene Regier. Morris notes this is the maximum sentence available according to Canadian law, and is the same as a first degree sentence. Because he has killed more than one person, he is not eligible to reduce his sentence after 15 years.

I have an odd vantage point. Jesse Imeson’s prisoner’s box is directly in my line of sight over Morris’ shoulder. We stare at each other, and it is an odd feeling to know he is helpless. This court controls his fate as he controlled the fate of his victims.

Imeson stares at the bailiff as she reads the charges. As she tells him that he is charged with killing Bill Regier, his head drops. When she tells him of the charge regarding Helene Regier, he stares ahead. When she is finished, she asks how he wishes to plea. This is the first time I hear his voice.
“Not guilty as charged, your honour,” he says the first of three times. “Guilty to the included offence of second degree murder.”
His eyes widen as he finishes, and he stares at the judge.
“Do you understand that by pleading guilty,” Justice Haines asks, “that by pleading guilty that you by your unlawful acts caused the deaths of Carlos Rivera, Bill Regier and Helene Regier?”
He nods. “Yes, your honour.”

Crown attorney presents the evidence of the case, and it’s shocking to hear the details of the deaths. Regier granddaughter Nicole Denomy’s audible wail breaks the silence when Morris recounts how Bill Regier was tied in a crucifixion pose while Helene was tied on the floor before being shot to death in the basement of their home. These are details I’ve never heard before this day, and it’s impossible to believe the crown did not have a case to find Imeson guilty of first degree murder.

The court takes a break and returns to hear victim impact statements. The Riveras – Carlos’ mother and father and two brothers (one brother was unable to attend) – had intended to present their own statements, but are too overcome with emotion to speak.
Their lawyer Jennifer Holmes presents on their behalf, and tells the court that Carlos’ mother, Maria, is unable to work, and is financially and physically insecure.
“I’m a different person now. I cry constantly. I walk around in a daze thinking about him. At night, the thought of Carlos invades my mind. I have thoughts of taking my life.
“Carlos was everything to me. This murderer killed Carlos’ dreams and my dreams as well.”
Carlos’ father, Carlos Sr., wonders: “Did (Carlos) ask for help, or did he try to defend himself?”
Carlos’ brother, Javier, would speak to Carlos every day after work. “Sometimes I come home and wait for the phone call that never comes.”
The words of Alvero Rivera make Holmes break down. “He took me under his wing and made me into a man. He loved taking care of me. I love you. I miss you.”
“Carlos helped take a demon out of society,” Hugo Rivera writes. Imeson reacts with a toothless grin, and it’s hard to tell whether he wants to laugh or growl. Clearly uneasy at this point, Imeson appears infuriated to have to listen to their testimony.

The Regier family is next to speak, and they choose to face the killer directly.
Daughter Carol Denomy speaks first: “Our lives are changed forever. In everything we do at work and at home, we see them.
“We can no longer go to Mass with them, and sit on the front porch to watch the sunset. Our conversations with Mom and Dad kept us stable and rooted, always reminding us of what was important in life.
“We will never forget this deep sorrow. It was sudden, violent, undeserved, and defenseless. The pain is sharp, raw, intense.
“Violence is foreign to us. Our hearts are wrenched between an emotional torment of evil, grief, sadness, and fear. Breaking into the sanctuary of one’s home is a bizarre and barbaric act.
“We carry on our lives because that is what our parents would have wanted us to do.
“We are consumed by their absence.”
Brother Paul Regier: “On that night, Bill and Helene looked evil in the eye. This tragic event has opened wounds of despair. We work obsessively to dull the pain of that warm summer’s evening when this cowardly act changed us forever.
“There is no justice… neither sentence nor compensation will euthanize our sense of loss and anger. Although this tragedy has shattered the peace and tranquility in our families and community, for our own health we are all trying in our own ways to graft on to the wound in our family’s tree a healthy memory of happier times.”
Granddaughter Nicole Denomy: “We have all become more skeptical of how safe we really are in our homes. Moving out on my own has been postponed because every night I am reminded of how my grandparents were taken from this earth.
“It is ironic that two selfless people who lived their entire lives for everyone around them were taken at the expense of one person’s incredible selfishness. Grandma and Grandpa would have given him a chance if only he had done the same for them.
“Our family is tired of associating Grandma and Grandpa’s wonderful life with the wickedness of this man.”
Granddaughter Kelli Rathwell: “Our Grandpa had said in a conversation a couple weeks before his and Grandma’s heinous death, ‘This world is changing, you just watch.’
“I believe that when a person is at their very worst, it is because no one is around.
“Please know that you have done our family no favours on this day. But always remember, although you did not listen to the plea of our beautiful grandparents for their life, their family has listened to yours.”

Accepting the crown’s evidence, Don Crawford says the DNA stands for itself, but tells the court that Imeson did not go to the Regier farm with the intention of killing anybody. “Things,” he says, “unfortunately got out of hand.”
Defending the plea bargain, Crawford tells the court that the families “have been spared the anguish of having to testify at a preliminary inquiry and a subsequent trial.
“I can’t imagine the amount of money that would have been spent,” he reminds the judge.
While Imeson chooses not to apologize in the courtroom, he has given his lawyer a statement to read. “I will be an old man when I am released, if ever. I am truly sorry. Please forgive me.”
The judge’s reaction seems more honest. “It is apparent they were extraordinary people,” Justice Haines says. “I would like to express my sympathy and extend my condolences.”

After finalizing the details, the judge sends Imeson to serve his sentence at a federal facility outside of Ontario.
We get one last look at Imeson, and I am the last person he sees before he leaves the court. We stare at each other as we have done many times this day. Feeling no fear, I hold my stare with an emotionless face. I now know the depth of his transgression. He breaks and looks to his left. Is this one moment of true embarrassment? The door closes.
“This court is closed for the day,” the bailiff says.

View from the Strip
By Casey Lessard

Warning: graphic details of the Rivera and Regier murders follow. Discretion is advised.

If there is any reason people feel uneasy about the Jesse Imeson trial, I suggest it is this: we still have no explanation for why Jesse Imeson decided to kill Carlos Rivera, and Bill and Helene Regier.
At least Imeson has an explanation for the former, claiming that Rivera was sexually assaulting him by performing fellatio as he slept. That’s certainly possible; no one has the right to touch you without your permission, let alone perform oral sex on you. Imeson claims he woke up to see Rivera performing said act, and strangled Rivera to death with his belt. He told Lindsay Glavin that another guy did it, and that he watched as Rivera’s “eyes went white and blood bubbles came from his nose.” Later, he told a Quebec police officer, “the gay guy, if I had to do it again, I would do it.”
With regards to the murders of Bill and Helene Regier, his lawyer relayed an apology at his Oct. 27 trial, telling the Regier family that he didn’t intend to kill Bill and Helene. His alleged lack of intent in the Regier case, and crime of passion argument in the Rivera case seem to have saved him from facing first degree instead of second-degree murder charges.
But this is where I get confused. Why did the crown believe anything Imeson said? He has already proven himself to be a liar and a con artist. In fact, everything he says is suspect, especially his insulting and ridiculous apology.
No one witnessed the murders except Imeson, so I suppose we have to take into consideration his testimony. Fine, believe the method, but doubt the rationale. I will never believe that Imeson did not intend to kill any of his victims, especially the Regiers, whose hands he had tied so they would be helpless. Bill was tied to the posts and rafters holding up the house, and Helene was securely bound on the floor. Neither of them was going anywhere, and Imeson would have had many hours to flee.
So why do it? Why pull the trigger, not once, but many times until they were more than dead? It’s disgusting to think of Imeson’s rationale for the act, and the fact that they were in a harmless state tells me that he had intent. Apparently, he had plenty of time to think about it. And if this is the way he approached a murder he “didn’t intend” to do, how did he approach Carlos Rivera? We will never know.
There is some consolation in the fact that Jesse Imeson is locked up for the next 25 years. It’s the most our justice system can do. So why does he seem pleased? I can’t help feeling that he believes he’s still in control, and that he’s going to be remembered. On the latter point, at least, he’s right.
However, unlike the heroic demon he seems to hope we will recall, I’ll just remember him as a bottom-rung loser who tried to bring others down.
The Rivera and Regier families won’t forget him either. Fortunately, they won’t have to look at his face for another 25 years, and then, as Carol Denomy says, they “will remain vigilant to ensure in 25 years that Jesse Imeson remains behind bars.”
We should all do the same.

View from the Strip
By Casey Lessard

It’s fair to say it’s been a tough summer for our community.
Most obviously, we’ve had to deal with a murderer taking the lives of two of our own, Bill and Helene Regier. The act and subsequent mystery about the killer’s whereabouts made it difficult to grieve without wondering if he would strike again. The fact that the suspect, Jesse Imeson, was found in Quebec and believed to have been in that area since the day of the murders, stopped the worry but could not stop the emotional turmoil so many of our friends and neighbours have been facing. It hasn’t stopped the rumours, and we can only hope the impending trial will bring us some answers.
The summer has been tough on our farmers, bringing little relief from a drought that has already taken a toll on the quality and quantity of crop yields. Randy Regier (page 3) predicts his bean crop will yield 30 per cent less than hoped. He’s not alone, and with global warming, you have to wonder if we will be able to stop this year’s results from becoming a trend.
Fewer American tourists are coming to Ontario each year because of the strong Canadian dollar and all the effort it takes to get across the border. According to the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, visits by Americans dropped one-third over the past five years and are expected to drop another five per cent this year.
We can’t control the weather or other people’s vacation plans, and we can’t predict when something bad is going to happen to our loved ones. Instead of being focused on the bad, we must work to tune into the good that is around us, even when it feels like there’s nothing to find.
I can’t tell you where you’ll find comfort this summer. Perhaps you’ll celebrate at the Zurich bean festival or you’ll spend your vacation at home and stimulate the local economy. Or perhaps you’ll find comfort in the words of the people who share your concerns. Some of them are printed on page 5 of this week’s issue, and many more can be found in the pages of our last issue, a tribute to Bill and Helene Regier. Either way, remember that you’re not alone.

If you would like to share the stories in our tribute issue, we are now making our remaining copies available for sale. Outside of the costs associated with shipping, the proceeds will go to the Our Lady of Mount Carmel church restoration fund, the project the Regiers cared so deeply about.
Send us a cheque for $5 for each copy you would like (P.O. Box 218, Grand Bend, ON N0M 1T0) and we’ll forward $3 (that’s what we figure will be left) to the church.

Our readers write…

Hi Casey,
Compliments on your paper in general, and special accolades for this special edition honouring the Regiers.
Although I didn’t have the pleasure to know them personally I feel I know Helene and Bill now and what they believed in and stood for through your various interviews with those who knew them so well. Refreshing to be able to read so much coverage about the victims instead of Jesse Imeson. How they lived their lives, their faith and witness in the Church and community has helped their family and friends and those that live in the area to start to heal and forgive the unthinkable deed done by a very troubled young man.
Thank you for your witness and thoughtful writing and reporting.
Sincerely,
Lynda Holmes

Hi Casey,
Just wanted to comment on your coverage of the tragedy in Grand Bend. Your sensitivity to the privacy and grief of others is to be commended and your online updates were timely and informative. The service you are giving your community, without sensationalism, regarding the wishes of family, services, information about the alleged murderer, pictures, truck description, etc. is excellent.
Jamie Hurley
Haliburton

Beautiful tribute! Well done, Casey!
Kelly (Glavin) Lorentz
Via Email

I just want to tell you Casey what a great job you and your staff did with the tribute to Bill and Helene. I know that this issue will be a keepsake for all who knew and loved them. Keep up the good work. Thank you for this beautiful gift.
Sincerely,
Nancy Rader
Dashwood

Dear Mr. Lessard,
I am a big fan of your paper. Since moving away a year ago it’s so nice to still be connected to your area with all the happenings and events. I was especially moved by your last issue with the tribute to the Regiers.
My favorite feature is the column each issue by Rita Lessard. But one thing puzzles me. Why are her columns so short? Rita and I go waaayyy back and I have never known her to write a short letter. The ones I receive are usually 7-9 pages long and beautifully written. Now, I can’t imagine that you would stifle her creativity by editing her words of love and wisdom. As her son, you must realize that each word she prints is carefully thought out and each paragraph is just as important to her as the next.
As the editor of the Strip, I’m sure you can find other ways to cut space so that Rita’s columns can be printed in their entirety!! Please don’t deny your readers her words of wisdom. We need more honesty and humor and Rita is the person to put it out there for all the world to see.
I can’t wait for my next issue to arrive. Thank you for listening.
Judith Angyal
London

Ed.: Thanks for your comments. As you know, this paper would not be possible without my mom’s contributions. She helps with writing, distribution and emergency financing. I try not to cut anything from her articles but sometimes it’s necessary. Please note this week’s article took mom five pages of 6”x9” note paper to write.

Dear Casey and the Grand Bend Strip,
I wanted to take a moment to thank you for the tickets to Miss Saigon. My husband and I attended the Sunday, July 22nd matinee and really enjoyed the show.
Thanks a million for the tickets.
Your paper is great. It’s really nice to see local people and businesses showcased.
Keep up the good work!
Sincerely,
Sherry Selves

Ed.: Drayton Entertainment graciously gave Grand Bend Strip readers four pairs of tickets to each of Miss Saigon and Mom’s the Word.
Mom’s the Word winners: Carrie Hohner, Lisa McBride, Suzanne Toner, Deb McNair.
Miss Saigon winners: Lana Shelton-Seys, Jenny True, Patrick Adrian, and Sherry Selves.

Visitors to the GrandBendStrip.com website sent their messages of condolence to the Regier family after the murders of Bill and Helene Regier July 23:

Todd & Terri Lynn Cornies: With all of our deepest sympathy to all family and friends of Bill & Helene, we are deeply sorry for your loss.

Charlene Doak (London): So sorry about your loss. I just lost my Dad three months ago and know what a tremendous loss it is. Unfortunately, to lose someone you love this way is disgusting. Take care and my prayers are with you.

The Stranos (London): Sorry to hear about your terrible loss – our thoughts are with you.

Amy (London): I am very sorry for the loss of what I can only imagine were two very dedicated and beautiful people. My thoughts and prayers are with you through this extremely difficult time. Even though it was through tragedy, your parents have touched so many lives as we all come to know a little bit about them and see how beautiful and happy they were in their picture.

Shawnda: I am sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you.

Mike Lessard & family (Oshawa): Our hearts and prayers go out to the Regier family at this time. We are sorry to hear of the loss of two loving and caring people. They will be sadly missed.

Kim-Marie (Windsor): My condolences to the Regier family. This is truly a tremendous loss no one should have to go through. May God guide you through your days of healing and always remember no one can take away your memories and the love you shared. Take care and may God bless and keep all of you safe.

Racine family (London): Our condolences to the Regier family. We all pray for you at this extremely difficult time.

Randy, Nicole, Kim and Ben Nicholson (Kincardine): Our prayers are with you in this time of need.

Julie Sinclair (Leamington): Sorry for your loss.

Dan, Brenda & Adam Hicks (Kitchener): We are really sad this happened. Please accept our sincerest condolences to your entire family and community.

Sherry Cook (Port Franks): My prayers are with your family at this very sad and unfortunate time. God bless you all.

Tawnya DeClark (Exeter): May God wrap his powerful arms around your whole family and give you the strength to get through these tough days. You’re in my prayers and may justice be served.

The Hughes family (London): Our deepest condolences. Stay strong and keep on praying.

Andreozzi family (Tecumseh): Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this very difficult time.

Jan MacDonald (Mazatlan, Mexico formerly of Crediton): I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Regier family.

Amanda Chambers and family (Woodstock): We are so sorry for your loss and want you to know we hold your family and community in our hearts and prayers as you go through this sad and lonely time.

Sister Joyce Smith (Waterdown): Please accept my sympathy and know that the entire family is being held in love and prayer. How tragic and sad! Your parents were wonderful and very kind. Hold all the good memories of life. Blessings!

Denis & Dawn McCann (Manitoulin Island): We are truly sorry this has happened and send our sincerest condolences to the entire Regier family.
Marissa (Windsor): Please know that my prayers and my family’s prayers are with you in this overwhelmingly painful time. What has happened is senseless and difficult to understand but we are praying for your strength and ability to move forward and see justice for Bill and Helene.

Diane (Leamington): I’m so sorry for your loss. My prayers are with you.

Tammie & Ken Beecroft (St. Thomas): We are so sad and depressed over what happened to the beautiful Bill & Helene. Please know that everyone is at a loss to describe the sorrow we all feel. Please know that the public is also grieving with you. I wish there was more we could do for all the Regier family and the many, many other people who loved them.

Miss Hone (London): I am so sorry for your loss. I hope that your family will stay strong and remain inspired by Helene and Bill. With my deepest sympathy,

Sharon and Robert Dale and family (Exeter): Please know that your family is in our thoughts and prayers. You have our heartfelt sympathies.

Jean Kargus (Foresters Falls): Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.

We can never know the depth of the pain the Regier family has experienced. I speak for my family and our community when I say our thoughts and prayers are with them all as they pursue healing and comfort.
I’ve learned a lot about our community this week. Learned a lot about Bill and Helene Regier, Jesse Imeson, the media, and myself, too.
I learned that Bill was more than just the man who cleaned the school my brothers and I attended all those years ago. More than the man with whom I would collect the offering at church. I learned about Helene and her life and loves. I learned that their strength, faith and love could not be shattered by one man.
I also learned about focus. To be focused means to be aware of your purpose and your intention.
Helene and Bill were focused on their goals in life: faith and family. For them, the two went hand in hand. Everyone who met them benefited, and their contributions will remain physically and spiritually in the Mount Carmel church community.
Jesse Imeson was focused enough to not let anything get in the way of what he wanted. We’ve all suffered as a result.
The media has been focused on the day’s headlines, learning as much as possible in as short of time as possible. Everyone wants to be the first with the story, no matter the cost.
Jamie Tomes, a family friend, addressed this last point after looking at my coverage on GrandBendStrip.com. He thought I had lost my focus, and at that time, I believe he was right.
My focus since then has been to remember what we lost Monday.
We lost two caring citizens and we also lost a part of ourselves.
We know we can never restore our innocents – Helene and Bill Regier. Let’s pray that we can restore our innocence.

Casey Lessard
Publisher/Editor

Message from Father Ray Lawhead as recorded at the Regier funeral

For the past week there’s been a lot of stories in the news. Sad things. News that’s rocked the community, rocked the friends and family, anyone who knew Bill and Helene. Not nice news.
But I’m here to tell you that I have some news for you and it is good news. It’s not mine. I’m passing it on. Doing much the same as Bill and Helene did the way they lived their lives. The news is that Jesus Christ has a gift for us. Many gifts in fact. But Jesus Christ has given us a very special gift. He has given us the gift of eternal life. The gift of life.
As we face this horrendous act, this evil, what do you do? How do we respond? As Jesus would say, and as Bill and Helene would say, there is only one response to evil like this and that is love. We must cling to and share that which is far more powerful than the evil that we’ve seen. That love heals. Love builds. Love is what gave us their lives in the first place.
We know that as Jesus lived his life on this earth walking with his apostles, he spent His whole life teaching and preaching and showing by example what it means to love. What it means to treat each other as a brother, as a sister. To build up life. But he confronted evil. Ultimately, in the end, it was extreme evil. Evil that resulted in the death of the Son of God.
And yet we know that death did not end in tragedy. That the love of Jesus Christ conquers. The love of Jesus Christ overcame. And what’s going to give us the courage and hope and strength to overcome is the same thing. It is the love of Jesus Christ. It is the love that we share among ourselves.
That love reminds us that we are a people who live in hope. That we are a people who are not afraid of tomorrow, because we know that Jesus has made promises to us. That he has promised never to leave us but he has prepared a place for us. That he has elevated all of us to that of the family of God. By virtue of our baptism, He claimed kinship divine. That we are united with the author of life.
In the gospel reading we heard how Jesus talks about how we might have life and have it to the full. Now you think about having life, you think you’re either alive or you’re not. But we grow in our love as we grow in life. The more love we are able to share, the more love we are able to except from Jesus Christ. The more fully alive we will be, because the more free we will be. We won’t have the fears, the anxieties. And that freedom allows us to reach out to people. To help them to realize there’s good news out there. We need to share that good news.
Bill and Helene lived their lives by that. They were an example. Not just to their family – a tremendous example to their family – but an example to the whole community, anyone who got to know them. And this is what we are called to be.
The greatest memorial to Bill and Helene is not money or even how well a litergy is performed. It’s the love that you share in your hearts. The love for Christ. The love for each other. Learning to take what we share today and bring it into your life. And bring it into your workplace, into your homes. Make sure people know that there is something to smile about.
Not matter how evil something may seem, no matter how under stress you may be, when you wake up in the morning you can smile because Jesus Christ is with us. Jesus Christ walks with us. We are His family.
Another part of scripture talking about the shepherd is where he says, “My sheep hear my voice. My sheep know me.” Do you hear Jesus? Can you hear Him? He’s been speaking all week long in a very special way. His words of comfort and love have been pouring from all over.
The community, the greater community, has been that example, that reminder to us of the gift that Jesus has given us. The gift of family. Beyond relations, we are united in spirit.
Jesus is speaking. He is talking directly to every one of you. As he looks in your eyes he’s asking you and telling you, “Don’t be afraid. The gifts that I give are yours forever. The gift of life that I give you, the gift of life that I gave Bill and Helene, can never be taken away. Ever.”

As presented to the media July 25 by Father Ray Lawhead

It is with profound shock and sadness that we come before you to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude for your support and prayers.
Bill & Helene were known as pillars of the community for their strong faith and family values. Bill was an active member of the Knights of Columbus and a huge advocate of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church Restoration project. Helene has served with the Catholic Women’s League for more than 50 years and was a past London Diocesan president. Married for nearly 52 years, they raised 6 children and were deeply committed to their 16 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.
No words and truly convey the loss our family is living through at this time.
Please pray with us for the protection of our community and the safety of the police force.

Story by Casey Lessard

Police say they have captured Jesse Norman Imeson in Quebec near the Ottawa border.

The 22 year old was wanted for the murders of Bill and Helene Regier in Mount Carmel and Carlos Rivera in Windsor.

Police tell CTV News Imeson was trying to break into a home in Portage-Du-Fort, Quebec, but was confronted by a homeowner and chased away.

Quebec and Ontario police officers found Imeson in a nearby wooded area just before 9 p.m.

Watch video report by Roger Smith of CTV

Residents of Renfrew, near Ottawa, are on high alert for Jesse Imeson after an area resident found the Regiers’ stolen 2006 GMC Sierra pickup truck Monday night. The truck was in a heavily wooded area off Kerr Line, White Water Region.

The discovery comes one week after Bill and Helene Regier were killed at their Mount Carmel farm house, and only hours after they were laid to rest.

Forensics teams will scour the vehicle for clues while Renfrew OPP, the East Region Emergency Response Team, East Region canine team and OPP air unit search the area.

Jesse Norman Imeson (see photos) is considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached. Anyone with information about this case should call police at:

1-877-584-8477

Story by Casey Lessard

Forensics teams say the green Ford Taurus stolen from a home near the farm of Bill and Helene Regier the day before they were killed was not connected to their murders.

The car was stolen in connection with a break-and-enter two concessions east of the Regier home, as were two rifles. Police have not said whether they were the guns used in the murders.

Police are still looking for help locating the Regiers’ silver 2006 GMC Sierra Z71, four door pickup truck, with Ontario licence number JK8 334.

They say building superintendents, parking lot attendants and commuters especially should keep an eye out for this vehicle in case it has been abandoned.

The outstanding 2006 GMC Sierra Z71, 4 Door pickup truck has some distinct features:

- Z 71 stickers on rear sides of box
- Full stainless steel “tube style” running boards
- Front and rear molded mud flaps
- Tinted bug deflector (hood)
- Tinted window visors (above all 4 doors)
- HMP “Exeter” licence plate holder

Do not attempt to stop the vehicle. If located call 911.

If you have any other information regarding this case, call:
1-877-584-8477

Story by Casey Lessard

Forensic pathologists have confirmed that Bill and Helene Regier died of gunshot wounds inflicted between the night of Sunday, July 22 and the time the police received a phone call at 1:20 p.m. the next day (Monday).

Ontario Provincial Police continue to follow leads into the murders on Bronson Line north of Mount Carmel. If you have information relevant to the case, especially the whereabouts of suspect Jesse Norman Imeson or the Regiers’ grey 2006 GMC Sierra pickup with Ontario licence JK8 334, you are asked to call a dedicated tips hotline:

1-877-584-8477

Story by Casey Lessard

Ontario Provincial Police and Windsor police have set up a toll-free tips line dedicated only to finding information about the whereabouts of Jesse Norman Imeson, wanted in connection with the murders of Carlos Rivera in Windsor on or about July 18, and Bill and Helene Regier on or about July 23.

If you have any information about Jesse Imeson that would be of interest to police, call:

1-877-584-8477

America’s Most Wanted listed Imeson as their most wanted suspect on their website as of July 26.

A Grand Bend Strip reader has asked for a closeup version of the photos of Jesse Imeson’s tattoos. The photos have been blown up from the original files previously on this website.

The following is a transcription of the message given to the media by Father Ray Lawhead of Mount Carmel parish on behalf of the Regier family, grieving the loss of Bill and Helene Regier:

It is with profound shock and sadness that we come before you to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude for your support and prayers.

Bill & Helene were known as pillars of the community for their strong faith and family values. Bill was an active member of the Knights of Columbus and a huge advocate of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church restoration project. Helene has served with the Catholic Women’s League for more than 50 years and was a past London Diocesan president. Married for nearly 52 years, they raised six children and were deeply committed to their 16 grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

No words can truly convey the loss our family is living through at this time.

Please pray with us for the protection of our community and the safety of the police force.

Story by Casey Lessard

Jesse Norman Imeson is now considered America’s Most Wanted after the website http://www.amw.com added the man suspected in the murders of Carlos Rivera and Bill and Helene Regier Wednesday.

Meanwhile, police have found one of the two vehicles they were seeking in relation to this case. At about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, the OPP plane found the green Ford Taurus stolen earlier in the week from a nearby home in dense bush near Rodgerville Road, south of Zurich. The road is a single lane dirt road lined with corn fields and bush areas. No one was found in or around the vehicle. Huron OPP, Western Region Emergency Response Tean, and K-9 units spent the evening conducting a ground search to find more clues.

It’s not clear whether the Taurus was connected to the Regier murders, before or after they happened, but the car is being held for forensic examination.

Police are still looking for the Regiers’ grey 2006 GMC Sierra pickup truck, with Ontario licence JK8 334.

If you see this vehicle, do not attempt to stop it, but call police immediately.

Story by Casey Lessard

The funeral for Bill and Helene Regier will be held Monday, July 30, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic church in Mount Carmel. The couple will be laid to rest one week after their bodies were found at their nearby farmhouse. Police still do not know the whereabouts of Jesse Norman Imeson, believed to be responsible in their deaths.

A non-denominational community prayer service will be held Wednesday, July 25 at 8 p.m. at the church and is open to the public. The Regier family will not attend this service.

Hoffman Funeral Home is handling the funeral arrangements. A family visitation will be held Saturday with a public visitation Sunday.

By Casey Lessard

Centralia area resident Lindsey Glavin is lucky to be alive after spending some time with Jesse Norman Imeson, accused in the murders of Mount Carmel residents Bill and Helene Regier and Windsor resident Carlos Rivera. After discovering Imeson was a wanted man, Glavin and Imeson parted ways. (Update: OPP tell Canadian Press they have no one under police protection, including Lindsey Glavin, despite reports from other media.)

Police say no one should approach Imeson as he is armed and extremely dangerous.

A facebook member (who has asked that the post be removed – we have removed her name as a result) posted this conversation (posted here verbatim) on a Facebook group devoted to tracking Imeson. (A warning about some language contained in this post):

Lindsey Glavin
1:42pm July 24th
lol thanks babe…. yeah hes a fucking douchebag alrite and pathetic! u hit it dead on. but thank you sooo much for letting me know, and trust me i have a few choice words for him

Facebook member:
1:43pm July 24th
figured he was just a bitter ex!! did you actually give him (Imeson) a ride though thatd bee scarey as shit now!!

Lindsey Glavin
1:46pm July 24th
umm..i gave him a ride not knowing he was wanted for murder, so please dont blame me … if knew i definitely wouldnt even be associating with him. just like what u would do. my decisions that i made are just like what you would have made. so just think what would i do? and thats probably what i did

Facebook member:
1:48pm July 24th
oh no no i am not blaming you nobody around these parts even knew who he was until like 3 days ago.. but just scarey as heck you were that close to him and good thing hee did nothing to harm you

Lindsey Glavin
1:48pm July 24th
o if you only knew the half of it sweetheart. but yeah i should be scaried shitless but to tell ya the truth. im not

Facebook member:
1:50pm July 24th
personally i dont think/ hope he is anywhere near these parts anymore.. and its not like he can find you that easily unless you told him where you lived

Lindsey Glavin
1:52pm July 24th
lol hun, he stay with me at my house for 2 nites and three days… but didnt tell me he was wanted until the third day which is when i got rid of him. i cant really go into detail for safety reasons. but yeah. if you only knew sweetheart if you only knew. but yeah hes trying to get up north thats all i can tell u

Facebook member:
1:54pm July 24th
o0o0o i didnt know he actually stayed with you.. freaky as hell.. well hope you stay safe now after the fact, why didnt you call the cops??

Lindsey Glavin
1:55pm July 24th
lol wouldnt say that. but yeah its pretty bad i know. but im far enough away that really no one knows where i am so thats good Thanks again for saving my butt! Ur a dawl and dont let ne one tell ya different xoxo!

Facebook member:
1:56pm July 24th
good stay hidden then for a bit… no prob just i hate when people are stupid about shit like this that is so serious when just readin his comment you can tell he is just a bitter ex!

Selected quotes from Tuesday’s news conference detailing known facts about the hunt for murder suspect Jesse Norman Imeson.

Reported by Casey Lessard

Windsor Detective Staff Sargeant William Donnelly:
The search was called off 1 a.m. Sunday morning after the search had commenced Saturday afternoon. The decision to end that search was a joint decision made by both myself and the incident command of the OPP having satisfied ourselves that the area had been thoroughly searched, that area being the containment area that was designated as part of the original search. That designated area was based on credible information we had at the time and the only information we had at the time. That area was approximately four square miles. I am personally satisfied that the area was thoroughly searched and that Mr. Imeson was not in the containment area at the conclusion of that ground and air and canine search. For those reasons, the search was ended – it was not called off – it was not ended because there was nothing else we could do in that area, and we turned our attention to other information.

The search was continuing and has continued since that containment search was ended. The only thing that ended that day was the intensive ground search involving the ERT teams of the OPP, the use of the infra-red helicopter and the use of the canines because it was pointless to start randomly deploying canine units in areas that we had no credible information that he was sighted. The search continued by patrol officers in the area and it has never ended from the time we issued the zone alert from the Windsor police service.

What’s happening right now?
OPP Detective Inspector Dave Cardwell:
What we have deployed in the air is an OPP aircraft, an OPP helicopter, we have crews on the ground doing specific searches I have asked them to do. We have a number of officers investigating tips and leads as they come in. Ontario’s a big place. We obviously would like this person in custody or for him to turn himself into police. It’s one large area and to simply say it’s that easy to find someone is not so.

I don’t think I can say he’s not in this area. I don’t think we can truly say where he is. That is very problematic in trying to track him down and hence our request to perhaps utilize extra eyes in the community to look for the vehicle we are after.

At this time it’s a possibility the bodies could have been there approximately 20 hours in advance.

He’s unpredictable in my view.

I can’t say if he’s still in this area. I can’t say he’s not.

Personal photos of murder suspect Jesse Norman Imeson now circulating on Facebook:

If you see Imeson, do not approach and call police immediately. He is considered armed and extremely dangerous.

A photo of the victims of this week’s double homicide. Bill and Helene Regier lived on Bronson Line and were very active in the Mount Carmel Catholic church community.

Story by Casey Lessard

Police confirmed Tuesday at a news conference in Exeter that Jesse Norman Imeson is a suspect in the murders of Bill (72 years) and Helene (73 years) Regier at their home on Bronson Line between Mount Carmel and Dashwood.

Police also believe Imeson could be still be in the area. They also think he could be connected to the theft of a 2005 green Ford Taurus, in addition to the theft of the Regiers’ 2006 GMC Sierra pickup truck.

The bodies of Bill and Helene Regier were found Monday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. Police believe they were dead about 20 hours before their bodies were discovered.

Police had called off the search for Imeson in an area nearby Sunday morning at 1 a.m., hours before the murders are believed to have taken place.

The Regiers were faithful Catholics, and their priest at Mt. Carmel parish will be issuing a statement from the family Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at the church. A community prayer service will be held Wednesday at 8 p.m.

Stay tuned to grandbendstrip.com for the latest on this story.

Story by Casey Lessard

The owner of a green 2005 Ford Taurus with a license plate AXSR 755 has reported the vehicle stolen, and police believe murder suspect Jesse Imeson could have taken the vehicle. It’s unclear when the car was stolen, and whether it has any connection to a double murder and truck theft at the home of Bill and Helene Regier on Bronson Line between Mount Carmel and Dashwood Monday.

If you see this vehicle or Imeson, call police immediately.

Story by Casey Lessard

Huron OPP now say Jesse Norman Imeson, wanted since Friday in connection with a Windsor murder, is considered a person of interest in the murders of two people found dead at the home of Bill and Helene Regier Monday. The designation of “person of interest” falls short of considering Imeson a suspect in the murders.

The OPP search for Imeson was called off Sunday, one day before the two were found at the Mount Carmel farm house.

Story by Casey Lessard

While the names of the victims of Monday’s double murder near Mount Carmel have not been released, the scene of the crime was the farm home of Bill and Helene Regier. Police are looking for the Regiers’ truck, a 2006 GMC Sierra pickup truck with Ontario licence JK 8334. They believe it is being driven by Jesse Norman Imeson, wanted in connection with a murder in Windsor last week.

Imeson is considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached. Call police immediately if you see him or this vehicle.

Story by Casey Lessard

Still no word on the whereabouts of Jesse Norman Imeson, suspected in the double murder of Mount Carmel residents Monday. Police spent the day gathering evidence at the Bronson Line home just north of Mount Carmel and have not officially released the names while they contact next of kin.

If you see Imeson, do not approach him but call police immediately.

Story by Casey Lessard

Waterfront residents should keep their eyes peeled for a silver pickup truck towing a boat. The truck was stolen after two Mount Carmel residents were killed in their home Monday, and word on the street is that a boat was attached.

If you see the truck, a 2006 GMC Sierra pickup truck with Ontario licence JK 8334, with or without a boat, call police immediately.

It’s believed the truck could be driven by Jesse Norman Imeson, who police believe killed a man in Windsor.

Imeson is considered armed and dangerous and there is a Canada-wide warrant for his arrest.

Story by Casey Lessard

Police are investigating the murders of two Mount Carmel residents after their bodies were found Monday near Mount Carmel. Police have not released their identities, but are looking for their 2006 GMC Sierra pickup truck with Ontario licence JK 8334.

The deaths happened at their home on Bronson Line.

Police say everyone should remain vigilant about keeping car and house doors locked.

If you have information about the whereabouts of the truck, please call police immediately.

OPP may be contacted 911, cell *67, or 1888-310-1122.

Do not attempt to stop this vehicle or occupant(s).

Story by Casey Lessard

Police say you should keep your car and house doors locked if you live in Huron or Lambton counties after OPP issued a Canada-wide warrant for a man they believe killed another man in Windsor and dumped his car in Grand Bend. It’s believed 22-year-old Jesse Norman Imeson hitched a ride to Crediton, where police spent the weekend searching. The search was called off, but it’s believed Imeson could still be in the area.

Imeson is described as 6’1″, 200 lbs., with very short – almost shaved – brown hair, brown eyes and numerous tattoos on his arms.

If you see Imeson, don’t approach him as he is considered armed and dangerous; call police immediately at 911, Cell *67 or 1-888-310-1122.

Information courtesy http://www.crimealerts.net