Two charged in killing of former U of O student in Sarnia
WINDSOR, Ont. • A man and a woman have been charged with first-degree murder in the death of a former University of Ottawa student who disappeared after a New Year’s Eve party in downtown Sarnia.
The body of 27-year-old Noelle Paquette, a Catholic elementary school teacher, was found around 10:30 a.m. Jan. 2 in a woodlot east of Courtright, where she was from.
Friends and family launched a Facebook memorial called Prayers For Noelle Marie Paquette, which had attracted more than 6,000 “likes” Friday afternoon.
Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley said the community has erupted in emotion over the homicide.
“There certainly is great horror and grief in the community at the loss of an intelligent, beautiful young woman,” Bradley said. “Maybe because of her age, social media is very much involved.
“We’re in an instant world and her peer group can communicate their grief and feelings very quickly to each other.”
Though a Sarnia woman was killed last summer, and her husband charged in con- nection to the crime, Bradley said his community does not typically experience a homicide every year.
“Sarnia’s not a place where murders occur very often,” Bradley said. “And when it happens to someone whose whole life was ahead of them, obviously that really strikes a chord in the community.”
On Friday, Lambton County Ontario Provincial Police announced they had arrested two people in connection with the homicide. Tanya Bogdanovich, 31, and Michael MacGregor, 19, both of Sarnia, were arrested without incident late Thursday afternoon in London. They were arraigned Friday on first-degree murder charges and remain in custody. Their next court appearance is Jan. 10.