Montreal man who killed nun found not guilty by reason of insanity

MONTREAL – A man who killed an 80-year-old nun in 2007 has been found not guilty of the murder by reason of insanity.

Martin Rondeau, 33, killed Estelle Lauzon, a member of the Catholic order of the Sisters of Providence, in August 2007 while he was being looked after by nuns at the Maison de la Providence convent on De Maisonneuve Blvd. The order looks after recovering drug addicts and the mentally ill.

During a Monday morning hearing before Quebec Superior Court Justice Guy Cournoyer, it was revealed Rondeau suffers from epilepsy and was in a state of disassociation when he killed Lauzon.

Crown prosecutor Louis Bouthillier said murder cases where people suffering from epilepsy have been declared not guilty been reason of mental defect are extremely rare. But he also said the was enough evidence to support the defence.

Rondeau suffered 12 seizures while he was detained and awaiting trial and he often became violent and aggressive with people who were monitoring him. He was recently transferred to the Notre Dame Hospital where he experienced another seizure on Jan. 27.

Bouthillier said that when Rondeau was first interrogated by police after his arrest, he claimed to have no memory of beating Lauzon to death. He also did nothing to hide the fact he killed her, Bouthillier said.

Cournoyer will hear arguments on Wednesday as to how Rondeau can be dealt with in the future. He has the options of asking a committee to review the case, detaining Rondeau so he can be monitored for treatment or make a decision from the bench that could include releasing Rondeau if he agrees to follow a series of conditions.

pcherry@thegazette.canwest.com