The 48-year-old man arrested a week ago for randomly attacking and kidnapping a young woman for the third time is a dangerous predator best known for violent crimes against women.
Michel Lecavalier has had a prolific criminal career and first came to the attention of the police at the age of 11. In the mid-1970s, he stabbed a young neighbor on his street over a minor childhood argument. When he came of age, he increased his arrests. In fact, the only years he caught a break were those in which he was incarcerated, particularly when he served a lengthy sentence after kidnapping, assaulting and sexually abusing two women in two separate cases in 2002.
Photos provided by Montreal Police.
Michel Lecavalier, 48 years old.
As noted in numerous Parole Board of Canada (PBC) reports over the years, Lecavalier is almost always viewed as a person who is socially dangerous and at high risk of reoffending.
Threatened with a knife
In addition, he would have relapsed again on January 1st. The Montrealer was traveling at a very low speed on Avenue de l'Hôtel-de-Ville, near Rue Rachel, on the Plateau Mont-Royal at around 9:15 a.m. Like a true predator, he discreetly parked his vehicle when he saw his alleged victim – a 22-year-old student being attacked at random. The young woman, who was taking a walk, was surprised when she entered the Azores Park.
Pierre-Paul Poulin / Le Journal de Montréal / Agence QMI
The attack occurred near the Parc des Açores on the Mont-Royal plateau.
According to our sources, Lecavalier grabbed her by the throat and threatened her with knife point. He is then said to have violently dragged her to his vehicle. While he allegedly tried to push her into the passenger compartment, a citizen heard the young student's screams and arrested the perpetrator.
He then fled on foot, leaving the alleged victim and his car at the scene. The woman suffered no physical injuries.
Stopped 100 miles away
After six days, Michel Lecavalier was finally arrested by police in another vehicle on Sunday in Victoriaville, near the Réservoir Beaudet park. When patrol officers first tried to intercept him on the street, Lecavalier didn't let up. He finally stopped his car a little further away and fled on foot. However, he was found shortly afterwards, thanks in particular to the work of a dog handler from the Sûreté du Québec. The Montrealer knows the area well, having lived in the region for several years.
He appeared at the Montreal courthouse last Monday where he was charged with kidnapping, forcible confinement and assault. The forty-year-old, who represents himself, remains in custody until further proceedings.
In addition to being frequently arrested for violent crimes against strangers and ex-spouses, Lecavalier has also made increasing allegations of theft, conspiracy and burglary since 1995.
– With Michael Nguyen
Excerpts from various CLCC reports over the years:
“According to police, you are currently on the sex offenders register and when police arrested you, you were in possession of a piece of paper which had a name on it followed by ‘little 16 year old’.
“You admitted that when you were 11 you attacked a local youth by stabbing him to death. […] You were also expelled from school after you seriously injured another student by hitting him with a chair.”
“[…] You have agreed to undergo a sexual physiology examination. The results show that the profile obtained was valid and that they showed significant reactions with a high amplitude to deviant scenarios describing a sexual assault in which violence and humiliation predominate.
“You also state that if someone were to confront you, you would not hesitate to strike hard. They even hope that there will be an opportunity to let off some steam. […] They even threatened to break the necks of the speakers, thereby showing very aggressive behavior towards them.”
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