The jury decided in just forty minutes and found Marc-André Grenon guilty of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse of Guylaine Potvin in April 2000, ending a mystery that had lasted 24 long years. “I feel nothing but disgust for your actions,” the judge insisted, addressing the killer as he sentenced him.
• Also read: Grenon condemned: Guylaine Potvin's family can finally turn the tide
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• Also read: 24 years later, Marc-André Grenon admits to killing Guylaine Potvin
The twelve jurors were reserved for their final deliberations from 2 p.m. and quickly reached a unanimous verdict to decide the fate of the 49-year-old defendant. At around 2:40 p.m. the envelope was handed over to Judge François Huot informing him that a decision had been made.
“Guilty,” Juror No. 2 said twice when asked about the verdict on the counts of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual assault.
The victim's relatives then burst into tears in the room. The defendant remained impassive, staring straight ahead without ever turning to the grieving family.
Guylaine Potvin was killed on January 28, 2000. Free photo
Guylaine Potvins Love Photo Pierre-Paul Biron
“You lift up my heart”
Before handing down his sentence, Judge Huot spoke angrily to Grenon.
“You're a coward, a coward, a coward,” he said as the defendant claimed he had nothing to say to his victim's parents.
The judge said he was outraged that the defendant was able to live “his quiet little life” while Guylaine “rested three feet underground” and her parents lived in obscurity.
“I thank God for keeping Guylaine's father and mother alive long enough for them to witness the verdict that I promise you,” emphasized Judge Huot, who highlighted the work of the unit's investigators. “I sleep less well, after I heard the news.”
“I wish you the courage to explain to your fellow prisoners the circumstances that led you to the correctional facility,” he remarked, speaking of a “heinous and disgusting” murder.
In memory of the victim
Crown prosecutor Pierre-Alexandre Bernard paid tribute to Guylaine Potvin as she left the courtroom.
“I would like to turn my thoughts to the memory of Guylaine Potvin, who had her whole future ahead of her.”
The prosecutors responsible for the Grenon case, I François Godin and I Pierre-Alexandre Bernard. Photo Pierre-Paul Biron
The prosecutor stressed that the evidence presented was “very compelling” and said he was very pleased that the jury agreed with his arguments.
“We hope that this verdict will be a message of hope for everyone who is directly or indirectly involved in a case related to the disappearance of a loved one,” said the representative of the public prosecutor's office. “The files remain open,” he emphasized.
Lifelong prison sentence
This guilty verdict for the most serious offense in the criminal code seals the fate of Marc-André Grenon.
The minimum sentence for first-degree murder is life in prison. The possibility of applying for a conditional discharge is set at 25 years. Since Grenon has been detained since his arrest on October 12, 2022, he cannot be released until October 12, 2047. The murderer would then be 72 years old.
Judge Huot also added a sentence of ten years, to be served concurrently, for aggravated sexual assault.
Charges of attempted murder and sexual assault are still pending against the man in Quebec County over events that occurred in July 2000, a few months after the killing of Guylaine Potvin. This case is due back in court in March.
The lawyers of Marc-André Grenon, Me Vanessa Pharand and Me Karine Poliquin. Photo agency QMI, Roger Gagnon
Key moments of the Grenon process
From the first moving witnesses:
- Guylaine Potvin's friends were still marking 24 years after her body was found on the morning of April 28, 2000
- The crime scene technician who described the violence witnessed in the victim's bedroom
- An autopsy report is difficult to hear
Foray into an operation worthy of a crime film:
- The PatronYme project, tested in court for the first time, made it possible to identify the surname Grenon as interesting
- An observation in a cinema made it possible to recover the defendant's DNA
- The DNA evidence that emerged was overwhelming
Confessions that change everything:
- During pleas, the Grenon clan acknowledged the defendant's identification in the DNA evidence and admitted his role in the death of Guylaine Potvin
- Important evidence from the trial, PatronYme Project and DNA, becomes secondary
- The defense argues that the victim's death was the result of a botched robbery
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