Police name 22-year-old as suspect in three slayings in southwestern Ontario
Tue Jul 24, 9:02 PM
By Maria Babbage
EXETER, Ont. (CP) - A 22-year-old man being sought in the strangulation death of a bartender is also considered the prime suspect in the slayings of an elderly couple in a close-knit community in rural southwestern Ontario, police said Tuesday.
A Canada-wide warrant has been issued for Jesse Imeson on two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of William Regier, 72, and his wife Helene Regier, 73, provincial police Det. Insp. Dave Cardwell told a news conference.
Imeson, who is also charged with first-degree murder in the death of Carlos Rivera, 26, a bartender at a gay strip club in Windsor, Ont., should be considered armed and extremely dangerous, Cardwell said.
"We now have reasonable and probable grounds to believe that Jesse Norman Imeson is the person responsible for the murders of Mr. and Mrs. Regier," Cardwell said.
Police are still trying to determine if the suspect and victims knew each other.
The bodies of the Regiers were discovered Monday in their farmhouse in Mount Carmel, Ont., a small town dotted with farmhouses and cornfields. Police have not released the causes of death, but autopsies were scheduled for Wednesday.
Police continued their investigation Tuesday at the cordoned-off Regier homestead, which was partly hidden by fruit trees. Officers came and went during the day, walking past the police cars that stood watch in the driveway.
Neighbours were reluctant to discuss the violent deaths of the couple who were known for their involvement with the local church and were related to many area residents.
Pat and Evelyn Regier, distant cousins who lived just a few kilometres down the road from the victims, described the couple as "friendly" and "well-liked by everybody."
"They're a lovely couple," said Evelyn Regier. "There's nothing they could have done to deserve this."
While police again advised area residents to remain cautious over the next few days, the Regiers said they're not concerned for their safety.
"I think he's long gone," said Pat Regier, a farmer who has lived in the area all his life.
But his wife said while she believes the crime was a "very random thing," many in the community are still shocked and scared.
"I went to church this morning and everyone seems to be locking their doors and afraid," she said.
"Certainly everyone is upset about it, and they were related to half the people around here."
The manhunt originally began after Rivera's body was found last week in Imeson's Windsor apartment. Police said the two men knew each other.
Investigators began looking for Imeson last Friday after locating Rivera's vehicle in the nearby resort town of Grand Bend.
Police conducted a massive search Saturday that included three emergency response teams, police dogs and a heat-detecting helicopter.
The search was called off Saturday evening, but Monday's killings prompted a fresh search in the area for the suspect.
Cardwell said Imeson is likely driving a grey GMC Sierra pickup truck which belonged to the Regiers.
"This vehicle belonged to the victims and was stolen from the home," Cardwell said.
"I want to make it very clear that no one should be making any contact to stop the vehicle or its occupant."
Police are also looking for a green Ford Taurus that was stolen from a residence a short distance east of the Regiers' farmhouse.
Imeson is described as white, six-foot-one, 200 pounds, with short brown hair, brown eyes and numerous tattoos on his arms. _________________ kyranŠ
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