Defendant in 1996 Homicide Case Claims He Never Met Victim
Serge Audette, the 72-year-old man currently on trial for the 1996 manslaughter of Patricia Ferguson, has denied ever meeting the victim. The trial, taking place in Montreal, has revealed that Ferguson's disappearance was not investigated as a potential homicide until October 2022, following the release of a documentary that raised serious questions about the case.
Documentary Evidence Presented in Court
On Wednesday, Quebec Court Judge Dennis Galiatsatos watched two videos recorded as part of a documentary by former TVA reporter Marie-Christine Bergeron. The documentary, titled Apartment 5—a reference to Audette's residence on Notre-Dame St. E. at the time of Ferguson's disappearance—was produced in 2022 and aired on Noovo before Audette's arrest in 2023.
Patricia Ferguson, a 23-year-old woman, disappeared on June 6, 1996, the same day Audette is alleged to have killed her. Bergeron's documentary aimed to find answers for Sabrina Ferguson, Patricia's daughter, who was an infant when her mother vanished.
Key Testimony and Contradictions
In the first video, recorded on July 13, 2022, Audette returned a call from Bergeron, who had requested an interview. Bergeron informed Audette that she had information suggesting he spent an evening with Ferguson in 1996 and that a neighbour, Linda Jodoin, knew Ferguson was headed to his apartment. Jodoin testified earlier in the trial, stating that Ferguson asked her to babysit her daughter while she visited Audette.
Audette responded, "I don't know that person (Ferguson) or the other person (Jodoin)." When Bergeron offered to meet in person to show him a photo of Ferguson, he declined, saying, "I don't know where you are going with this. You say you are doing this for (Ferguson's) daughter? Did I know her?" After Bergeron explained Sabrina Ferguson's infancy at the time, Audette replied, "I am not aware of this story at all," before ending the call abruptly.
Changed Story Under Confrontation
The second video showed Bergeron visiting Audette's apartment later that same day with a cameraman. When she showed him a photo of Ferguson, Audette claimed the only Patricia he knew in 1996 was a Black woman living near his apartment, whereas Patricia Ferguson was white. However, when confronted with Jodoin's account of Ferguson heading to his apartment, his story shifted.
"That I remember," Audette said. "They (Ferguson and Jodoin) were neighbours I had at the time." He added that he could not recall their names but remembered one had a young child. When asked about the evening, he stated, "Not at all."
Investigation Delays and Police Oversight
The trial has highlighted significant delays in the investigation. At least one neighbour informed police that Ferguson planned to spend an evening at Audette's apartment before she disappeared. Audette had a criminal record at the time, including an armed sexual assault, yet Montreal police never questioned him until Bergeron's documentary prompted a review in 2022.
This case underscores the impact of media investigations in uncovering overlooked details in cold cases, bringing long-awaited attention to Patricia Ferguson's disappearance and presumed murder.
