8-YEAR-OLD BOY, FATHER KILLED IN DRUG DISPUTE

DNA Evidence Leads Police To Windsor Man; Not Enough Proof For
First-Degree Conviction Guilty plea

WINDSOR - A Windsor man pleaded guilty this week to killing a drug
dealer who refused to supply him with narcotics, and then killing the
only witness -- the dealer's eight-year-old son.

"Skyler was killed just because he was there," assistant Crown
attorney Randy Semeniuk told reporters on Wednesday after Joseph St.
Onge, 38, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder before
Superior Court Justice Steve Rogin.

Skyler Rabideau's mother, Trish, surrounded in the courtroom by
relatives, friends and supporters, gasped loudly and cried as details
of the crime were read into the record.

On Dec. 31, friends discovered the bloodied bodies of Skyler and Randy
Rabideau, 53, lying side-by-side on the living room floor of their
Windsor bungalow.

Reading the facts of the case in court, Mr. Semeniuk said the father
was stabbed 26 times, "many of these defensive [wounds] to the hands."
Skyler died of manual strangulation but also sustained a dime-sized
"abrasive-type injury" to the body.

"Randy was a dealer of narcotics in the Windsor drug community," said
Mr. Semeniuk, adding the victim dealt in prescription painkillers as
Dilaudid and morphine.

St. Onge, he added, was a former client enraged after being cut off by
Mr. Rabideau.

"He was going there looking for drugs," said Mr. Semeniuk, adding the
accused "had no money."

Windsor police investigators used DNA evidence to link St. Onge, who
was wounded in the struggle, to the murder scene. More evidence was
gathered at a nearby drug store and from the curbside garbage at the
accused's home.

Mr. Semeniuk said the suspect's blood was found near the bodies, on an
exterior door lock, on a toolbox in the bedroom that purportedly
contained the narcotics, as well as in the pockets of clothing hanging
in a bedroom closet.

Drugs and cash were taken from the home following the two murders, and
Mr. Semeniuk said several acquaintances were subsequently supplied
cash by St. Onge to purchase crack cocaine. Mr. Semeniuk said those
witnesses told police they had asked St. Onge whether he had robbed a
bank, and he had replied: "You can say that -- leave it at that."

St. Onge, who has a long criminal record, was sentenced to 3 1/2 years
in jail in 1999 for his role in an armed robbery of the downtown
Hospital Employees Credit Union that year.

St. Onge faces an automatic life sentence with parole eligibility to
be set from the minimum of 10 years to 25 years. He remains in custody
pending his sentencing on Sept. 27.

St. Onge, in custody since Windsor police arrested him a week after
the murders, was originally charged with two counts of first-degree
murder. Mr. Semeniuk said the prosecution had insufficient evidence
"to prove planning and premeditation."

Asked outside the courthouse why his client killed Skyler, Mr.
DiPietro said he didn't know.

"That's not for me to answer, that's for the accused to answer at some
point in time ... and to a higher court for sure," he said.

St. Onge, stocky and muscular and sporting a green T-shirt that showed
off a number of arm tattoos, was allowed to meet with his parents
earlier in the day before making his plea.

He said nothing in court other than responding "not guilty" to the two
charges of first-degree murder and then simply stating "yes" to each
charge of second-degree murder.

Mr. Semeniuk said St. Onge's sentences will run concurrently. While
the guilty pleas on second-degree murder were discussed in advance
with defence, he added no joint submission on sentencing will be made
in September.

Trish Rabideau, who lost custody of Skyler to her former husband
because of her own problems with addiction, told reporters outside
court that she was too distraught to comment.