MovieChat Forums > Savage Messiah (2002) Discussion > Location

Location

posted 19 years ago by rjcommanda
6 replies | jump to latest

Roch first started his commune in Quebec, but a child died and he was charged with negligence. After serving his time, he moved his "family" near Toronto, Ontario where the movie took place. He is currently being housed in New Brunswick. Anyone sentenced to over 2 years in custody may be placed in an institution anywhere in Canada. Eligibility for parole does not mean they will definitly be paroled; They have to apply and be screened by a board of human beings who all know what he did to those people.

I found this on a news site:
Although Theriault -now in New Brunswick's Dorchester Penitentiary - has been eligible for parole since 1999, he is reported planning to apply for the first time this summer (2002). Conjugal visits with three of his remaining wives have allowed him to father still more children.

[–] zeurotrash 19 years ago

Something very simular has happened in Fresno, California. At this time it is coming to trial. Nine deaths(ar once) resulted from the commune.

[–] gummibear8785 19 years ago

I think that not many Americans understand how the Canada works. In the US, there's a lot more division between the states- if someone is sentenced in VA, they go to jail in VA. But in Canada, like you said, if they're in for over 2 years, they can be jailed anywhere in the country. That's why he was sent to NB, not Ontario (one of the reviewers was confused about that only (s)he confused NB and Nova Scotia). That's not to say that all the provinces get along; although I lived in Canada for 2 years and didn't experience quite as much Anglo-French contention as portrayed in Savage Messiah, if you know anything about Quebec separatism, you know that the country isn't one big happy family!

On another note, when Roch Theriault was up for parole in 1999, his amputation victim, Gabrielle Lavallee ("Lise"), testified against him, which is normal for a case like this. The somewhat odd thing was that he personally asked to stay in jail, because he was worried about his personal safety on the outside, as a former cult leader. Also, he apparently had a worrisome drug and alcohol addiction, so the parole board was unwilling to release him, in any event.

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Dreika 19 years ago

Anyone know of good websites to get more information on this or some real pictures of the people involved? I am just curious to find out more and put actual faces to names and situations.

I am surprised this didn't get international coverage. I had no idea about it until I happened by the movie in the video rentel store.

Saint: A dead sinner, revised and edited.

[–] Horrific_Jungle 18 years ago

Most of the story (all but the last at this time) can be read here:

http://webhome.idirect.com/~boweevil/rocktext.html

I found some actual photos here:

http://webhome.idirect.com/~boweevil/rockphotos.html
(Warning for the kiddies: some of the ads below the pics are soft porn/suggestive, or at least they were when I was there.)

This case definitely deserves international coverage. Savage Messiah was as chilling a movie as Helter Skelter.

--HJ

[–] munspel 15 years ago

Thanks for the links. I don't think they managed at all to convey the horror of this man and his commune in the film.