Denise Bazinet

Denise Bazinet was a 23-year-old woman from a large, close-knit family, living with her parents and ten siblings on rue Brebeuf in Montreal's East End. She worked as a cashier at a St-Hubert BBQ restaurant and was remembered as a typical young woman of her era.

On Saturday, October 22, 1977, Denise told her mother she was going out to meet friends for a drink at a neighborhood bar. It was not entirely unusual for her not to return home that night, but as Sunday, October 23, passed with no word, her family grew worried and contacted the police. The last confirmed sighting of Denise was late that Sunday evening, near the corner of Mont-Royal and Papineau avenues, less than ten blocks from her home. She was seen with a man, for whom police later released a composite sketch.

The following morning, Monday, October 24, 1977, a truck driver discovered the body of a young woman in a ditch beside Autoroute 35 at the Chambly exit in Saint-Luc, about a half-hour drive east of Montreal. The victim was nude, and her clothing was scattered nearby, though her wallet was missing. To identify her, police released photos of her face and jewelry to the press. Denise's brother recognized the Timex watch she was wearing and went to the Sûreté du Québec headquarters on Parthenais Street, where he tragically identified his sister's body. An autopsy determined that she had been sexually assaulted and strangled.

The investigation was handled by detectives Jean-Louis Savard and Robert Aubertin of the Sûreté du Québec’s major crimes unit. Initially, investigators suggested robbery might have been a motive due to the missing wallet, but they later conceded it could have been a "sex crime." However, they became guarded with information, not releasing the full medical examiner's report to the public. The case was one of several violent crimes against women in Quebec during that period, leading to speculation about a potential serial killer. Researchers have pointed out similarities between Denise's murder and others, such as those of Louise Camirand, Helene Monast, and Lison Blais. Blais lived only three blocks away from Denise in Montreal's East End.

Over the decades, Denise's murder has faded from public memory, but it has never been solved. The case remains an open cold case with the Sûreté du Québec. In January 2020, the case was featured in a Quebec television series, "Sur les traces d’un tueur en série" (On the Trail of a Serial Killer), which examined a series of unsolved murders of young women in the Montreal area during the 1970s. The show's investigators explored the theory that a serial predator was responsible for at least seven homicides, including Denise's.

As of early 2020, investigative reviews confirmed that the 1977 murder of Denise Bazinet remains an active but unsolved cold case. Her family has endured decades of uncertainty, waiting for answers and justice for the young woman whose life was violently cut short. There is no information about a reward in this case. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Sûreté du Québec.