Murder trial hears undercover operation details in case of B.C. woman accused of dismembering boyfriend

Warning: This story contains disturbing details.

Details of an undercover police operation that ultimately led to the arrest of a Nanaimo woman accused of killing, and dismembering her boyfriend were revealed in B.C. Supreme Court Thursday.

Paris Laroche, now 28, is standing trial for first-degree murder, as well as interference with a dead body in the death of her ex-boyfriend Sidney Mantee.

One of the officers involved in the operation was called to testify Thursday, neither he nor his partner can be identified due to a publication ban.

The officer said that he and his partner had three separate interactions with Laroche, the first on April 29th, 2021.

The pair was posing as a father and son, who had a female family member who had previously been in a relationship with Mantee.

“The cover story was that my sister had been in an abusive relationship with the victim and that we were there that day to try and locate the victim,” the officer said.

The two were to tell Laroche they were out for revenge.

He says they waited near her apartment for her to arrive, eventually being notified by their cover that she had gotten off a bus and was walking that way.

The officer said that during their interaction Laroche admitted to killing Mantee, and eventually invited the pair inside the apartment.

“She had disclosed that she had killed the victim, and we had offered to help her dispose of some of the evidence to ensure she wasn’t caught,” he said.

“She was talking about how she had cleaned up and whether or not she had done a good job.”

He said once inside, Laroche handed over two saws, as well as a hammer.

Audio of the interaction was captured by the officers, and at one point Laroche could be heard saying;

“I had to break his body down and put him into the ocean piece by piece over months.”

At another point in the interaction, Laroche could be here saying saying;

“I was abused, he abused me.”

“He is no longer able to harm anyone,” she said.

On the opening day of the trial Monday, the court heard that at least 14 of Mantee’s bone fragments had been found at two different city parks.

Laroche’s former boss Terry Boyle previously testified that Laroche told her she kept Mantee’s body in the fridge of their apartment, periodically disposing of it between March and August in 2020.

Laroche has pleaded not guilty to both charges.

The trial will continue Friday.