How crazy is this? 
Two brothers from Montreal North admitted on Wednesday they left the dead body of an Indigenous woman on their couch for six months before the Montreal police showed up at their door.
During a hearing at the Montreal courthouse, Nicodemo Sansalone, 61, and Francesco Sansalone, 63, pleaded guilty before Quebec Court Judge Pierre Labelle to charges related to how Alasie Tukkiapik, 41, died inside their home on Désy Ave. early in 2023 and how they left her body on their couch for six months without calling the police.
According to a joint statement of facts read into the court record twice by prosecutor Simon Lapierre, Francesco Sansalone was in a relationship with Tukkiapik for years. Weeks before she died, she was staying at a motel with Francesco when he noticed she was bleeding from her buttocks. He assumed she was bleeding due to stress.
According to what Francesco later told the police, he placed bandages on Tukkiapik and, shortly after, he and Tukkiapik returned to the house in Montreal North. He said she grew weaker but refused to be taken to a hospital.
When she died, Francesco Sansalone informed his brother and they both moved her body to their couch, where it remained for six months, despite the smell, he would later tell police.
“They thought about calling 911, but they didn’t because they were scared of the victim’s family,” the prosecutor said as he read from the statement of facts. “They put a blanket over the corpse of Mrs. Tukkiapik. They used air spray for the odour. (Francesco) stayed six months in the house with his brother and the body of Mrs. Tukkiapik.”
The woman’s body was only found after her relatives called police in Kangiqsujuaq, Nunavik, and reported her as missing. All they knew was that she had been dating a man named Frank and they had Sansalone’s address.
“They explained to the police that during the week of Sept. 12 (2023) at three different times, people went to see her at the house, but that Frank refused to let them inside the house,” the prosecutor said.
The case was transferred to the Montreal police and on Sept. 18, 2023, officers began talking to the brothers’ neighbours when Nicodemo came outside. He greeted the police and told them Tukkiapik was dead.
“She is there on the couch. She (has been) laying on the couch for the last six months,” Nicodemo told the officers before inviting them inside.
“Immediately upon entering, the officers noticed the strong smell of a dead body. The house was a complete mess and was in unsanitary conditions. Inside the living room, they noticed a human silhouette on the couch underneath a blanket with the feet sticking out. Underneath the blanket, the officers found the corpse of Mrs. Tukkiapik, who was in a mummified state,” the prosecutor said.
“l should have called to let you guys know. But my brother Frank didn’t want me to call you and he ran away a few weeks ago,” Nicodemo said before he was arrested. “He left me alone with her.
“She died around Feb. 12. I wish l could go back in time.”
Nicodemo also told the police his brother laid a flower on the woman’s body after they had covered it with a blanket.
Francesco was arrested weeks later at a shopping mall in Montreal. Lapierre said the older brother told the police “he loved her very much, only second to God.”
He also told the police that he was “already dead inside, that he died at the same time as Mrs. Tukkiapik.”
After the statement was read, Francesco uttered in court: “I just want to add, God gave me a reason …” before his lawyer David Leclair asked him to stop talking.
Leclair asked that his client undergo a psychiatric evaluation to prepare a pre-sentencing report for the court when the sentencing stage of both cases begins at a later date.
A pathologist who examined the body was unable to determine a cause of death. According to the autopsy report, “multiple bandages and paper towels were found on her back and on her buttocks underneath her clothes. No visible underlying lesion was found within the constraints of the body’s preservation. No evidence of a fracture of the skull, spine, ribs or pelvis. No evidence of significant traumatic injury. Toxicology shows no evidence of any substance that could be linked to the death.”
Outside the courtroom, Francesco Sansalone told reporters that what happened was “a long story.”
“She was my girlfriend. It was her choice (to not be taken to a hospital),” he said before making a reference to how 11 people were killed in Vancouver over the weekend by a man driving a vehicle.
“The world has gone crazy,” he said.
torontosun.com
Two brothers from Montreal North admitted on Wednesday they left the dead body of an Indigenous woman on their couch for six months before the Montreal police showed up at their door.
During a hearing at the Montreal courthouse, Nicodemo Sansalone, 61, and Francesco Sansalone, 63, pleaded guilty before Quebec Court Judge Pierre Labelle to charges related to how Alasie Tukkiapik, 41, died inside their home on Désy Ave. early in 2023 and how they left her body on their couch for six months without calling the police.
According to a joint statement of facts read into the court record twice by prosecutor Simon Lapierre, Francesco Sansalone was in a relationship with Tukkiapik for years. Weeks before she died, she was staying at a motel with Francesco when he noticed she was bleeding from her buttocks. He assumed she was bleeding due to stress.
According to what Francesco later told the police, he placed bandages on Tukkiapik and, shortly after, he and Tukkiapik returned to the house in Montreal North. He said she grew weaker but refused to be taken to a hospital.
When she died, Francesco Sansalone informed his brother and they both moved her body to their couch, where it remained for six months, despite the smell, he would later tell police.
“They thought about calling 911, but they didn’t because they were scared of the victim’s family,” the prosecutor said as he read from the statement of facts. “They put a blanket over the corpse of Mrs. Tukkiapik. They used air spray for the odour. (Francesco) stayed six months in the house with his brother and the body of Mrs. Tukkiapik.”
The woman’s body was only found after her relatives called police in Kangiqsujuaq, Nunavik, and reported her as missing. All they knew was that she had been dating a man named Frank and they had Sansalone’s address.
“They explained to the police that during the week of Sept. 12 (2023) at three different times, people went to see her at the house, but that Frank refused to let them inside the house,” the prosecutor said.
The case was transferred to the Montreal police and on Sept. 18, 2023, officers began talking to the brothers’ neighbours when Nicodemo came outside. He greeted the police and told them Tukkiapik was dead.
“She is there on the couch. She (has been) laying on the couch for the last six months,” Nicodemo told the officers before inviting them inside.
“Immediately upon entering, the officers noticed the strong smell of a dead body. The house was a complete mess and was in unsanitary conditions. Inside the living room, they noticed a human silhouette on the couch underneath a blanket with the feet sticking out. Underneath the blanket, the officers found the corpse of Mrs. Tukkiapik, who was in a mummified state,” the prosecutor said.
“l should have called to let you guys know. But my brother Frank didn’t want me to call you and he ran away a few weeks ago,” Nicodemo said before he was arrested. “He left me alone with her.
“She died around Feb. 12. I wish l could go back in time.”
Nicodemo also told the police his brother laid a flower on the woman’s body after they had covered it with a blanket.
Francesco was arrested weeks later at a shopping mall in Montreal. Lapierre said the older brother told the police “he loved her very much, only second to God.”
He also told the police that he was “already dead inside, that he died at the same time as Mrs. Tukkiapik.”
After the statement was read, Francesco uttered in court: “I just want to add, God gave me a reason …” before his lawyer David Leclair asked him to stop talking.
Leclair asked that his client undergo a psychiatric evaluation to prepare a pre-sentencing report for the court when the sentencing stage of both cases begins at a later date.
A pathologist who examined the body was unable to determine a cause of death. According to the autopsy report, “multiple bandages and paper towels were found on her back and on her buttocks underneath her clothes. No visible underlying lesion was found within the constraints of the body’s preservation. No evidence of a fracture of the skull, spine, ribs or pelvis. No evidence of significant traumatic injury. Toxicology shows no evidence of any substance that could be linked to the death.”
Outside the courtroom, Francesco Sansalone told reporters that what happened was “a long story.”
“She was my girlfriend. It was her choice (to not be taken to a hospital),” he said before making a reference to how 11 people were killed in Vancouver over the weekend by a man driving a vehicle.
“The world has gone crazy,” he said.
Two brothers plead guilty to leaving dead woman's body on their couch for six months
Two brothers plead guilty to leaving dead woman’s body on their couch for six months
torontosun.com
Last edited:
