Police say a man co-accused of first-degree murder of a woman whose body was found in the Mississippi River last year is facing additional charges, involving a different victim in an unrelated matter.
In a news release Tuesday afternoon, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) with the Lanark County detachment said they’ve charged Marcel Lapensee, 56, with two counts of sexual assault, uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, voyeurism and other assault charges.
Police say these new charges are related to incidents that date back to late 2022 and early 2023, involving one victim who reported they were sexually assaulted.
Arrested at jail
OPP say Lapensee was arrested at the Brockville Jail where he’s been held since December, in connection to Rose Kerwin’s death.
Kerwin, 50, was last seen alive in Carleton Place and reported missing on Nov. 13, one day after a body was found in the Mississippi River near Pakenham, Ont., about 27 kilometres away. Police later identified that body as Kerwin’s.
Lanark OPP arrested and charged Lapensee, and a 23-year-old woman from Iroquois, Ont., with first-degree murder in connection to Kerwin’s death.
This January, OPP said they believed there could be more victims.
The new charges announced Tuesday are not related to previous matters, said OPP in an email to CBC News.
The investigation is ongoing and OPP said Lapensee is scheduled to appear in court in Perth, Ont. on May 31, for this latest matter.