November 28, 1979 – September 29, 2000
Brooke was murdered, brutally and without remorse by her on again, off again boyfriend Jeremie Gordon Mallette.
It was a night that was, for Brooke filled with mixed emotions. There was joy in her heart because she was finishing her job in Rocky Mountain House and coming home to Calgary to see her sister and myself. She was also planning on heading to Europe with her best friend. She was going to attempt to be free once again from her abusive ex-boyfriend who had followed her to Rocky Mountain House and had started again to be brutally abusive to her. Brooke was going to try to start her young life over. But there was fear and terror in her as well.
Brooke had lived through several bouts of emotional, verbal and physical abuse at the hands of Mallette in the past. He was smaller in stature, but vicious & controlling towards Brooke. On previous occasions, Brooke had escaped his abuse with cuts, bruises, chunks of hair ripped out of her head and a beaten and battered body. His threats and intimidations towards her always continued after she had left, I will never know the extent of the threats, but it is widely believed, threats made were against Brooke’s sister and me. That is why she always ended up back within his reach. Brooke was a survivor and she always thought that she would be safe enough and she needed to make sure her family was safe as well.
However, as time passed and the abuse that started in Rocky Mountain House was escalating, Brooke confided to co-workers that she had enough and that she was going to break it off with Mallette. After the wind up party on the 29th of September she was coming back to Calgary, alone so she could finally be free from his abuse and influence. She was warning us in her own way to prepare ourselves for familiar harassment that he had pointed our way in the past when she had attempted to leave him. My last words to her were, “I love you and miss you. I can’t wait to see you too, come home soon.”
So on the night of the wind up party, hours before she was going to come home to me, she finds herself in the midst of her co-workers protecting Mallette from being beaten up as a result of his abusive language and actions towards her. Even at that point, Brooke still was going to defend someone smaller from harm, despite the fact that he was deserving of it. Mallette convinced Brooke to go back to the room with him. Brooke thought she could diffuse the situation by leaving with him. He gladly obliged her.
Inside the room, alone with Brooke, Mallette was enraged and backed her into a corner in the kitchen. He grabbed a knife and brutally stabbed her 34 times. As Brooke tried to protect herself, she suffered multiple stab wounds to her hands, arms and head. The fatal blow came from over her head through her back and into her heart. She collapsed on the floor and slowly bled to death. Instead of calling for help for Brooke, Mallette rummaged through the room looking for money to make his escape.
By the time anyone got to Brooke, she had died alone on the floor of that motel room. Along with her died her dreams of a better life.
Jeremie Gordon Mallette was caught and held that night in Rocky Mountain House. There was no remorse in him when he asked to call his lawyer and instead dialed me at home from jail. He had to ensure I knew he was still able to reach out and contact me. It was the ultimate slap in my face.
Mallette pled guilty to second-degree murder in 2001, given the minimum sentence and with the credit received for time served was granted escorted day pass from prison in 2008. He was granted this privilege for compassionate reasons. He is eligible to apply for full parole in 2010.
So, in 2010, I am going to be contacted to attend a Parole Board Hearing to defend and justify why Jeremie Gordon Mallette should be kept in prison. It is amazing to me that I need to defend why the murderer of my Brooke should remain in custody. He is a dangerous predator with previous victims and is well known to police.
As a society, we need to start to speak out more clearly and loudly to our politicians and courts to demand that there is no parole for murderers. We need knife laws and stiffer sentences when it involves domestic violence.
Brooke was an amazing young woman that loved to sing, dance & spend time with her family. Just 20 years old, Brooke wanted nothing more than to find her place in this world and be happy. Mallette stole that from her and he stole Brooke from our lives. We love her & miss her everyday. She did not deserve to die this way.
So next Tuesday, on the 29th of September, nine years after her murder, I will again relive this memory. My wish for everyone who hears this tonight that you will never experience the pain and heartache of losing a loved one to abuse.
If you think this can’t happen to you or someone you love; look into the eyes of someone who has lost a loved one to murder, think of Brooke…then….think again.
Don't Forget Me
