Albert Guay's Sabotage
Canada's First Act of Air Terrorism Occured in 1949
On September 9, 1949 a Canadian Pacific Airlines DC3 airplane exploded over the small town of Sault-au-Cochon on a flight from Quebec City to Baie Comeau. The crash killed all 22 passengers and crew on board.
The Third Instance of In-Flight Terrorism
It did not take long for authorities to ascertain that the explosion was the result of a time bomb in the forward luggage compartment, making the crash of the DC-3 the third episode of in-flight terrorism in the world, and the deadliest at the time.
The investigation centred on three people: Albert Guay, husband of Rita Guay, a passenger on the airplane, Marguerite Pitre of Quebec City, and Genereux Ruest, an employee and friend of Albert Guay. Guay had met Rita, nee Morel, during World War II when both were working at Canadian Arsenals Limited in St. Malo, Quebec. They were married, and Guay opened a jewelry shop after the war ended. Though neighbours and acquaintances stated that Alberta made a show of embracing Rita in public, the marriage was not a happy one and things only got worse after their only child was born. Albert was jealous and possessive, in debt, and struggling to keep the jewelry business afloat.
In 1948 Guay met Marie-Ange Robitaille. She was a seventeen-year-old night-club waitress and Albert soon fell in love with her. Using the name of Roger Angers, he bought Marie-Ange an engagement ring, but Rita found out about the affair and confronted the couple in the Robitaille home. Marie-Ange’s parents had no idea that Albert was married and threw their daughter out of the house. Divorce was out of the question, and so Guay determined to murder his wife.
Role of Marguerite Pitre
Guay enlisted the help of Genereux Ruest, his employee and close friend. Together, they learned how to build a time bomb from 20 sticks of dynamite, and alarm clock, and a battery.
Guay persuaded Rita that it was imperative that she go to Baie Comeau to retrieve some jewels that he had bought for his jewelry and watch-repair business. Rita was very unwilling to go and, in fact, argued with Albert in the airport. He insisted that she go as he had already bought the ticket. At the same time that he had purchased the ticket, Guay had also invested in a $10,000 life insurance policy on his wife.
The same morning that the Guay’s were arguing over the trip to Baie Comeau, a woman arrived at the airport with a heavy parcel that she wished shipped to Baie Comeau. Her name was Marguerite Pitre and she was a sister of Genereux Ruest. When questioned by police, Marguerite said that she had been given the package by Albert Guay, and that she didn’t know what was in it.
Ten days later Marguerite Pitre attempted suicide by taking an overdose of sleeping pills. She told the police that Guay had come to her house and told her that the package she had shipped contained the bomb. He also encouraged her to commit suicide as she would be blamed for the explosion.
Sentences of Albert Guay, Marguerite Pitre, and Genereux Ruest
Guay was arrested on September 23, 1949 and charged with murdering his wife. He was found guilty in February, 1950. When he imposed the death sentence, the trial judge stated: “Your crime is infamous: it has no name.”
Both Ruest and Pitre were also sentenced to death. Marguerite maintained her innocence until the Supreme Court of Canada rejected her claim. She was hung on January 9, 1953, the last woman executed in Canada.
DC-3 Airplane
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