Fri, December 24, 2004
PANAMA CITY, Florida -- A Canadian woman who lost a seven-year extradition fight returned to the Florida Panhandle to face a murder charge in the death of her husband, an officer in Canada's armed forces. Monique Turenne, of Winnipeg, was booked into the Bay County jail Wednesday on a first-degree murder charge in the 1996 death of her husband, Canadian air force Maj. David Turenne.
Canadian authorities took her into custody after Canada's Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of her extradition order last week. The Manitoba Court of Appeal in July rejected Monique Turenne's request to be tried in Canada. She argued that she cannot get a fair trial in the United States.
David Turenne was beaten to death outside their Panama City home on Feb. 9, 1996. He was assigned to the U.S.-Canadian North American Air Defense Command, or NORAD, at nearby Tyndall Air Force Base.
Monique Turenne, 48, returned to Canada shortly after his death. If convicted as charged, she would face an automatic penalty of life in prison without parole. Prosecutors have waived the death penalty because Canada does not extradite suspects who could face execution.