MONTREAL -- A frantic Karla Homolka was spirited from one secret hideout to another early yesterday morning amid a bizarre firestorm that followed a Toronto Sun exclusive on how she allegedly broke at least two conditions of her prison release.
The Sun knows the exact location of Homolka's new hideaway in the central district of Montreal island but has been given legal advice not to publish the address, reveal the identity of the property owner or publish any information that would identify either.
Homolka was seen arriving at her new refuge at about 10 a.m. yesterday.
She jumped out of a vehicle and gave only a quick glance around her as she raced quickly up a flight of spiralling black wrought-iron stairs and knocked on a second-floor door.
The door opened within seconds and she disappeared quickly from sight.
She was carrying a large handbag and wearing casual clothes.
FRIEND BRINGS FOOD
There was no sight of her seven-week-old puppy, Maggie, or the cage in which she used to carry it.
Drinks and food were brought to her by a friend.
Residents were going about their business without a clue that she was in their midst.
Homolka's safe house is located less than 5 km away from the apartment she began living in shortly after her July 5 release from Ste.-Anne-des-Plaines prison.
Homolka, 35, who spent 12 years in prison for two counts of manslaughter in her ex-husband Paul Bernardo's sex slayings of Kristen French, 15, and Leslie Mahaffy, 14, and her role in the fatal drug rape of her youngest sister, Tammy, 15, has been in hiding since her former boss made the stunning allegations against her in yesterday's Toronto Sun.
Richer Lapointe, 39, alleges Homolka has broken at least two of 14 post-sentence conditions placed upon her by Joliette Judge Jean Beaulieu.
The conditions -- issued under Section 810.2 of the Criminal Code of Canada -- include orders that Homolka must not associate with violent criminals and cannot be in a position of authority over children under age 16.
Lapointe, who said he hired Homolka at his Longueuil hardware store Aug. 2 as part of a project to either help her rehabilitate or see if she would lie, alleges that Homolka asked him to help her find refuge for the teenage son of her best friend, convicted killer Stivia Clermont. Homolka tells Lapointe on audiotape that he had to help the boy through a third party, because even if she was seen to be linked with Clermont, she'd be "f----d" and sent back to prison.
CURRENTLY IN PRISON
Lapointe alleges Homolka also told him she is in love with a man from the south of France who now lives in Laval and each Sunday cooks a week's worth of meals for him.
Lapointe believes Homolka's vague references about the boyfriend relate to Jean-Paul Gerbet, 37, who is currently in Laval prison serving a life sentence for the second-degree murder of his ex-girlfriend, Cathy Carretta.
Gerbet, a French national who came to Quebec in 1997, murdered Carretta in 1998.
Former inmate friends of Homolka have said the pair met in the Ste.-Anne-des-Plaines prison library in 2000 and fell instantly in love.
The pair wrote love letters to each other, exchanged underwear, stole a secret kiss and had sexual contact through a gap in the fence in the prison yard, one inmate said.
Gerbet became a huge issue at Homolka's Section 810.2 hearing in Joliette almost three months ago.
Judge Beaulieu was incredulous that Correctional Services Canada allowed Homolka to have contact with Gerbet amid her claims that Bernardo had coerced, forced and beaten her to take part in the sex attacks of French and Mahaffy, her sister Tammy and a fourth victim who the courts have dubbed Jane Doe.
Lapointe believes Homolka secreted her food to Gerbet through sympathetic guards at Laval prison or through other Gerbet visitors.
After elements of the Toronto Sun story appeared in Le Journal de Montreal yesterday, numerous Quebec media focused on Lapointe and attacked his credibility, outlining the fact that he has a criminal record and is currently facing domestic-related criminal charges.
Some radio and TV stations made unsubstantiated statements that Lapointe sold the story and photographs to the Sun. Lapointe, in fact, did not ask for money from the Sun and was not offered any. He offered information freely.
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