Murder of Kylaine Botvin: “It was one of the greatest tragedies of my life as a teacher”

Twenty-two years after Kyline Botvin’s murder, a retired teacher remembers the young woman as an exceptional student.

• Read more: Kylaine Potvin’s suspected killer: an unsurprising call from SQ

• Read more: Marc-Andre Grennan was charged with the premeditated murder of Kylaine Botvin

• Read more: Killing of Kaylaine Botvin: Murderer arrested after 22 years

“Today, maybe I can talk to you with a smile because we’re starting to see the explanations for this tragedy. It’s one of the greatest tragedies of my life as a teacher,” said Helen Roderick, who was Kyline’s teacher for a year.

On April 28, 2000, the Cégep de Jonquière student was found dead in her apartment, which she shared with two other friends, located on rue Panet in Jonquière.

“In the first weeks I met her, I found her to be an easy-to-help person, an empathetic person who would listen. It was a bit surprising how mature a first-year student could be,” Ms. Roderick recalled.

Kailine wanted to go on a humanitarian trip to Africa.

“She was preparing and she worked to make it happen. For a first-year student to invest herself in going to a country in trouble is exceptional,” the retired professor underlines.

On Thursday, Guylaine Potvin’s alleged killer Marc-André Grenon was charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and aggravated sexual assault.

Watch the full interview in the video above.