A Mother's Betrayal: The Murder of Karissa Boudreau and the RCMP Investigation that Uncovered the Truth

by John Elliott

On February 9, 2008, the body of a twelve-year-old girl was discovered under the snow on a bank of the LaHave River near the rural Nova Scotia town of Bridgewater. She had been brutally murdered. The body was identified as Karissa Boudreau, who had been missing for two weeks and was the subject of an intense missing person investigation by the Bridgewater Police Service. Her murder rocked the community, the province and the nation.

The RCMP began a homicide investigation, as Karissa’s body was found in their jurisdiction. Over the following five months, the RCMP carried out an extensive and costly investigation, which included the “Mr. Big” operation. As liaison between the RCMP investigative team and the undercover team, Sgt. John Elliott worked closely and travelled with the undercover team during their four-month operation. Supported by police file notes and court documents, his riveting first-hand account of this carefully constructed procedure meticulously takes the reader through the missing person investigation, the homicide investigation, and the undercover operation.

On June 13, 2008, the RCMP made an arrest and the following day they charged Penny Boudreau with the first-degree murder of her daughter Karissa. Why did she do it? Penny’s obsessive love for her boyfriend Vernon and her fear of losing him drove her to plan the cold-blooded murder of her only child. This is the shocking story of a child who simply became an inconvenience.

Elliott’s gripping description of Penny’s heartless murder confession to “Mr. Big” reveals how ruthless she was and how she was brought to justice. It was an exceptionally disturbing murder, unprecedented in Nova Scotia and uncommon throughout the world. Karissa was betrayed and murdered by her mother, whom she loved dearly and who was supposed to protect her and love her unconditionally.

Many of the police investigators, including Sgt. Elliott, were profoundly affected by what they saw and heard during the investigation. And the devastating ripple effect of Penny’s heinous crime spread from Karissa’s family and friends to the community and beyond. A shocking but compelling story, A Mother’s Betrayal takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster from start to finish.

Genres: True Crime

283 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 9, 2022

Reviews

[Dana M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t typically read “true crime” but this book came highly recommended, and I finished it in one sitting. I knew the ending going in, and have spent a lot of time in many of the locations mentioned in the book.

The author clearly has compassion and spoke in detail about the mental health impact his work has. He also did a good job of centering the victim in the story.

I was not expecting to see more details from officers than from family members; and my biggest complaint is just that as good of an officer as he was, he isn’t a writer. There were typos and repetition and while he did a great job of describing the story in layperson terms, he kept using dated police terms like “Caucasian” instead of white, “females” instead of women, and the overuse of “he or she” instead of the much less clunky they. It kept taking me out of the story and reminding me this was all from the cop’s perspective.

It was enlightening to hear how much they spent solving this crime… of, again, a white girl.

[Megan Brown]

Written by one of the investigators in this case, this book details Karissa’s story. I felt disgusted, sick, and utterly shocked at how a mother could do such a horrible thing to her child. While telling the story of the case, the book also details the investigation, and all of the behind the scenes action that takes place during such an investigation. The general public has no idea the hoops and complexities of the police and their work. Truly eye opening, and a devastating story. Penny Boudreau should never get to see the light of day again.

[Karla Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, sad story. View from the RCMP Officer who worked the case.

[Lisa Digdon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written. I learned things I had not previously known

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing, factual, and a great perspective of the lead investigator. I loved it!!

[Joel Hardwicke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well-written book about a stomach-turning matricide murder. Good job by the RCMP in solving it.