GUILTY Canada - Bill, 65, Bridget, 63, & Caleb Harrison, 40, slain, Mississauga, 2009-2013 *Retrial*

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http://www.mississauga.com/news-sto...-answers-a-year-after-third-mysterious-death/

One year after third mysterious death in Mississauga family, and after two murder charges, family and police still trying to piece story together

Bill Harrison, seen not long before his death in April 2009. The death is still under investigation, and no one has been charged. A pathology report revealed "no anatomical cause of death."

“We are constantly turning our minds back to the time when this all began,” Wanda Jamieson, a family friend, said recently in a series of email exchanges with the Star, speaking for a group of the Harrisons’ close surviving relatives, including Bridget’s brother, Douglas Blackwell, and his family.

“Might there be something that we have missed related to any of these incidents, starting with Bill’s death in April 2009? Might there be someone out there who knows something or heard something and has yet to come forward?”

Those who knew and loved the Harrisons have many unanswered questions, despite the first-degree murder charges laid earlier this year against Caleb’s estranged wife and her common-law partner, who are accused of killing Caleb and Bridget. Bill’s death remains under investigation.


A preliminary hearing for Merritt and Fattore is scheduled to begin in May 2015, but Fattore’s lawyer, Peter Zaduk, said it could be “well into 2016” before they are tried. “He is eager to face the charge and be vindicated,” Zaduk said of his client.

Asked about the relationship between Merritt and Fattore, Zaduk said: “They’re common-law spouses and as far as I can tell still care very much for each other.”

The lawyer would not comment on the nature of the evidence police have against Fattore, except to say “it’s complicated.” Zaduk does not expect anything to come of the investigation into the death of Bill Harrison. “They’ve been investigating that for a very long time, so I would be surprised if any charges were laid.”

“It is a pretty strange case,” the lawyer said.
 
http://www.mykawartha.com/news-stor...-answers-a-year-after-third-mysterious-death/

Relatives seek answers a year after third mysterious death
One year after third mysterious death in Mississauga family, and after two murder charges, family and police still trying to piece story together


The custody dispute heated up after Caleb went to jail. Bridget and Bill obtained a court order granting them their son’s share of what was then a 50/50 time split between Caleb and his estranged wife, court records show. By then, Merritt was in a new relationship with Fattore.

About a month into Caleb’s jail time, his 7-year-old son told a school teacher that he and his family were going on a “surprise trip” and it would take 24 hours to get where they were going, according to an agreed statement of facts later presented in court.

On April 16, 2009, in violation of the shared custody order, Merritt fled Ontario with the children. On the same day, Bill was found dead in the family home on Pitch Pine Cres.

A pathology report revealed “no anatomical cause of death.” In other words, the healthy, basketball-playing 65-year-old had died for no apparent reason. An undetected arrhythmia was the best hypothesis. The timing of his death and the children’s disappearance was considered an unfortunate coincidence; a terrible burden for Bridget, who lost her husband of 40 years and her grandchildren while her only son was in jail.

In November 2009, Merritt was arrested in Nova Scotia and charged with parental abduction. She returned to Mississauga and was released on bail. The children went to Bridget, who had sought and been granted temporary sole custody. Merritt’s access to the children was reduced to supervised visitation privileges.

In April 2010, Merritt and Fattore went to the Harrison residence and made contact with the children in violation of her bail terms, according to court records. She was arrested and spent two days in jail.

Eleven days later, Bridget’s body was found at the bottom of a staircase on the main floor of the family home, steps away from where her husband had died almost exactly a year before. Though her death was considered suspicious, police have said there was a credible explanation. Suicide was ruled out and there was nothing at the time that pointed to homicide. Though the investigation remained open, police believed the most likely cause of death was an accident. That hypothesis changed when Caleb was killed last Aug. 23.

Police have said both Caleb and his mother died of asphyxiation, but they will not reveal further details about how they were killed because the method forms an important part of the evidence that will be presented at trial.
 
http://stmarysindependent.com/year-in-review/

Year in review
Posted on January 9, 2015 by gophersRus

Melissa Merritt and Christopher Fattore are arrested in Nova Scotia and charged with two counts of murder. The couple lived near St. Marys on Line 15 at Road 125 and their rented house burned down in March 2012. As an update their trial will be held this Spring.
 
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/new-murder-charge-for-ont-couple-accused-of-killing-man-mother-1.2213493

Ontario couple accused of killing a man and his mother now face a new murder charge involving another member of the same family.
Melissa Merritt and her common-law husband Christopher Fattore had already been facing first-degree murder charges in the deaths of Merritt's ex-husband Caleb Harrison and his mother, Bridget Harrison.
Their lawyers say the pair were also charged Thursday with first-degree murder in the death of William Harrison -- Caleb Harrison's father and Bridget Harrison's husband.
Click to expand...
 
http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/0...ng-fire-assault-murder-and-unexplained-death/

On Aug. 30, guests filed into The Irish Club on Ridgeway Drive in Mississauga for the memorial to Caleb Harrison, a well-loved club member murdered a week earlier. Among the first people they saw was his ex-wife, Melissa Merritt.

“She was standing at the front door with a miserable look on her face,” recalls one friend of the deceased. “She looked at people with a horrible, scathing, angry look.”

Ms. Merritt had brought her children, aged 12 and 10, to their father’s memorial. The children went inside to hug neighbours and family. Ms. Merritt was apparently barred entry. Danny Kearns, a club member who worked the bar for the 150 guests that afternoon, notes, “She wasn’t the belle of the ball.”
...................................

In late August, Ms. Merritt had care of her two eldest children — Caleb’s kids — for a week. On Aug. 22, he coached his daughter’s softball game. The next morning the cleaning lady arrived at the Harrison home. She saw his blue Honda Odyssey parked outside, assumed he was upstairs and proceeded to clean up the downstairs. At noon, Caleb’s co-worker knocked. They went upstairs and found the body.

“She had cleaned up all the evidence,” one neighbour notes.

Police refuse to discuss motive for the crime. When Caleb died, custody of the children reverted to Ms. Merritt.
 
What a mess. Agreed now these kids have no parents. :(
 
Thanks for sharing this case of TB's forum FromGermany. I never heard anything about this case until you posted it over there.

Absolutely crazy! How many murders did they plan on committing before they eventually got caught? It would be interesting to find out if they took out life insurance policies on their children. The fact that they murdered three family members, same household, over a five year period, all presumably healthy people. How dumb does one have to be to think they could get away with that when there was so much turmoil going on with custody battles amongst ex-wife, ex-husband and grandmother? Too many coincidences not to point the finger back at Merritt.

And the house fire. I won't be surprised if that was deliberately set. IMO they were driven by money with the fire and then Caleb's murder. Merritt probably figured their two children would get their father's/grandmother's/grandfather's estate money once settled. Wonder if the grandparents had life insurance policies also that Merritt knew about. With the fire fundraising, they were hoping for some very generous donations. Is that fundraising site Fattore set up still visible? I couldn't find it.

So sad for the children. If they were being raised by these horrible people (Fattore and Merritt) after Caleb's death, they probably are far better off where they are now. JMHO. I pray the children get the much needed counselling and support they need and will need for many years to come. JMHO.

Afterthought: If they are found guilty, they can be awarded the serial killer status. If guilty, here's to hope they never see outside prison wall again. MOO.
 
swedie said:
Thanks for sharing this case of TB's forum FromGermany. I never heard anything about this case until you posted it over there.

Absolutely crazy! How many murders did they plan on committing before they eventually got caught? It would be interesting to find out if they took out life insurance policies on their children. The fact that they murdered three family members, same household, over a five year period, all presumably healthy people. How dumb does one have to be to think they could get away with that when there was so much turmoil going on with custody battles amongst ex-wife, ex-husband and grandmother? Too many coincidences not to point the finger back at Merritt.

And the house fire. I won't be surprised if that was deliberately set. IMO they were driven by money with the fire and then Caleb's murder. Merritt probably figured their two children would get their father's/grandmother's/grandfather's estate money once settled. Wonder if the grandparents had life insurance policies also that Merritt knew about. With the fire fundraising, they were hoping for some very generous donations. Is that fundraising site Fattore set up still visible? I couldn't find it.

So sad for the children. If they were being raised by these horrible people (Fattore and Merritt) after Caleb's death, they probably are far better off where they are now. JMHO. I pray the children get the much needed counselling and support they need and will need for many years to come. JMHO.

Afterthought: If they are found guilty, they can be awarded the serial killer status. If guilty, here's to hope they never see outside prison wall again. MOO.
Click to expand...

While not all of the original details are still there on the funding site, there is this:

We would like to thank everyone who has donated through the site and in person, it means a lot to us. Just to keep everyone up to date on how things are going, we are still living out of a motel and have not been able to find a home yet. We are trying hard and all the stress of it is taking a toll on Melissa and the baby. The local paper here in Stratford is going to run an article to try and help us find a place to live. This is it, http://www.southwesternontario.ca/news/displaced-family-struggles-to-find-new-home/
Click to expand...

http://www.********.com/gbt24

Here is the general ******** description:
On Thursday March 1 2012 the Fattore family lost everything in a devastating fire. This family of seven going on eight are faced with rebuilding their entire lives from nothing. This fund is set up to help the Fattore family start over. Any donation will help.
Thank You
Click to expand...

He's pretty good at trying to do his own 'promo' (although at this point they raised only $4,450 towards their goal of $50k).

It strikes me that while Merritt is not a very nice person at all, her new partner is one messed up dude! Moo.

ETA: hmmm...I guess I'm not supposed to post that funding website address. Just to give you a hint, try typing in Chris Fattore and you will find a site that has something to do with funding.
 
Snoopster said:
While not all of the original details are still there on the funding site, there is this:



http://www.********.com/gbt24

Here is the general ******** description:


He's pretty good at trying to do his own 'promo' (although at this point they raised only $4,450 towards their goal of $50k).

It strikes me that while Merritt is not a very nice person at all, her new partner is one messed up dude! Moo.

ETA: hmmm...I guess I'm not supposed to post that funding website address. Just to give you a hint, try typing in Chris Fattore and you will find a site that has something to do with funding.
Click to expand...

Thanks Snoopster, I found the information. So the farmhouse which burnt down was not theirs, but that of a rental. I guess they could have still claimed content insurance...if they had insurance. If it was arson on their part, you can be darn sure they had insurance. Not much community financial support. Wonder if that is because a lot of people knew the adults and didn't really care much for them? Very sad for the children is so many way. All's interesting that's for sure. Will continue to follow. MOO.

I found this Youtube video he made for Mother's day 2013.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUg0VlZ1e_Q
 
THE MAHONES will be playing a special fundraising concert at The Hideout on April 4th with all proceeds benefiting the Fattore family. The Mahones will be donating 100% of their merchandise sales as well.

Earlier this year, Chris and Melissa Fattore and their five children (soon to be six!) lost everything, including their two beloved pets, in a house fire. They escaped with their lives, their pyjamas, and nothing else!

Let's all get together and help get them back on their feet. Let's take care of our own, Toronto!

THE MAHONES

facebook, surely you will find ...
 
http://www.caledonenterprise.com/ne...racing-mississauga-s-harrison-family-murders/

Merritt also noted in the affidavit that her lawyer had inquired with Harrison's funeral director and legal counsel about whether her ex-husband had left a will, "and if so, for a copy to be provided to me for my inspection."

The Harrison estate is worth more than $1 million.

Merritt attached an Aug. 30 Toronto Star article — "What happened to the Harrisons?" — as a supporting document to her custody motion, seemingly as proof that Harrison had indeed, as she said, been killed.

Motive: to have 6 children and the heritage ... what other? IMO

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/29163803/...ome-women-driven-baby-addiction/#.VNfEKC4Zk_A
 
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/201...wers_a_year_after_third_mysterious_death.html


The accused have been jailed in Milton since January. Lawyers for both Merritt and Fattore say they plan to plead not guilty to the charges.

“The disclosure so far has nothing really to do with Melissa. It has everything to do with the other person that’s been charged,” said her lawyer, David Berg.

“We do not know what the case is against her,” Berg said. “I don’t know if they have a case against her.”

Her father, Michael Merritt, a retired Toronto police officer, refused to speak to a Star reporter earlier this month when approached outside a courthouse in Lindsay, Ont., where he appeared before a judge on his own charges of assault, dangerous driving, failure to remain at the scene of an accident and failure to report an accident — all stemming from a July 2014 incident in the Kawartha Lakes. He has not yet entered a plea and returns to court in September.

Four years ago, the father was chastised by a judge in Milton after it was proposed in a custody hearing that he and his wife oversee their daughter’s supervised access to her children.

“I am not prepared to accede to this request, principally because there is evidence before me that Michael Merritt, a retired police officer, knew in May 2009 where his daughter was, and did nothing to facilitate the ongoing investigation with respect to their whereabouts,” the Ontario Superior Court judge wrote in a 2010 decision.
 
On Thursday March 1 2012 the Fattore family lost everything in a devastating fire. This family of seven going on eight are faced with rebuilding their entire lives from nothing. This fund is set up to help the Fattore family start over.

http://www.********.com/gbt24

MM and CF were already then 3/2012 liking the role of parents, who would have (at least) 6 children (2 more than were living with them), both MM and CF somehow addicted to a very big family (with many pets in addition). IMO. They loved drama :dramaqueen::dramaqueen: too, IMO, fire .... murder .... abduction .... constantly removals .... in any desired sequence.
 
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5690928-let-inmate-shave-shower-up-for-murder-trial-judge-says/

Let inmate shave, shower up for murder trial, judge says

Merritt wore a jail-issued forest green sweatsuit to the hearing. Her lawyer, David Berg, explained in court that her family had dropped off street clothing, but staff at the Vanier Centre for Women in Milton wouldn't let her change. Peter Zaduk, Fattore's lawyer, then stood to address his own client's concerns.

"For some reason I don't understand, Mr. Fattore has been unable to shave for five days," Zaduk told the judge. "They've been on lockdown."

Crown prosecutor Eric Taylor explained that Maplehurst has a priority list for inmates who wish to shave. (The institution is one of several Ontario jails where, as the Star has reported, staffing issues have led to frequent lockdowns — heightened security measures that confine inmates to their cells.)

Justice Duncan, shaking his head, interrupted: "Sorry, they have to sign up to shave? . . . I've never heard of that before," he said.

"I'm just amazed that those places think they can treat people" however they want because of a lockdown, the judge said.

The judge issued an order that said Maplehurst must allow Fattore to shave and shower before court. He also issued an order that said Vanier staff must allow Merritt to change into street clothes and attend court with the daily dose of medication she has been taking for an unknown illness. Jail staff did not provide the medication on Monday, according to her lawyer.
-.-.-.

Bill, 65, died suddenly in the family home on Pitch Pine Cres. in April 2009. It was ruled a natural death at the time. His wife, Bridget Harrison, 63, a respected educator, was found dead a year later at the bottom of a staircase in the house where she and her husband had lived for nearly four decades. Her death was considered suspicious, but police believed the most likely cause was an accident.

It wasn't until August 2013, when the body of their 40-year-old son Caleb Harrison was discovered in the same home, where he had been raising his own children, that police launched an investigation into the deaths of all three Harrisons.

Police have said asphyxiation was the cause of death for both Bridget and Caleb, but they haven't said anything about how they believe Bill died.

Evidence heard in court Monday cannot be reported because the preliminary hearing is subject to a standard publication ban intended to protect the fair-trial rights of the accused. The hearing continues this week. A trial date has not been set.
 
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