Friends of 'Thrill Kill' victim to speak out against parole bid

WOONSOCKET, R.I. (WPRI) – Several friends and family members of “thrill kill” victim Jeannette Descoteaux say they are organizing a push to make sure neither of her murderers get released from prison early.

Descoteaux was 38 when two men – Alfred Brissette and Marc Girard – lured her to the woods of Burrillville with the promise of drugs and beat her to death, according to court documents. Police say the men wanted to know what “it felt like” to kill a woman at random.

On Monday Target 12 revealed Brissette had been granted parole meaning he would have served 13 years of a 35 years prison term. His release was set for the beginning of December.

The board then rescinded the decision on Wednesday and said they would examine the case again at a Dec. 17 hearing.

One of Descoteaux’s friends, Carol Turner, said she was supposed to be notified after the victim’s mother passed away, but wasn’t and first learned of Brissette’s pending release when Target 12 first reported it on Monday.

“I just want justice for Jiggs,” Turner said using Descoteaux’s nickname.

Turner and another friend Deborah Desrosiers filed a missing person report in June 1999 when Descoteaux disappeared. It was Desrosiers who spotted Girard driving through Woonsocket in the days after her disappearance. The pair ran him down, according to a police report obtained by Target 12.

“Deb and I grabbed a hold of him he was in his car … he was running from something,” Turner said recalling that day. “I wanted to know what he did with Jiggs.”

The account in police reports of Descoteaux’s murder reveal what the men did was horrifying.

Police say both men beat her repeatedly with a lug wrench and a shovel, chasing her as she ran naked through the woods. Investigators say it was Girard that dealt the fatal blow.

Turner said she was told by a Parole Board official that they will not be allowing testimony at Brissette’s parole hearing, but she said she is organizing a letter-writing campaign to ensure the board knows just how those close to “Jiggs” feel about the possibility of his release.

“He didn’t just kill Jeanette, he took life out of a lot of us,” Turner said. “A couple of friends have died and they had really hard times after Jeannette was murdered and it's all on Alfred Brissette's head and Marc Girard’s.”

Turner acknowledges Descoteaux “lived on the edge” and used drugs. In fact, police say Brissette had sex with her with the promise of cocaine before she was attacked.

“I think if she would have had a better place in society, [the parole process] probably would have been handled differently,” Turner said.

Several other family members contacted WPRI 12 following the report and said they too were unaware of the hearing.

Matt Degnan, an administrator for the parole board, previously said they did send letters out notifying family about the hearing but never heard back.

“I think it is their responsibility to follow through,” Turner said. “I have a car registered in the city, I’m a registered voter, they could have found me.”

Tim White ( twhite@wpri.com ) is the Target 12 investigative reporter for WPRI 12 and Fox Providence. Follow him on Twitter: @white_tim