Viswa Vanapalli
In 1995, Louise Ellis’ murder was solved largely because of help from an unlikely source. Investigation Discovery’s ‘The Case That Haunts Me: Second Chance’ brings to the fore an undercover operation carried out by a budding private investigator-in-training to catch Louise’s killer. Marie Parent took an interest in the case and helped police with the investigation, ultimately leading to Brett Morgan’s arrest and conviction. So, let’s find out more about Marie then, shall we?
Who is Marie Parent?
Marie Parent moved back from Scotland to Canada in 1990 to be closer to her estranged father. Her parents met during World War II. Marie, a mother-of-four, ran a bed and breakfast by the sea in Scotland before her move. The Louise Ellis case piqued Marie’s interest, and while training to become a private investigator, she saw Brett on the news. After initially contacting him to offer help, Marie felt that his behavior was suspicious and decided to dig further.
In the meantime, the authorities had bugged Brett’s phone and learned of Marie, who then agreed to an undercover operation. When she went to his house, she noticed something odd. She said, “There were no female toiletries in the bathroom. Much of her jewelry and clothing had gone, sold by Morgan.” She started to record her conversations with him, and Brett made some incriminating statements to her.
As Marie worked to gain his trust, Brett even came onto her sexually at one point. Marie said, “At one point, he kissed me. I wanted to throw up, but I didn’t push him away because that would have made him suspicious. We kissed four or five times. The police were angry, telling me I was getting too close. They threatened to pull me out. But it was all part of my master plan.” Brett eventually took her to the secluded area where Louise’s remains were present. The first time, he put a bandanna around her neck, and Marie was worried he would kill her. However, he brushed it off as a present.
But the second time Brett took her there, they came across Louise’s remains. Upon finding the body, Marie stated that Brett feigned sadness and broke down in tears. The police arrested Brett soon after that, and he was convicted of Louise’s murder, being sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 25 years. He died of Hepatitis C just two months into his sentence.
Where is Marie Parent Now?
Marie’s testimony was crucial to send Brett behind bars. For her efforts, the authorities awarded Marie about $4600, but Marie said, “It felt like a slap in the face after all I’d done.” In an interview with CBC, Marie stated that she had to move back to Scotland after the case and was forced into hiding for about two years. Having said that, however, she did clarify that she had no regrets and that she was glad Louise got justice. There were plans to make a movie out of Marie’s story, and she was also working on a memoir detailing her experience as a private investigator.
Read More: How Did Louise Ellis Die?
