I was a neighbour of Melody's, living just next door, up to two months prior to this horrific incident. So I am wondering what you mean about this dog. She did not have a dog while living on Salisbury.

Hi Chris

Thank you for reading and responding to my blog.

Alex Mihailovich of MCTV news interviewed another next door neighbour of Melody and Harley's. He reported that those two women said "The only ones living there [at Melody's house] was her, Harley and their dog."

I don't know if that particular interview was ever used on the air, though, because I was not able to watch the news that day. I also can't ask Alex any more about it right now because he is on vacation for a few more weeks.

When he and I (both of us dog owners) were talking about it after the incident, he also mentioned that he had heard it was a medium to small dog.

My condolences to you as well, Chris. It must be very difficult to be going through this experience. I hope that enough of your questions are answered in the coming months or years (as long as the trial takes) to give you some peace of mind, if not in your heart.

I was wondering if you are continuing to cover this story ? Knowing Melody Burtis from the past it has come with great sadness and shock to what has happened to her and her son Harley. Anybody that would do this - - i do not understand. Why ? Being from Alberta I have been searching the internet daily since i had found out the news. So many questions unanswered ? Any questions answered would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you, I appreciate your kind words. I would like to assure you though, that she and Harley did not own a dog. My girlfriend and I were close neighbours with Melody, sharing a wall, deck and driveway. We conversed on a regular, almost daily, basis. It is possible that in the months we were not neighbours, perhaps they did get a dog. My guess is that the other neighbour interviewed mistook either my dog, or one of the landlord's to be that of Melody.

My child was in Harley's class and we are all devastated by this crime. The good thing about kids is that they are so resilient. I, on the other hand, cannot get past this loss. I need answers, I need details, I need closure on this whether it be horrific or not. I'm tired of hearing how Melody didn't live her life in a respectable manner. I don't give a damn how she lived her life, this is not an excuse to brush off what has happened. I would like to create a tribute site for this little boy who was so full of life and so important to all of his classmates. Not only did this monster take the lives of two people, he has taken away the innocence of an entire group of children. I will forever be disturbed by what has happened, something in me has changed.

I have also been deeply disturbed by this and intend to keep seeking answers. Unfortunately, the most important question of why is likely to remain unanswered. Personally, I don't believe there is any possible reason why this could have happened. It all seems very irrational.

There are still questions of what and how to be answered, though.

For those of you who are interested, there will be a memorial for Melody and Harley tomorrow (Friday) from 12 to 1 outside the courthouse in Sault Ste. Marie.

http://www.sootoday.com/content/news/full_story.asp?StoryNumber=17028

I hope either Dave or myself will have an opportunity to cover this and be there on behalf of those who would like to be there but can't.

what people don't hear is that melody was a crack head prostitute with hep c ,who from what i hear she just started to clean up , what i want to know is why is everybody making her sound like a saint .If you live a wild lifestyle it is bound to catch up to you Of course you won't get an inpartial jury when the papers fail to tell the truth and just say " She's had her problems " why not tell the whole truth instead of just what you think people want to hear

the last post is very hurtful, what about Harley's dad, aunt, little friends feelings, do you think that that little boy should have been killed- no matter what his mom did? Children shouldn't have to be punished for their parent's mistake.

K im sorry but who said that stuff about her needs help.Like seriously she was my great aunt and she was a good person and even if she did have some problems what does that matter she was murdered and so was her son! Muder is muder her past shouldnt change that! she was a great women and who gives you any write to say anything about her. Get a life!

Any updated information anyone has about this case would be greatly appreciated. I am Melody's son from Alberta. There is so much unanswered.

I would like to add what little I know about this crime. I knew Alberts brother. Albert was a mencing jerk. He had just gotten out of jail and was alway driving around town getting drunk. He took advantage of his family. Reporting his parents for tax evation on a RV they bought in the US. His brother was always worried about his nephew. I never met Albert but know he often slept in his car parked at his brothers apartment, and seen him once after a bender. He was a ticking time bomb, his family knew but could do nothing. I have not heard any further news about any trail or jail time. It has almost been a year now, we should hear something soon. I hope everyone is ok and never forget the victims.

From a Sault Star article today by Linda Richardson:

While the Superior Court schedule is crammed this month and next with some major cases, the date for the first-degree murder trial of a man charged in the 2006 deaths of Melody Burtis and her young son has yet to be set.

Albert Ouimet was committed to stand trial on the charges following a preliminary hearing in March 2007. A judicial pretrial is slated to take place Jan. 12.

Ouimet, 35, has been in custody since his arrest in April 2006 and has made no application for bail.

He is charged in what police described as the "brutal'' murder of Burtis, 40, and her eight-year-old son Harley Baxter-Burtis.

City police officers found the bodies in her car in a secluded area of Greenwood Cemetery in the early morning hours of April 20

Investigators believe Burtis and the boy were slain in a remote spot near the Algoma Rod and Gun Club on Connor Road, nine kilometres away from the Peoples Road cemetery.

Police said Burtis and the boy succumbed to injuries consistent with an "edged weapon.''

Hello, this is to anyone out there who comes along this comment. I am Jordan Pettalia (Ouimet). I am the son of Albert Ouimet and i understand everything going on and that has happened. But there is something i need to say. You people defending Melody and her son and simply putting my dad as a complete phsycopath and not thinking he is still a humanbeing.. it bugs me. You people should all still put into consideration the fact that he is still a person. I realize he has done something completely unexcusable but thats not a reason to sit here and speak like he is an animal and deserves nothing but his life taken because of this. I don`t like hearing all of these things about him although i understand the wrongs he`s done. This is the first time i`ve voiced myself in anyway to the public and don`t take it as 'its all this kid has to say'. I`m very intelligent and don`t want to be belittled. So this is what i`m saying for the people out there who don`t seem to like to see both sides. Keep your opinions to yourself if they don`t regard my dad`s side and Melody's side. For the people who knew Melody and didn`t know my dad, you shouldn`t be talking because you can`t say anything about a person you didn`t know.

I am sorry son, but your dad is a monster and deserves to die. What he put that mother and son through i hate to think of how horrible it was. Your Dad should be strung up and beaten to death

Jordan, I would like you 2 know that yourself & Family are in many thoughts & prayers. You are very right, 'No ONE' knows what it is you are going through this is something that no person of any age should have 2 live through. The fact is no matter what, when you break the law in such a horrible, cruel manner, in some places death is the punishment (not 2 mention people are going 2 talk). You claim 2 be intelligent, so I'm going 2 try 2 give you some intelligent advise. Know that "this is not your fault", Life is not always fair, "Life is what YOU make it" Although you've been given the "REALLY SH*TTY" end of the stick in the father department, it simply does not change the "Fact" that Albert decided 2 make life choices that weren't intelligent enough 2 be that of a good "human being"(sounds like a psycho thing to me) You can still be a productive member of society & a good man 2, no matter where you come from or who you came from. So please don't spend time defending the person who decided 2 make the choice 2 "DESTROY & DEVASTATE" many, many lives including yours. Try 2 spend your time doing the things that make you laugh with the people that you love & please, please stay in school.. I am haunted on a daily basis by the whole tragedy. R.I.P Melody & Harley(I know Auntie Ann is with you)

Melody and I were friends when she lived in Alberta in her late teens and 20's but had lost touch prior to her move to Ontario. She had had her share of problems throughout the years but had a good and kind heart. Regardless of whatever problems she may have had at the time or just prior to her death, she did NOT deserve to have her life taken in the manner that it was, nor did her innocent son Harley!!

I was devistated to hear the news when I made an attempt to find her a few years ago and have not stopped thinking about her and her innocent son Harley. My deepest condolences to the families and friends of the murdered victims including Melody's son in Alberta (whom I had the pleasure of meeting when he was very young).

Rest in peace Melody & Harley and ROT IN HELL ALBERT OUIMET!!

Your dad is a horrible man and you should not be commentung wat u said your dad is a monster a horrible man and im sorry that your father turned out to be that way and i hope the best ror you

I knew Dougie and Harley when I was a teenager and Dougie (his dad) had a really small dog.. so maybe that is what they were talking about? And I just read today (because honestly I didnt really want to know) what acually happened to Melody and Harley and it is so horrible it made me cry so much because Harley was such a sweet and nice little boy it's heart breaking to know what he must of seen and gone though and how he was found. It is just disgusting someone could do that to his mom let alone an innocent little boy, he was so polite and nice and I feel really bad for his dad as well because he was his only child...

And Jordan Pettalia (Ouimet) your dad is a disgusting person he killed a child nothing he did in his life whether he was a good person or not he purposely murdered a innocent little boy when he could of just left him at home alone if you were going to kill his mother (which he should not of done in the first place) or just let him go. He dicided he was not going to do that himself. So he deserves everything he gets.

Oh actually he had a daughter too I think my mom said and she just recently killed herself probably because of this incident, it is just so sad.