Details begin to emerge in Rose Kerwin's disappearance and death

Police have taped off a home on a quiet residential street in Carleton Place, Ont., the same day its owner appeared in court along with another person — both charged with first-degree murder after Kerwin found dead northwest of town last month.

Body was found in Mississippi River near Pakenham, Ont., in November

Matthew Kupfer, Kristy Nease · CBC · Posted: Dec 23, 2023 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: December 24, 2023

A woman lays on a bed. — Rose Kerwin, 50, was reported missing on Nov. 13, a day after a body was found in the Mississippi River near Pakenham, Ont. Ontario Provincial Police later identified the body as hers and deemed the death suspicious. (Dean Brown/Facebook)

Police have taped off a home on a quiet residential street in Carleton Place, Ont., as its owner appeared in court Friday along with another person — both charged with first-degree murder after a woman was found dead northwest of town.

Rose Kerwin, 50, was last seen alive in Carleton Place and reported missing on Nov. 13, one day after a body was found in the Mississippi River near Pakenham, Ont., about 27 kilometres away.

Police would later identify the body as Kerwin's and deem her death suspicious.

On Friday, two Ontario Provincial Police vehicles were parked at the grey, two-storey home on Lake Avenue East, while an excavator could be seen nearby.

At one point, an officer escorted a woman into the home's double garage to look at its contents.

An Ontario Provincial Police van parked in the driveway of a two-storey house surrounded with yellow police tape. — Ontario Provincial Police investigators have been searching this property on Lake Avenue East in Carleton Place, Ont. It's owned by Marcel Lapensee, one of two people accused in Kerwin's death. (Stu Mills/CBC)

For weeks, questions swirled around the circumstances of Kerwin's death. Those who knew her told CBC News she was outgoing and friendly, and also mentioned she'd been involved in abusive relationships.

Then on Dec. 19, police charged 56-year-old Marcel Lapensee from Carleton Place and 23-year-old Samantha Osborne from Iroquois, Ont., with first-degree murder in Kerwin's death.

Police investigate suspicious death after woman's body found in river

Pair charged with 1st-degree murder after body found in river

Property records show Lapensee owns the residential property on Lake Avenue East.

Two OPP vehicles parked in front of a Lake Avenue East property in Carleton Place, Ont. (Stu Mills/CBC)

It's unclear yet how the three individuals might be connected. None of the neighbours wanted to speak on the record when CBC visited the area this week.

Osborne appeared in Perth court by phone from the Ottawa jail on Friday afternoon. At the time, she was still working on retaining a lawyer.

Lapensee — a bald man with glasses and a white-and-grey goatee — appeared next by video from the Brockville jail, wearing an orange jumpsuit. Paolo Giancaterino is expected to represent him.

Rose Kerwin, 50 — Kerwin was last seen in Carleton Place, though she had roots in Ottawa. (Dean Brown/Facebook)

Troubled past with men, say sources

Few details have emerged about Kerwin, but several sources pointed to the history of abusive relationships with men. While she went to high school in Ottawa, Kerwin had recently been spending more time in Carleton Place, they said.

In the weeks before her disappearance, Kerwin had been living at the 7 West Motel in the area, according to the establishment's owner.

An obituary published in the Ottawa Citizen noted Kerwin had proudly achieved "a medical certificate in phlebotomy laboratories blood work" and also provided care for seniors.

Kerwin is survived by her mother and three siblings, the obituary said.

It also gave special thanks to Victim Services of Lanark County and the OPP's regional support team.

Both Lapensee and Osborne are scheduled to appear in court again next week.