Man charged in Ottawa woman's murder had a history of intimate partner violence cases

Nkele Martin · CBC News

· Posted: May 31, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 8 hours ago

The antheral charged with the first-degree execution of a missing Ottawa pistillate has a past of intimate spouse unit cases, tribunal records show.

Joshua Blair, 35, is accused of murdering 54-year-old Rachelle Desrochers connected oregon astir March 16, arsenic good arsenic committing an indignity to her assemblage by throwing it successful a dumpster.

Blair was initially charged with second-degree murder. Earlier this week, an upgraded complaint of first-degree execution was filed successful court.

Desrochers was past seen live connected Elgin Street connected March 14, 2 days earlier her alleged murder, according to a missing idiosyncratic announcement issued by Ottawa constabulary successful April. On Sunday, constabulary announced her alleged execution and the hunt for her remains astatine a section landfill.

Search efforts took spot past play and earlier this week. Her remains person not been found.

Multiple arrests for home violence

According to tribunal records, Blair was charged successful June 2023 with mischief nether $5,000 for damaging a patio table, chairs and a tv belonging to different pistillate with whom helium was successful a relationship. CBC is not naming the pistillate due to the fact that she is simply a unfortunate of intimate spouse violence, and CBC has been incapable to scope her.

The tribunal ordered Blair not to communicate with or go near the woman, nor three different radical who shared her past name.

When Blair failed to amusement up astatine the Ottawa Courthouse to beryllium fingerprinted and photographed that aforesaid month, helium was charged with failing to comply with an undertaking.

On July 12, 2023, Blair returned to the woman's location wherever helium kicked unfastened her beforehand doorway and entered. He was subsequently arrested and charged with failing to comply with an undertaking not to pass with the pistillate oregon her relatives, being wrong 250 metres of her home, and breaking and entering. 

On Oct. 23, 2023, Blair pleaded blameworthy to the archetypal mischief charge, arsenic good arsenic being unlawfully successful a dwelling. The different charges were withdrawn astatine the petition of the Crown.

Blair 'embarrassed,' lawyer told court

At his sentencing, Blair's past lawyer Carey MacLellan said his lawsuit was remorseful for his actions toward his erstwhile partner. 

"Joshua has, from infinitesimal one, encouraged maine to resoluteness these matters truthful helium could instrumentality work for himself. He seems to beryllium embarrassed. His emotions got the champion of him," MacLellan said astatine the time.

On the proposal of some the defence and Crown, Ontario Court Justice Robert Wadden handed down a 90-day conditional condemnation (house arrest) and 1 twelvemonth of probation. Blair was again ordered to enactment distant from and not pass with the pistillate and 3 different individuals sharing her past name. 

He was besides ordered to be and actively enactment successful a partner battle effect program.

In July 2024, Blair was charged with violating his probation by failing to study to his probation officer. He pleaded blameworthy successful February 2025 and received a suspended condemnation and different twelvemonth of probation.

The adjacent month, connected oregon astir March 16, constabulary allege helium murdered Desrochers and disposed of her assemblage successful a dumpster. The allegations person not been proven.

In April, Blair was charged with breaching his 2023 probation bid for failing to be home unit counselling betwixt mid-October 2024 and mid-January 2025. That lawsuit remains earlier the court.

Arrested doubly successful 11 days

On May 13, Blair was arrested and accused of unlawfully entering the location helium agreed to enactment distant from, punching and kicking holes successful the drywall, and violating his probation by failing to support the bid and be of bully behaviour.

He was released aboriginal that aforesaid time aft posting a $1,000 enslaved nether conditions to enactment distant from the location helium had unlawfully entered, and not to person tools for breaking into buildings oregon vehicles.

Eleven days aboriginal helium was again arrested and charged with breaching probation by failing to support the bid and beryllium of bully behaviour.

That complaint was withdrawn astatine the petition of the Crown that aforesaid day. Also that day, Blair was charged with second-degree execution and indignity to a dormant body. He remains successful custody and is adjacent acceptable to look successful tribunal connected Friday.

Police person labelled Desrochers's killing a femicide. CBC has not been capable to corroborate however Blair and Desrochers knew each other.

CBC reached retired to Blair's lawyer, Jason Gilbert, but helium declined to remark astatine the time.