Barrie in Mourning: Two Lives Stolen in Unimaginable Violence
The city of Barrie, Ontario, is reeling after the devastating confirmation that human remains found during a series of police searches belong to William Robinson and David Cheesequay. What began as missing persons reports earlier this year has transformed into one of the most disturbing homicide investigations the region has ever faced. These two men, each with loved ones who now face a lifetime of grief, met a fate both brutal and incomprehensible—killed and dismembered in an act of senseless violence.
The pain rippling through the families and friends of William and David is immeasurable. They are left not only with the loss of their loved ones but also with the horrific knowledge of the violence they endured. For a community that once held hope for their safe return, the confirmation of their deaths has been a shattering blow.
From Missing Persons to Murder Charges: A Shocking Investigation
The search for answers led Barrie Police’s Major Crime Unit across multiple locations, each revealing grim new details. Investigators scoured a wooded encampment on Victoria Street in Barrie, a rural property on Yearly Road in Huntsville, and a home in North Simcoe. These searches, conducted with the aid of forensic teams, uncovered key evidence linking the sites—and ultimately, the suspect.
On August 2nd, police arrested Robert Ladouceur, 52, of Midland, on unrelated firearms and flight charges. But as forensic evidence was processed and witness statements gathered, the chilling truth began to emerge: Ladouceur was directly connected to the murders and the indignity inflicted upon the victims’ remains. By August 14th, he faced multiple charges—two counts each of first-degree and second-degree murder, indignity to a dead body, drug trafficking, and weapons offenses. The investigation remains ongoing, as police continue to piece together the full scope of the crime.
Honouring William and David: Remembering the Lives, Not Just the Loss
While the details of the investigation are harrowing, the families of William Robinson and David Cheesequay are urging the public to remember them not as victims, but as human beings—loved ones with stories, dreams, and connections that went far beyond the tragic way their lives ended. Friends recall their kindness, resilience, and ability to bring light into others’ lives.
The Barrie community has begun organizing vigils to honour their memory, offering a space for grief, solidarity, and the collective commitment to justice. The hope now is that their families can find some measure of peace as the legal process unfolds, and that no other family will have to endure such loss. For William and David, their lives mattered deeply, and their memory will live on in the hearts of those who knew them.
