Janice Mae Clements, 35, Hebron NS
Janice Clements was murdered by her estranged husband on December 9, 1995.
Janice was a mother to two boys, aged 15 and nine years old.
Janice was involved with her community as an adherent of the Yarmouth North United Baptist Church, as well as a life member of Baby Band. When Janice was not working at the Yarmouth Hospital, she enjoyed doing crafts and participating in line dancing.
According to Janice’s father, “Janice had been in this bad relationship for the past while. She had a number of years of different types of abuse and she finally had enough.” It was after his daughter left her husband a month before her death because of death threats, things changed.
Janice’s father went on to say that, “The signs were all there. He bought a rifle. He had been taking practice shots out by his garage. I knew he was not a hunter. He didn’t own a gun. Everything pointed to a disaster.”
Janice’s husband was arrested four weeks before her death for threatening her with a knife. He was released on an undertaking to stay away from Janice and their two children until his court date of December 19th.
A week before her murder, Janice’s husband applied to the court to vary the conditions, requesting to see her and their children. Janice agreed to amend the order to allow him access to the children, during the day and by Janice’s invitation only.
On December 9th, Janice was visiting with a friend who had two young children. Around midnight, Janice’s husband forced his way through the back door of the friend’s house.
An argument ensued, and Janice’s husband shot Janice and her friend. He then turned the gun on himself.
The young children stayed in a bedroom all night after hearing the gun shots. Fear of seeing a dead body in the home, they crawled out a bedroom window in their stocking feet to go to a neighbor’s house for help. At that point, the RCMP were called.