New charges laid in Aiden Floyd-Lapinskas case

OPP NEWS RELEASE

************************* Male and female charged in relation to breach of court order

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON - Sault Ste. Marie Police Service (SSMPS) in conjunction with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) have laid additional charges in relation to a breach in court orders in the Aiden Floyd-Lapinskas homicide investigation.

On January 12, 2010, the SSPMPS arrested James Purcell, age 30, of Sault Ste. Marie with one count of second degree murder in relation to the death of three-year-old Aiden Floyd-Lapinskas.

On January 13, 2010, Purcell appeared in Sault Ste. Marie Provincial Court where a non-communication order was imposed on him not to communicate with witnesses.

Police received further information that between January 13, 2010, and February 6, 2010, the accused breached his non-communication order when he communicated with Lydia Lapinskas approximately 380 times while he was in custody at the Algoma Treatment and Remand Centre.

Purcell has been arrested and charged with two counts of failing to comply with direction in detention order and three counts of counselling to commit the offence of obstruct justice under the Criminal Code of Canada.

Purcell appeared in Sault Ste. Marie provincial court on February 8, 2010, for a bail hearing on these charges.

His matters were adjourned to February 9, 2010, for video remand.

On January 22, 2010, Lapinskas was arrested and charged for being party to the offence of failing to comply with direction in detention order.

Lapinskas was released a promise to appear with an undertaking not to communicate with various witnesses and the accused.

Since her release, police received information that Lapinskas breached the non-communication order approximately 150 times when she communicated with Purcell between the dates of January 22, 2010 and February 6, 2010.

Police also received information that Lapinskas communicated 19 times with other witnesses named in the same order.

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