In Sault Ste. Marie, Henry Cadreau has admitted to manslaughter in the death of 24-year-old Paris Williams. The fatality occurred after Williams consumed fentanyl and alcohol provided by Cadreau in March 2023.
The Bruce Street security footage and the 90-minute gap
Court proceedings revealed a chilling sequence of events captured on camera in the parking lot of a Bruce Street business. According to the report, Henry Cadreau and Paris Williams met at approximately 8:33 p.m. on March 7, 2023, where security footage shows Williams asking for a "toke" while Cadreau prepared what appeared to be tinfoil. The footage captures Paris Williams drinking from a beer can twice before consuming the drugs provided by Henry Cadreau.
The timeline highlights a disturbing period of abandonment. After offering a second dose , Henry Cadreau is seen walking away toward Bruce Street,shouting at Paris Williams to "stay alive" while stating he would leave him there. It was not until 9:58 p.m.—roughly 75 minutes later—that Henry Cadreau returned with a female companion to check on the unresponsive Paris Williams and his dog.
The situation culminated at 10:16 p.m. when Henry Cadreau and the female companion flagged down a Sault Police cruiser. as reported by the source, Henry Cadreau explicitly told officers that Paris Williams "is going to die." Despite the administration of two doses of NarCan and chest compressions by officers, Paris Williams could not be revived.
A 238 mg/100 ml blood alcohol level and fentanyl synergy
The cause of death was not a single substance, but a lethal combination of depressants. Toxicology reports indicated that Paris Williams had a blood alcohol concentration of 238 milligrams per 100 millilitres, which is nearly three times the Canadian legal driving limit of 80 milligrams per 100 millilitres. While such a level of intoxication is high, the coroner concluded it is not typically fatal on its own.
The fatality was triggered by the synergy between the alcohol and a blood fentanyl concentration of nine nanograms per millilitre. This combination suppressed the respiratory system of Paris Williams to a point of no return. A coroner's report confirmed there were no signs of physical violence or external injuries, describing the 24-year-old as well-nourished and well-developed prior to the overdose.
The gap between the March 2023 death and February 2024 arrest
The legal trajectory of this case underscores the complexities of prosecuting drug-induced deaths. Although the incident occurred in March 2023, Henry Cadreau was not arrested by Sault Police until February 8, 2024. This nearly year-long interval is common in manslaughter cases involving toxicological evidence, as authorities must wait for definitive coroner reports to establish the exact cause of death and the role of the provider.
This delay reflects a broader trend in the opioid crisis where the "chain of custody" for the drug must be proven. In this instance, the security footage provided the critical link, showing the direct exchange between Henry Cadreau and Paris Williams. Without the visual evidence of the Bruce Street encounter, establishing the legal necessity for a manslaughter charge would have been significantly more difficult.
Tania Williams' call to treat dealers as serial killers
The emotional weight of the case is centered on the victim's family. Tania Williams, the mother of Paris Williams, has publicly advocated for a harsher judicial approach to drug distribution. In a 2024 SooToday article, Tania Williams stated her desire to see drug dealers treated with the same severity as serial killers within the court system.
However, several specific details remain unverified in the current reporting. it is unclear whether the exchange between Henry Cadreau and Paris Williams was a commercial transaction or a casual sharing of substances, a distinction that often influences sentencing. furthermore, the role of the unnamed female who accompanied Henry Cadreau back to the scene at 9:58 p.m. has not been detailed,leaving it unknown if she was a witness or a participant in the events leading up to the overdose.
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