Cape Breton Regional Police are continuing their investigation into the gruesome weekend discovery along the Mira River of 21-year-old Laura Jessome from Bras d’Or.
A relative told the media they had not heard from the victim for nearly three weeks before her body was found.
Jessome, who had not been reported missing, was known to police and her cousin admits she led a troubled life and was friends with “people in the drug scene.”
The discovery was made at about 8 p.m. Friday by a woman who noticed the bag in the water near her home.
Laura had suffered violence in her life before. Jessome was the victim of an assault in 2010 and had a restraining order against her assailant.
The same man was found guilty of assaulting Jessome’s father and threatening her father and sister in November.
A month after that incident, the man forcibly confined Jessome and was found guilty of violating a court order to stay away from her.
The court documents say the man was found guilty in March of repeatedly calling Jessome and her family. He was sentenced on April 13 to serve five months and 17 days in jail.
Cape Breton Regional Police have not said how Jessome died or how long her body had been in the river.
Investigators have tracked down the original owner of the hockey bag in which the victim’s remains were found. They say it belonged to a member of the Glace Bay Minor Hockey Association and the player’s name was still on the bag.
However, police have verified the owner’s story that the hockey bag containing used sports gear was left at a curb in April during a heavy garbage pickup.
The owner told police a truck with three or four youths took the bag and police are now looking for the group as they continue to chase down leads in the case.
Staff Sgt. Mike Kennedy, the lead investigator in the case, has said officers believe the homicide was an isolated incident and not a random act.
Members from the Cape Breton Regional Police marine unit spent the day combing the bottom of the Mira River near Marion Bridge on Monday, searching for evidence related to a body that was discovered in a hockey bag in the area Friday night.
An autopsy performed Saturday in Halifax resulted in police launching a homicide investigation.
Police are asking anyone with information concerning the crime to contact the dispatch centre at 902-563-5151 or Crime Stoppers at 902-562-8477.
mainstreamfair 
Thus far, information coming out about this case has been scanty. I would like to know what date the man who was sentenced on April 13th to serve time was incarcerated. Laura may have been in the water for some time and I wonder if this man was on the loose prior to the 13th. Where was Laura last seen and by whom….where was she living and it seemed there was no one who kept in touch with her to know she was even missing… what a sad state of affairs.
Cape Breton murder victim remembered as “beautiful little girl
http://metronews.ca/news/halifax/242991/cape-breton-murder-victim-remembered-as-beautiful-little-girl/
Edna Jessome, Laura’s mother talks to media.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/05/30/ns-jessome-family-members.html
Laura Jessome-Obituary
How sad. I don’t suppose the cause of death will be released. You arent kidding when you say the information released is scanty. Not even any mention of the name of the man who was stalking her. I wonder if investigators will be able to track down the boys who took the bag from the curb. Is the community small enough that the release of that piece of information might result in a tip? Are people convicted of crimes immediately incarcerated? If she was heard from three weeks ago, then it wasn’t the stalker if he was Jailed in April.
The devastated family members of a Cape Breton woman whose body was found stuffed into a hockey bag on the Mira River are appealing for her killer to come forward.
Video here…
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/05/30/ns-jessome-family-members.html
Vicky~~I am wondering if the one who assaulted Laura’s father and kept her confined was out of jail prior to April 13th because he would certainly be a person of interest. I have a source that is trying to get some info for me. I would like to know the name of this guy. Laura may have been in the water for almost a month. We don’t get much information from our RCMP while the investigation is going on. I did find out that Laura was just living from house to house with some of her friends.
GLACE BAY — Three locations were searched Saturday as the investigation into the murder of a 21-year-old Bras d’Or woman continues.
The body of Laura Jessome was found May 25 inside a hockey bag floating in the Mira River and the ongoing investigation into her death led Cape Breton Regional Police to three Glace Bay locations Saturday afternoon. Police are not disclosing what evidence was found during those searches.
Over the past week other search warrants were executed and a couple of vehicles were seized in relation to the case, but no further details are being released by police.
No arrests have been made in the case, according to a regional police spokesperson
Police search Glace Bay locations in murder investigation
Updated: Mon Jun. 04 2012 10:20:36
CTV Atlantic
The family of Laura Jessome has renewed hope after police executed raids on three Glace Bay homes this weekend. Members of a Cape Breton Regional Police Emergency Response team swooped down on the homes over the course of several hours Saturday afternoon and evening.
Police confirm the raids relate to the murder investigation of 21-year-old Laura Jessome. Police say they made a number of searches earlier in the week, which led to the seizure of two vehicles, also linked to the case.
“I feel we are getting close. We need the peace now. She deserves that justice be served,” says Jamie Jessome, the sister of the victim.
Read more and watch video here…..
Cape Breton police raid homes in murder case
Homicide victim’s father dies suddenly
The father of a young homicide victim in Cape Breton died suddenly today.
Charles John Jessome, father of 21-year-old Laura Jessome, was in his late ’40s when he died of a possible heart attack, according to a family member.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/06/11/ns-jessome-father-death.html
My source just returned from a trip to C.B. where she/he attended a funeral for the couple killed in a vehicle accident and also went the wake of Charles Jessome. Many rumors are circulating around in that area but I will refrain from commenting on what I learned until I get more substantial information. I can tell you that I have a feeling that we will see a break in this case soon. You may also go to Unsolved Murders Canada and read the comments re Laura Jessome there. I noticed that the last comment made included a link to my post here…
http://www.unsolvedcanada.ca/index.php?topic=6102.45
Another body found in Mira river????
http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/Local/2012-06-23/article-3015947/Body-found-in-Mira-River,-police-investigating/1
who was the other one found in mira river is any name released yet had a shock when found out the last one was related to me i hope and pray they find the people who did this horrific crime and put them through the same torture she went through rest in peace laura and also your dad.
hilda~~law enforcement is not releasing any info regarding the other body found. They say it is unrelated to the Laura Jessome case. Possibly it was a known suicide and they are keeping it hush hush. I am praying that they will charge someone with Laura’s brutal death. It took close to seven months to make an arrest in the Amber Kirwan case. I have friends who just returned from the funeral of the man and woman killed in the car accident (N Sidney) and the wake of Charles Jessome.
SYDNEY — Police in Cape Breton have released new information to the public in hopes of solving the homicide of a young woman whose body was found in a hockey bag earlier this year.
Topics : Mira River , Marion Bridge , New Aberdeen
The bag containing the remains of 21-year-old Laura Catherine Jessome was discovered floating along the Mira River near Marion Bridge, N.S., on May 25.
Officers now say they are trying to find the owner of a blue backpack containing a pair of hockey gloves that was found in the same area.
Desiree Vassallo, a spokeswoman for the Cape Breton Regional Police, said investigators have also concluded that Jessome was last seen on May 2 in the New Aberdeen area of Glace Bay.
Police say she was carrying two suitcases, a laundry basket and small bags containing her clothing and personal belongings, which they are still trying to locate.
Jessome’s case was added Monday to the province’s Rewards for Major Unsolved Crimes Program, which offers up to $150,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
More here….
Police looking for information in Jessome murder
This video shows the blue backpack and hockey gloves….
New clues in Laura Jessome case
curtis your friend always I just want to tell people that any kind of reward should go to her family they have been put through enough now we live in a small comunity and I know that everyone would agree one that her mom and family should get any type of reward. It breaks my heart still I pray every night that they will get them mutts who done this to you b. You know I was and am your friend forever rest easy God will take care of you and I hope that you are with him in peace and love and they got them I think it said I’ve been reading the paper and it looks like they got the ppl I should say cowards COWARDSSSSSS and I know it wont bring you back b but you can rest now knowing that the cowards are in jail and cant hurt nobody anymore again if anyone should get a reward it’s her family familyyyyyyyy…..rest easy b
Curtis~~thank you so much for your comments. I am so glad that the RCMP have been able to get these two men behind bars. I just hope they are not able to make bond and they keep them locked up. I understand that they are looking for more who may be involved. I realize Laura got mixed up with a bad crowd but she did not deserve to be murdered and shoved in a hockey bag. My heart goes out to Laura’s mother who also lost her husband shortly after Laura’s body was found. I do hope Mrs Jessome will get some financial support. The reward money goes to the person or persons who called in the tips.