Foreseeable: The Killing of Melissa Rae Blommaert

Foreseeable: The Killing of Melissa Rae Blommaert

Author: Dark Poutine / Curiouscast July 7, 2025 Duration: 57:44
Episode 374: On a frigid February night in 2020, the quiet streets of Calgary’s Bowness neighbourhood became the scene of a tragedy that would send shockwaves through the city and beyond. Melissa Rae Blommaert, a loving mother and devoted friend, was found fatally injured—her life stolen in a brutal act of violence. The investigation quickly turned toward someone heartbreakingly close to her: her husband, Ronald John Candaele. As the harrowing details of Melissa’s final hours came to light, so too did the story of a woman who had fought for hope and safety amid years of hardship. In this episode, we explore Melissa’s life, her struggles, and the devastating betrayal that led to her death. Sources: The History of BownessMelissa Rae Blommaert Obituary 2020 - Pierson's Funeral Service, LTD2021 ABQB 332 (CanLII) | R v Candaele | CanLII2024 ABCA 117 (CanLII) | R v Candaele | CanLII2024 ABKB 521 (CanLII) | R v Candaele | CanLIIcallitfemicide2020Melissa Rae Blommaert - Search - Newspapers.com™Ronald John Candaele - Search - Newspapers.com™Melissa Rae Blommaert homicide | News, Videos & Articles | GlobalNewsFamily remembers victim of Bowness domestic homicide as loving mother of 2 who enjoyed the outdoors - CalgaryCalgary man who drove over wife with U-Haul guilty of manslaughter, not murder: court of appeal | CBC NewsCalgary husband who drove over wife with U-Haul should spend 15-18 years in prison for manslaughter: Crown | CBC News‘Benefit of the doubt’: Appeal Court downgrades conviction in moving van death Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Podcast Episodes
The Fosterville Murders [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:38
Episode 354: In the quiet, close-knit community of Fosterville, New Brunswick, a crime of unspeakable horror shattered the peace on November 26, 1924. Two young sisters, Cynthia (14) and Necia Foster (10), were found bou…
The 2018 Toronto Van Attack [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:10
Episode 353: On April 23, 2018, a bright spring afternoon turned into a nightmare when a rented van plowed through pedestrians along Yonge Street in North York, a Toronto neighbourhood. In just minutes, 10 lives were tra…
The Westray Mine Disaster [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:26
Episode 352: At 5:18 a.m. on May 9, 1992, in Plymouth, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, in the Westray Mine, a methane gas explosion, followed by a coal dust blast, ripped through the underground tunnels, claiming the lives o…
Killed on the Job: Constable Emmanuel Aucoin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:57
Episode 351: On March 8, 1987, a routine Sunday morning traffic stop on a quiet stretch of Route 640 between Yoho Lake and Hanwell to the southwest of Fredericton, New Brunswick, turned into a tragedy that shocked the na…
Transatlantic Tragedy — The Murder of Ashley Wadsworth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:39
Episode 350: Ashley Wadsworth’s story is one of hope and adventure turned into a nightmare. Originally from Vernon, British Columbia, Ashley travelled to the UK to be with her boyfriend, Jack Sepple, whom she had met onl…
Christmas 2024: Mummers, Murder and Manifestations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:28
Episode 349: In the 8th Christmas episode of the Dark Poutine podcast, we once again dive into the shadowy side of holiday traditions that often go unnoticed amidst the festive cheer. This episode will explore the dark o…
The Gay Purge in Canada Part 2: The 1960’s -1990's [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:44
Episode 348: This is part 2 of our coverage of the Gay Purge in Canada. Last week, we uncovered the origins of the Canadian government’s purge of gays and queer folk, a campaign that began in the early years of the Cold…
The Gay Purge in Canada Part 1: The 1940’s-1960’s [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:13
Episode 347: In this episode, part one of two, thanks to Mathew’s intrepid and unflinching research, we’re peeling back the layers on one of the most harrowing chapters in Canadian history: the Gay Purge. Officially, the…
Complex Justice: The Tragic Story of Annie Mae Pictou Aquash [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:31
Episode 346: In this episode, we look into the life and mysterious murder of Annie Mae Pictou Aquash, a prominent Indigenous activist whose story continues to haunt the corridors of justice and activism alike. During th…
Particularly Cruel: The Murder of Baylee Wylie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:54
Episode 345: In December 2015, the quiet city of Moncton, New Brunswick, was shaken to its core by a brutal crime that would leave an indelible mark on the community. Eighteen-year-old Baylee Wylie was found dead in a bu…