Jeremy Molitor

Case details

Jeremy Molitor was a former Canadian boxer and Commonwealth Games gold medalist. He was educated at Sarnia’s Northern Collegiate Institution and Vocational School (N.C.I.V.S.). During high school, Jeremy was described as an outspoken and violent bully. He and his younger brother Steve were known affectionately as the “Bruise Brothers”.

Timeline

• late 1990s — Jeremy Molitor and his younger brother Steve rose from Sarnia’s gyms to the top of Canada’s amateur boxing ranks.
• 1998 — Molitor won the Welterweight (67kg) title at the Commonwealth Games held at Kuala Lumpur by defeating Absolom Okoth of Kenya 14-9 to claim the gold medal.
• 1998 to 2002 — After the 1998 Commonwealth Games, Molitor was considered a celebrity in his native Lambton County; his career declined from the period after he narrowly failed to qualify for the 2000 Summer Olympics.
• late Saturday morning (before May 6, 2002) — Jessica Nethery’s body was found inside a locked car in a parking garage.
• December 2001 — Nethery lodged a complaint of assault and threatening against 24-year-old Molitor; the matter was set to go to trial in June; Molitor was barred from communicating with Nethery as a condition of release on bail.
• May 4, 2002 — Molitor confronted his ex-girlfriend, 21-year-old waitress Jessica Nethery, in a parking garage and stabbed her 58 times.
• December 2004 — Molitor was convicted of second-degree murder.
• May 2005 — Molitor was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 14 years.
• 2015 — With credit for time already served, Molitor could apply for parole in 2015.

The offence

On May 4, 2002, Jeremy Molitor confronted his ex-girlfriend, Jessica Nethery, in a parking garage and stabbed her 58 times. She bled to death in her red Pontiac Grand Am. At the time, Molitor was under a restraining order to stay away from his former girlfriend.

Police and the Crown said Molitor was under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time.

Investigation and background

Molitor’s behaviour included prior abuse of Nethery. Police and the Crown referenced a complaint made by Nethery in December about assault and threatening. Sgt. Norman Hansen said police and the Crown recommended against releasing Molitor at the time of his December release.

Nethery’s father, Carl Nethery, said his daughter and Molitor ended their relationship after the December incident, but there seemed to have been some communication between the two several days before she died:

“She was a sweetheart,” Carl Nethery said of his daughter. “I don't know how I'm going to live without her.”

Molitor had an arm injury that included a severed tendon and artery, which required surgery in London, Ont., according to Ed Gresham. Molitor appeared in court with his right forearm wrapped heavily in bandages.

Molitor was listed in police reports as being under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time.

Arrest and custody

In December 2004, Molitor was convicted of second-degree murder. In May 2005, he was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 14 years. The sentencing and the conviction followed the earlier remand and adjournment in the criminal proceedings described in May 2002.

On Monday, May 6, 2002, Justice of the peace Joanne Rogers remanded Molitor into custody and granted Molitor’s lawyer, Ed Gresham, a request to have the case adjourned for a week so he could review the Crown’s evidence against Molitor.

Trial

Sentencing

In May 2005, Molitor was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 14 years.

The sentencing followed conviction in December 2004.

Appeals

No appeal information was provided.

Outcome

Jeremy Molitor was serving a life sentence with no chance of parole for 14 years.

With credit for time already served, he could apply for parole in 2015.

Aftermath and other people

Molitor’s younger brother Stephen Molitor attended the court session. Stephen was described as the current International Boxing Federation bantamweight champion.

Stephen said:

“Regardless of what has happened I love my brother, and I'm going to stand by him,” Stephen said.

Stephen also expressed sympathy for Nethery’s family:

“I knew Jessica and she did not deserve to die,” he said. “She's the same age as myself. Her family must be heartbroken. As you can see it's torn two families apart in the same process.”

Stephen Molitor was described as currently boxing professionally and as the IBF light featherweight champion.

Ed Gresham said a decision on whether Molitor would seek bail had not yet been reached:

“That's a decision that Mr. Molitor will need to make, and he's going to need some information as far as Crown disclosure just to be able to make an informed decision on that,” he said.

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