| Michael Cartier |
Pulled rabbits legs out of their sockets, threw a kitten through a closed window |
Boston, MA |
Oct. 4, 1990 |
Cartier pulled numerous rabbits legs out of their sockets when he was 4 years old and threw a kitten through a closed window. We went on to shoot Kristin Lardner three times in the head, killing her.
Cartier has a long history of criminal activity:
May 10, 1987: arrested in Merrimac, MA for putting stolen license tags on a car and driving it. Judged in Amesbury District Court, fined $525 and put on probation for three months.
August 30, 1987: (while on probation) arrested for brawling in Lawrence, MA. Case continued.
September 11, 1987: Warrant issued for his arrest for failing to pay his fine on the auto charges.
September 12, 1987: Arrested for fighting with restaurant employees, released on own recognizance (no one bothered to check for outstanding warrants).
November 10, 1987: In Lawrence District Court for two disorderly conduct cases, put on probation for six months. (No action taken on the Amesbury warrant).
December 23, 1987: Arrested on outstanding Amesbury warrant.
December 23, 1987-January 9, 1988: Confined to the Lawrence House of Correction until he paid outstanding fines.
August 20, 1988: Arrested for trespassing. Released on his own recognizance.
September 10, 1988: Broke into a Lawrence market, stole money and $1050 worth of lottery tickets and cigarettes. Charged with breaking and entering, grand larceny and malicious destruction of property worth more than $250 (all felonies), released on personal recognizance bond of $5000 (for which he paid nothing upfront).
September 23, 1988: Arrested on felony charge of breaking glass door of a Lawrence store causing more than $250 damages. Released on his own recognizance.
July 8, 1989: Sentenced to six months in Lawrence House of Correction for breaking and entering the market. Given concurrent 30-day sentences for malicious destruction at a second store. All jail time suspended, put on one-year probation.
August 29, 1989: Injected blood into a restaurant ketchup dispenser in Andover, MA.
In late 1989 he moved to Boston.
June 15, 1990: Found guilty of illegally contaminating food (a felony) and unlawful possession of hypodermic needles. Given probation (still had six months coming for burglary in Lawrence).
October 4, 1990: Arrested for breaking into a neighbor’s apartment (he smashed through the wall with a sledge hammer). Cartier held his girlfriend's kitten under a hot shower and then shaved all its hair off. He then killed the kitten by throwing it through a fourth floor window. Charged with breaking and entering with intent to commit a felony, malicious destruction of property worth more than $250, and cruelty to animals. (Cartier still had 6 months coming for Lawrence burglary, as this was a multiple violation of probation). Arraigned in Brighton District Court, plead not guilty and released.
October 1990:
(one week after above incident) Kara Boettger, his female roommate, gets a
restraining order from district court in Brighton, Mass., asks that he be
jailed for probation violations. Cartier violates the restraining order several
times.
October. 25, 1990: Animal cruelty charge filed. Pleads not guilty, asks for
jury trial on that and the two felony counts.
Fall 1990: Beats his 17-year-old girlfriend Rose Ryan on Boston Common.
January 11, 1991: Cartier faced revocation of double probation and imposition
of six-month sentence. Plea-bargained for probation again, pleading guilty
to malicious destruction. Boston Municipal Court decided the case, required
him to attend mental health program. Burglary and cruelty to animal’s
charges were dismissed. (Released, even though he was now a four-time convicted
felon.)
February 1, 1991: Cartier was told he needed to turn himself in on Feb.
8 in Lawrence, where he was on probation for the catsup incident and had the
six-month sentence waiting for the 1988 break-in. Cartier expected to get
six months. Case Delayed.
February. 22, 1991: Cartier failed to show. Had three different probation
officers -- in Malden, Brighton and Lawrence.
March 26, 1991: Threatened to kill Rose Ryan reported to his probation
officer. Probation officer tells Ryan to go to District Court in Lynn, Mass.,
to get a restraining order.
March 28, 1991: Probation officer talks to judge in Brighton, gets arrest
warrant (takes a month to serve it).
April 2, 1991: (While the Boston Police were looking for Cartier) brought
to Massachusetts Mental Health Center and released when he denied threatening
Ryan.
April 14, 1991: Attacks Ryan with scissors in subway station.
April 16, 1991: Ryan gets a restraining order against Cartier, but no
fixed address where he could be served.
April 19, 1991: Arrest warrant issued for subway attack.
April 29, 1991: Arrested for probation violation, delivered to Brighton
District Court.
May 2, 1991: Court appearance, judge postpones case for a week to untangle
the charges against Cartier.
May 9, 1991: Cartier sentenced to three months at House of Correction
on Deer Island for violating probation.
June 20, 1991: Brought back to Boston Municipal Court for trial on subway
attack.
June 21, 1991: Sentenced to one year in jail (six months to be served
at Deer Island, six to be suspended for a two-year probationary period). No
contact allowed with Ryan, but he calls her from jail and has other inmates
write obscene letters to her. Ryan calls DA's office in Boston to report the
matter.
September 9, 1991: A jail disciplinary board sentenced him to 10 days
in isolation for refusing to obey orders.
September 16, 1991: Cited in jail for throwing food against a wall,
and sent to unit for troublemakers, drew another 10 days in isolation.
October 29, 1991: Sentenced in jail to lockup for attempted arson, destruction
of property and lying to an officer.
November 5, 1991: Released from jail early for "good behavior."
November 5, 1991: Taken into custody immediately and sentenced to 59
days in Essex County Jail for ketchup bottle incident. (Six-month suspended
sentence for 1988 market burglary was plea-bargained away and dismissed.)
December 5, 1991: Cartier given an order to appear (not knowing he was
still in jail).
December 19, 1991: Boston Municipal Court issues an arrest order for
probation violation (not realizing he was already in jail).
December 24, 1991: Cartier released from Correctional Alternative Center
in Lawrence.
January 17, 1992: Surrenders to Boston Municipal Court for probation
violation, failing to leave Ryan alone. Ordered to attend "alternatives
to violence" classes.
February 14, 1992: Cartier violates probation, judge revokes probation,
but stays sentence for six months and allows him to "start over."
February 1992: Cartier begins working as a bouncer at a nightclub.
February 1992: Cartier meets Kristin Lardner
April 15, 1992: Kristin and Cartier argue, he beats her in an alley.
April 16, 1992: Kristin tries to get him into another violence treatment
program.
May 7, 1992: Argument by phone with Kristin. Cartier refuses to
return $1000 exercise machine purchased with Kristin's credit card.
She calls probation officer.
May 11, 1992: Kristin decides to go to the police and get a restraining
order. Sergeant calls up three-page rap sheet and shows it to her.
May 12, 1992: Temporary restraining order issued.
May 19, 1992: Kristin reports more phone calls from Cartier, in violation
of restraining order. She assumes he will be arrested when he shows
up for the hearing. Nothing happens.
May 30, 1992: Cartier murders Kristin Lardner who was 21 years old.
This was approximately 8 weeks after he had first beaten Lardner.
Cartier shot and killed Kristin Lardner in broad daylight outside a Boston
sandwich shop on Commonwealth Avenue. Cartier later killed himself in
his home.
References:
| Blind Justice |
Animal Cruelty and Interpersonal Violence |
| “The Stalking of Kristen” by George Lardner, Jr., The Atlantic Monthly Press, 1995 (Kristin’s father) |
The Humane Society of United States |
| www.ojp.usdoj.gov |