The mysterious disappearance of a woman in Montreal ended in a grim discovery when police found her mummified remains in her boyfriend’s home. Alasie Tukkiapik, 41, was reported missing in March 2023. She was in a relationship with Francesco Sansalone, 63, who shared a residence with his brother, Nicodemo Sansalone, 61. Despite numerous inquiries at the Sansalone residence about Tukkiapik’s whereabouts, the brothers consistently denied entry to their home.
On September 18, 2023, during a routine patrol in the neighborhood, police officers engaged in a conversation with Nicodemo Sansalone. According to court records, he revealed to an officer that Tukkiapik had been lying on their couch for the past six months.
The Sansalone brothers appeared in a Montreal courtroom on Wednesday, where prosecutor Simon Lapierre presented a joint statement of facts about the case. Lapierre detailed the officers’ experience upon entering the Sansalone home, describing the strong odor of decay and the unsanitary conditions of the house.
Upon further inspection, officers discovered a human figure under a blanket on the couch, later identified as the mummified remains of Tukkiapik. Nicodemo Sansalone reportedly admitted to the officers that he should have informed them about the situation, but his brother Frank had discouraged him from doing so and had left the house a few weeks prior.
Nicodemo Sansalone also provided the officers with the date of Tukkiapik’s death, which he claimed was February 12, 2023. As he was being taken into custody, he expressed regret, wishing he could turn back time.
Francesco Sansalone was later apprehended and arrested by the police. According to the prosecutor, Francesco Sansalone had been in a relationship with Tukkiapik for several years. He noticed that she had started bleeding while they were at a motel, but dismissed it as stress-related.
Upon returning to their home, Tukkiapik’s health deteriorated, but she reportedly refused to seek medical help. After her death, the brothers moved her body to the living room couch, where it remained for six months. The brothers allegedly tried to mask the smell of decay with air fresheners.
The autopsy on Tukkiapik’s body did not reveal a specific cause of death due to the state of her remains. There was no evidence of any traumatic injury or substance that could be linked to her death. After a prolonged delay, both brothers pleaded guilty to charges related to the indignity caused to Tukkiapik’s body and failing to report her death to the authorities.