Tony Demers: when hard-shooting, hard-drinking former Canadien beat his lover to death

Former Montreal Canadien right winger Tony Demers, 32, beat Anita Robert, 32, to death in the Eastern Townships on the night of September 15, 1949.
   The shocking event was a jawdropper, as the 5'7" Demers had been a high-flying hockey star nicknamed Little Hercules when he joined the Montreal Canadiens in 1939.
   His coach, the legendary Dick Irvin announced in December 1940 that Demers had the hardest shot in the history of hockey and praised him for not telegraphing its intended location when he released the puck.
   Irvin put Demers on his top line with future legends Maurice "Rocket" Richard and Elmer Lach.
    Although Demers only stuck around for three seasons with the Canadiens, he remained a major star for the highly-competitive Quebec Senior League, which offered salaries sometimes higher than those of the NHL.
  When Demers went on trial,  hundreds stood outside the packed courthouse. And yet Montreal newspapers made no mention of the event that was big news in the Townships. 
   Demers had been racking up gaudy numbers and one newspaper observer made a cryptic reference to some habit, likely drinking, that apparently kept Demers back.

   Close to being one of Canada's greatest hockey players  but for his temperament which makes his conduct unpredictable, he likely would have been a star of the NHL... rated the best right wing in Quebec Senior Hockey League.

Similar flattering words for his hockey skills - alongside stern condemnation - came later from the mouth of Justice Cesaire Gervais, when he sentenced Demers.

   This will put an end to your brilliant career as an international athlete, it is a pity that the strength which you displayed so proudly should have been used brutally and savagely against a feeble, intoxicated woman, who you had so subjected to your passions and desires, that not even the tearful pleading of her mother could keep her from going on with you. You drank a great deal on that day, knowing that liquor would make you quarrelsome and as a result you killed her. You plunged this woman into eternity without any preparation. During your sojourn in penitentiary I hope you will think of the fate of Anita Robert and that you will repent.

   Anita Robert,  the victim, was enjoying her final day in Coaticook with her family before leaving to join her husband in Banff Alberta, where he was working as a chef at the Banff Springs Hotel.
   She had taken her new husband's last name, Robert, but the relationship was still fresh enough that her father John had never even yet met the husband.
   Anita's two sisters, Bella Burke of Montreal and Laurette Williamson of Coaticook were also visiting, so Anita was in good company with both of her parents and her dad around before leaving.
   Demers, for his part, had met Anita seven years earlier and had become close to her about two years before.
   On the evening of 15 September 1949, Demers was still marred to Marry Bridget Ellen Conway, receptionist for the City of Montreal but the two had petitioned Canada's parliament for a divorce about eight months earlier.
   It was Demers' first time meeting with Anita's father and first time visiting her home. This was causing Anita some anxiety because she had led him to believe they were wealthy.
   Demers later said that he didn't care either way if she was from a wealthy family or not.
   Demers sat with Anita's family and the whole gang drank beer and rye. He removed his shirt to demonstrate feats of strengths. He boasted that he had six fingers and six toes.
   Anita and her father John Laberge went for a drink at a grill with Demers where he ordered $40 worth of drinks.
   The waiter declined the order and suggested he just start with a single drink. Demers became angry and threatened to smash up the place.
   Anita's sister Laurette suggested everybody leave because she foresaw a major quarrel.
   Anita's father John Laberge went home to sleep, as he had to work the next day. 
   Anita turned a blind eye to Demers' erratic behaviour likely knowing that it would be her last-ever opportunity to be with the hockey star before she moved in with her husband in Alberta.
   So she got into his 1938 Chevrolet Coach to drive to Magog.
   Demers expressed dismay with Anita for her plan to move to Banff and indeed his defence lawyers would later point out that her departure wasn't certain, as Demers and Anita had apparently planned a trip with her father to Lamalbaie during the weekend that she was supposed to be leaving.
   Demers, later on trial, said he planned to marry Anita after she divorced her husband from France.
   Anita's intentions were less clear, according to Demers, as she seemed preoccupied at her exaggerations of wealth being exposed.
   Demers said that Anita threatened to toss herself from the car onto the road because "he wouldn't love her anymore" after meeting her father, who was clad in his worker clothing and had a bruises on his face from a recent fistfight.
   The two drove into a ditch and Anita  took the wheel while Demers pushed. Anita called him a nasty name and this led him to hit her in anger, although he would later deny this.
   At daybreak Demers awoke in his car parked at the side of the road between Magog to Coaticook and saw Anita looking badly beaten.
   Demers drove the badly-injured Anita to his friend Robert Pruneau's unoccupied lakeside cottage at Little Lake Magog nearby and at 9 a.m. he called Pruneau asking for advice.
   Pruneau advised Demers to take her to the Providence Hospital in Magog.
   Demers carried Anita into the hospital unconscious. He identified himself to staff and said he'd pay for any medical treatment required.
   Anita Robert died at 1:40 p.m. that same day.
   Coroner Jean Marie Roussel said her cause of death was "a brain hemorrhage caused by blows delivered by a blunt instrument such a a stone, wood or fists."
   Police arrested Demers at 5 p.m. He expressed shock at the news of her death.
   A newspaper reporter went to Anita's house to get the family's reaction and they only learned of her sad fate from the reporter.
   Anita's husband came to Quebec for her funeral.
   Anita's mother, who had endured a serious illness for 16 years, grieved her eldest daughter.

    I told her not to go with him. She should have listened to me. I had a premonition that something terrible had happened when I did not hear from her at all today. This is a frightful thing, a horrible thing. I told my husband 'you should have kept her from going with him.' It's a terrible thing. She was always a clever girl, well educated and popular but her mind was turned.

  When Demers killed Anita Robert, he was still a reigning star of his sport, although his reputation had been a little tarnished a few months earlier when he suited up as a ringer under the fake name B. Taylor, for a Dorion team in a Montreal tournament in early March 1949.
  He said he wasn't paid to play in the three tournament games but a referee noted heavy gambling on the game in the stands.  Demers, who said he was mulling retirement, would have missed the first 10 games, the league hit him with a suspension for the ringer affair.
  Demers, who had been voted his league's most gentlemanly player in the season prior, was convicted on November 12.
   He was sentenced on 22 November to 15 years in prison for manslaughter. The jury took 10 minutes to reject the murder charge and convict on the lesser count.
   His lawyers sought an appeal but nothing came of it and he did his time and was released in 1957.
   Once out of prison Demers took part in an old timers reunion game in Sherbrooke, alongside popular former teammates, the black forward trio of Carnegie -Carnegie -McIntyre. But it was Demers who was showered with applause by 3,000 fans that November 1957 evening.
.  "By far the longest and loudest ovation was given to Demers who was cheered for a full two minute as he was introduced."   
   Demers would also take part in various other Canadiens Old Timers games alongside Jean Beliveau and Rocket Richard and coached various minor hockey teams with no mention of his past misdeeds. He died September 3, 1997.
   No newspaper appears to have published a photo of the victim Anita Robert.

Demers helps dig out the team bus
1947

Demers, front row, third from left, in a '57 reunion game

Demers alongside linemates Richard and Lach