Kingston Police make arrest in relation to Pine Street homicides

Kingston Police have made an arrest following the deaths of two people in a violent incident on Pine St in Dec. of 2020.

On Dec. 12, 2020 at approximately 10:00 p.m., Kingston Police responded to multiple 911 calls regarding a possible stabbing in the 100 block of Pine Street, in downtown Kingston. Multiple units attended a rooming house where three individuals were located with injuries. 

Two of the individuals, a 59-year-old male and a 39-year-old female, were found to have sustained life-threatening injuries and were immediately treated by Frontenac Paramedics. The 59-year-old male, who was later identified as John Blais Mackenzie, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The 39-year-old female, who was later identified as Krista Quesnelle, was transported to Kingston General Hospital by Frontenac Paramedics with life threatening injuries and was later pronounced deceased at the hospital. A 47-year-old male, who Kingston Police did not identify at the time, was also transported to Kingston General Hospital, treated for minor injuries and released. 

Kingston Police say that after an extensive investigation, they have concluded that the initial incident that led up to the two murders was a result of an ongoing tenant dispute at the same address on Pine Street between John Mackenzie, who resided in one unit, and Krista Quesnelle and her boyfriend Paul Luyten, who resided in a separate unit. It was determined that the dispute began after a confrontation had occurred between Mackenzie and Quesnelle, which resulted in Mackenzie stabbing Quesnelle. According to police, this subsequently precipitated a second confrontation between Luyten and Mackenzie, which resulted in Mackenzie sustaining fatal injuries. 

Luyten, 47 years old, has been charged with manslaughter, possession of a weapon dangerous to public peace and six counts of breach of probation.

The accused, following his arrest on March 8, 2021 by the Kingston Police Major Crimes Unit, was transported to police headquarters where he was held to attend a bail hearing the following day.