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Veillette family tragedy

Home apparently being readied for sale

Colors Cafe also dedicates play area to Nadya Veillette.

By Denise G. Callahan

Staff Writer

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Nadya Veillette's parents were in Mason last week trying to salvage personal effects before they were tossed into trash containers. They also went to see their daughter's memorial wall at Colors Café.

The house on Brackenview Court has been a horrific reminder of the violent deaths of six people. Nadya, 33, was stabbed to death Jan. 11 by her husband, Michel. Their four children Marguerite, 8; Vincent, 4; and 3-year-old twins Mia and Jacob, died of smoke inhalation after their father drizzled gasoline in front of the bedroom doors where they slept and ignited a blaze, presumably to hide his wife's murder, according to authorities.

Michel hanged himself

April 15 in his cell in the Warren County Jail where he awaited his death penalty trial.

Some have said the pain could be eradicated by tearing down the scorched and boarded up home. The bank that now has primary interest in the real estate has decided not to level the house.

Kirk Sampson, whose law firm is handling foreclosure proceedings on the Veillette home for Wells Fargo, said the trash containers that are in front tell him his client is going to try and get the home readied for sale, not the wrecking ball.

"I'm not privy to the decision, so I can't say for sure," he said. "But if there are Dumpsters outside, they are going to fix that property up rather than tear it down."

Randi O'Neill, owner of Colors Café where Nadya worked for about three months before she died, has been the unofficial spokesman for the Veillettes' family, who live in Canada, where both Nadya and Michel grew up. He has asked, as have many others, "Who would buy that?"

He said Nadya's parents were in Mason last week.

"The impression I got from her father was that they found out the bank was throwing stuff in the Dumpsters and they came down to see what they could salvage," O'Neill said.

Dedicated to Nadya

Nadya's parents stopped by Colors Café to see Nadya's Nook, the new play area and candy shop O'Neill dedicated to his former employee.

O'Neill had plans to expand his business before the tragedy, but it was just a natural thing to name it after Nadya. The photo of her and her four children are prominently displayed under the name of the magenta shaded room.

"When this happened it was almost immediate we just said, gosh, let's name it Nadya's Nook and dedicate it to her," he said. "She was always so cheerful."

According to Bruce McGary, chief assistant prosecutor with the Warren County Prosecutor's Office, there are still a few procedural matters to dispatch with before the home goes on the Warren County sheriff's auction block. He said it would be about three months before the home is auctioned.

The starting bid will be two-thirds of the appraised value. The appraisals have not been made yet. Three independent appraisers will value the house that the Veillettes purchased for $436,659 in April 2006. The Warren County auditor appraised the property at $376,300 in 2007.

Sampson said his client will be a bidder, but you never know who might end up with the property.

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4525 or dcallahan@coxohio.com.

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