Editing Roch Thériault (section)

==Arrest and conviction==
Lavallée underwent harsh treatment at the Ontario commune during the late 1980s, suffering [[welding torch]] burns to her genitals, a [[hypodermic needle]] breaking off in her back, and eight of her teeth being forcibly removed.<ref name="blogs.ottawacitizen.com"/> Lavallée attempted to escape from the commune after Thériault cut off parts of her breast and smashed her head in with the blunt side of an axe, but upon her return he removed one of her fingers with wire cutters, pinned her hand to a wooden table with a hunting knife, and then used a cleaver to amputate her arm.<ref name=":0" />

In 1989, Thériault was arrested for [[assault]] after Lavallée had fled the commune again and contacted authorities, effectively dissolving the Ant Hill Kids. Provincial authorities had long-held suspicions about Thériault's cult due to the particularly primitive living conditions of its membership, but because the commune was officially registered as a church, officials were legally unable to investigate the adults, and could not do much except ensure the welfare of the children. Thériault was found guilty of assault for the amputation of Lavallée's arm and received a sentence of 12 years' imprisonment. The vast majority of the cult's followers abandoned Thériault after his arrest, but during his imprisonment he fathered another four children with remaining female members during [[conjugal visit]]s. Lavallée's report allowed further investigation into Thériault's actions, exposing the wider abuses at the communes and Solange Boilard's murder. In 1993, Thériault pleaded guilty to [[second-degree murder]] for the death of Solange Boilard, and was sentenced to [[life imprisonment]]. In 2000, Thériault was transferred to [[Dorchester Penitentiary]], a medium-security prison in [[Dorchester, New Brunswick]]. In 2002, Thériault was rejected for [[parole]] as he was considered too high a risk to reoffend, and he never applied again.

In 2009, Thériault tried to sell his artwork on a United States-based website MurderAuction.com, which called itself a "true crime [[auction house]]" and was willing to sell some of Thériault's drawings and poetry.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Beeby|first=Dean|date=March 10, 2008|title=Cult killer's prison art for sale on U.S. website|work=The Star|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2008/03/10/cult_killers_prison_art_for_sale_on_us_website.html|access-date=July 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708081950/https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2008/03/10/cult_killers_prison_art_for_sale_on_us_website.html|archive-date=July 8, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Correctional Service of Canada]] prevented Thériault's works leaving Dorchester Penitentiary, and [[Stockwell Day]], the Canadian federal Public Safety Minister at the time, wrote to the Correctional Service to express concern that the killer was benefiting from work in prison.<ref>{{Cite news|date=April 6, 2009|title=Prison officials move to block sale of murderer's artwork|publisher=CBC News|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/prison-officials-move-to-block-sale-of-murderer-s-artwork-1.850967|access-date=July 7, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=April 4, 2009|title=Officials bring down gavel on murderer's art auction|work=CTV News|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/officials-bring-down-gavel-on-murderer-s-art-auction-1.386153|access-date=July 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708000352/https://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/officials-bring-down-gavel-on-murderer-s-art-auction-1.386153|archive-date=July 8, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref>