OPP charges 2 cops with obstruction after 19-year-old’s carbon monoxide death

Police in Greater Sudbury have charged two of its officers with obstructing an investigation into the death of a 19-year-old man in May 2025, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). Both the Sudbury police and the OPP have declined to provide further details on the specifics of the obstruction charges. The investigation focuses on the death of Roch (Rocco) Renaud, who died from carbon monoxide poisoning inside a home in Lively, a community southwest of Sudbury.

The OPP took over the investigation in June 2025 at the request of the Sudbury police and filed criminal negligence charges against two individuals and a company. Following further investigation, the OPP recently laid obstruction charges against three more people, including a Sudbury police sergeant and constable. The allegations revolve around off-duty conduct, and the police force is committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and accountability.

Last year, Sudbury police suspended two officers with pay following a complaint from the force's chief, prompting an investigation into their off-duty actions. The OPP assumed responsibility for the investigation at that time due to an institutional conflict of interest.