The student accused of having helped her boyfriend after the murder of a sexagenarian he allegedly killed was quickly released on bail pending trial.
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“Yes, Madam Justice,” said Zoé Boutin simply when the judge asked her if she understood her conditions, today at the Montreal courthouse.
Zoé Boutin, 18, was arrested this week along with her 19-year-old boyfriend, Nicolas Côté. The latter is accused of the unpremeditated murder of Luc Lafontaine, who was reported missing last week.
The 64-year-old man had left his home without his personal belongings, causing concern to his family, who then alerted the Roussillon police.
An investigation was then opened, which led to the arrest of the two young people while they were probably about to drop the body in the Richelieu River, in Saint-Basile-le-Grand.
Offense to a corpse
Arrested on the spot, Côté was charged with murder, while his girlfriend faces an accessory charge after the fact. The two are also charged with insulting a corpse.
They both have no criminal history.
According to the denunciation, Mr. Lafontaine was killed in La Prairie, on the South Shore of Montreal.
In order for Zoé Boutin to be released on bail, her mother agreed to pay $10,000 to guarantee her daughter’s conditions were met. It will have to respect a curfew.
The accused will not be able to communicate with the relatives of the victim or with her boyfriend. She also won’t be able to reference them on social media.
Restrictive
During the proceedings, Zoé Boutin must also refrain from possessing weapons.
These terms were negotiated between the prosecution and Mr.e Martin Latour, of the defence, so that no release investigation was necessary.
“These are binding conditions, it is a constant concern of the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions to protect the public and the victims”, recalled Mr.e Julie Sidara-Charron, of the Crown.
Côté will remain detained until further notice.