A Quebec man faces a charge of first-degree murder in connection with human remains discovered in the provincial capital region.
According to the act of denunciation, of which The Canadian Press obtained a copy, François Bouchard, 31, was accused Friday at the Quebec courthouse of the murder of Santiago Gaona. The homicide occurred between September 8 and 16, 2023, the document reveals.
His co-defendants, Cassandra Major, 31, of Prévost, and Jean-Phillipe Lamontagne, 44, of Blainville, were charged with complicity in murder after the fact.
The three suspects were arrested on the evening of September 17 on the Mohawk territory of Kahnawake, in the Montreal region, and initially accused of committing indignity to a corpse.
Human remains were found on September 17 in a field in Ancienne-Lorette, in the Quebec region, but police said the murder probably occurred about 200 kilometers away, in Contrecoeur, to the north -east of Montreal. This is the municipality where Mr. Bouchard lives.
According to his Facebook profile, the victim, Santiago Gaona, 26, was a musician living in Montreal and originally from Colombia. Her sister launched an online fundraising campaign to help cover her funeral costs.
After Friday’s hearing, prosecutor Jean-Simon Lamarche told reporters the case was complex and the next steps would be to complete the disclosure of evidence to defense lawyers.
The case will return to the Quebec courts on November 24.