A neighbor called the police Tuesday evening after hearing screams in the building on rue d’Orly, in Laval, where a father and his son were found lifeless on Wednesday.
• Read also: Murder followed by suicide in Laval: the suspect killed his girlfriend in 2000
“I heard death screams, a huge boom and things being thrown at the walls. I knew something serious was happening,” he told Newspaper Francine Massey, visibly still in shock.
It was around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday evening that she said she called the Laval police, convinced that a woman was being beaten.
“The police came, but as there was no more noise, they left. I didn’t sleep all night,” adds the woman who has worked as a beneficiary attendant for 14 years.
For its part, the Laval Police Service (SPL) confirms that officers were on site early Tuesday evening for a noise complaint.
“It is an operation which was carried out according to the rules of the art. Lots of residents were met, but we could not find the source,” indicates Stéphanie Beshara, public relations officer at the SPL.
Wednesday morning, Mme Massey claims to have heard screams again, which – once again – made his blood run cold.
“Then the police arrived and yelled at me to stay in my home,” explains the woman who was only able to leave several hours later.
It was only then that she discovered the extent of the tragedy that had taken place in the apartment next to hers.
The police had found the lifeless bodies of Richard Germain and his father, Pierre. In all likelihood, the son would have killed his father.
“The door to the apartment was ajar and I saw all the blood,” she breathes, choked with emotion.
“We would never think that it would happen close to home,” she adds, explaining that she has only encountered the victim once since she has lived in the 185-unit building.
In front of the building, many neighbors were stunned to learn of the sad event.
“It’s a pretty quiet place. We are all shaken,” relates Chris Lavoie, 25, who heard the intervention group’s intervention Wednesday morning.