A 49-year-old man is charged with the unpremeditated murder of his wife whose body was found in the rubble of their burnt home in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts in what would be the second feminicide in less than 24 hours in Quebec.
• Read also: Nord-du-Québec: a possible third feminicide in Quebec
Just before his brief appearance by videoconference at the Saint-Jérôme courthouse, Pascal Arseneault, 49, mumbled inaudible remarks and swore, referring in particular to “the kingdom of heaven”.
An agent hastened to turn off his microphone.
Photos courtesy and taken from the website of the company Les Pas Verts du Nord
The victim Louise Avon and her spouse Pascal Arseneault, charged with unpremeditated murder.
“He talks about himself in the third person. I strongly doubt his contact with reality,” defense lawyer Mr.and Marc-Andre Desnoyers.
The 40-year-old is accused of having killed his spouse, Louise Avon, 64 years old. His body was found in the wreckage of their burnt down residence Friday morning.
“We are very very surprised, we thought of an accident at the start. Not a murder, exclaimed to TVA Nouvelles the brother of the victim, Bernard Avon, visibly shaken. We hope she didn’t suffer. »
- Listen to the summary of events with Mario Dumont and Vincent Dessureault on QUB radio:
Photo Martin Alarie
Flowers were laid in the snow in front of the couple’s burned residence in the Laurentians.
Criminal fire
The fire broke out during the night, in the house on Chemin du Lac Arpin in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts in the Laurentians. It was probably a fire of arson.
According to our information, the victim could have been killed before the fire was lit. The thesis considered by the investigators is that the accused would have set fire to the residence to camouflage his alleged act.
Shortly after, police officers from the Sûreté du Québec arrested the victim’s spouse. He was charged late that afternoon with unpremeditated murder. The judge ordered a fitness to stand trial assessment and the accused remains in custody.
“There’s no reason to take someone’s life, he didn’t need to do that. He had only to separate. I hope justice will take place, ”continued Mr. Avon, his eyes reddened.
The couple had owned the landscaping company “Les pas vert du Nord” since 2013.
This is the second feminicide to occur in the space of 24 hours in Quebec.
Two feminicides in 24 hours
Thursday, Madeleine Désormeaux, 68, was reportedly killed by several projectiles from firearms by her spouse, Laurent Thibault, in Lebel-sur-Quévillon, in Nord-du-Québec. The 76-year-old would then have turned the gun on himself.
Since the beginning of the year in the province, four women have been killed in a context of domestic violence.
– With Catherine Bouchard, TVA Nouvelles
Other victims
February 18
Murder of Patrizia Rao, 59, followed by the suicide of her spouse Frédérick-Lynn Blair, 63, in Dunham, Estrie.
February 19
Murder of Maria Cristovao, 71, followed by the suicide of her spouse Joao Marques, 75, in Laval.
March, 31st
Murder of Madeleine Désormeaux, 68, followed by the suicide of her spouse Laurent Thibault, 76, in Lebel-sur-Quévillon.