Jean-Philippe Lamontagne, one of the co-accused in the macabre case of the death of Santiago Gaona, whose body was found torn apart by industrial machinery in Quebec, regained his freedom on Monday.
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Jean-Philippe Lamontagne and Cassandra Major both presented a request for provisional release Monday before the superior court, with the aim of being released during the proceedings.
Taken from Jean-Philippe Lamontagne’s LinkedIn
The two individuals are accused of indignity to a corpse and complicity after the fact in the murder of Santiago Gaona.
The man’s remains were found torn to pieces on the grounds of a tree pruning company in Quebec on September 16, 2023.
The shredder seized from entrepreneur Samuel Gauvin following the discovery of the body of Santiago Gaona on September 18, 2023.
Photo Agence QMI, Marc Vallières
The two individuals have been detained since their arrest on September 17, 2023 in Kahnawake. They were in a vehicle with François Bouchard, who is accused of the first degree murder of the victim.
The trio is suspected of having transported the body of Santiago Gaona from Bouchard’s home, located in Contrecœur, to Quebec. They allegedly used the company’s machinery, a shredder, to tear the victim’s body to shreds before burning the remains.
Therapy, curfew and $25,000 bail
At the end of the day, after the lawyers of the two accused had presented their evidence, Crown prosecutor Jean-Simon Larouche recognized that the defense had discharged its burden in the case of Jean-Philippe Lamontagne.
The 44-year-old man was therefore released under various conditions.
In particular, he will have to stay at his parents’ home, in Victoriaville, and respect a curfew. His parents also pledged $20,000. A friend of Lamontagne also agreed to bond him for $5,000. The accused must make an appointment at the CLSC to meet a doctor and register for drug therapy if the latter deems it necessary.
Cassandra Major’s case will continue on Tuesday since the public prosecutor’s office still opposes her release. It will therefore be up to Judge Carl Thibault to decide after hearing the pleadings of both parties.
taken from Cassandra Major’s FACEBOOK
Sordid affair
The evidence presented as part of Major and Lamontagne’s motion is currently subject to a publication ban. The facts reported by the public prosecutor, however, allow us to understand the theory behind the prosecution and the possible motive for the sordid murder.
François Bouchard, accused
Taken from Facebook
According to the Crown’s claims, Santiago Gaona was killed between September 8 and 16, in Contrecoeur.
Some sources confided to the Journal in the following days the macabre discovery that the murder could be linked to the world of narcotics. The alleged murderer, François Bouchard, reportedly has links to organized crime.
The latter has, among other things, a history of weapons, drugs and breaking and entering.
Cassandra Major has a criminal history involving drugs and breach of probation, while Jean-Philippe Lamontagne’s only record is one of impaired driving.