Ugo Fredette, convicted of two violent murders including that of his ex-wife, failed in his attempt to overturn the two verdicts.
These had been rendered by a jury in November 2019, which had deliberated just over two days.
In addition to the murder of Véronique Barbe, he was found guilty of that of Yvon Lacasse, a 71-year-old motorist crossed by chance in a rest area in Lachute, while he was on the run after killing his ex-wife. Fredette had stolen her vehicle to reduce her chances of being spotted.
The two assassinations were committed on September 14, 2017.
The 46-year-old man had also fled with a 6-year-old child who was in the house he had shared in the past with Véronique Barbe. This had led to a lengthy Amber Alert, which ended in Ontario when the man was surrounded by police.
In his notice of appeal, Ugo Fredette alleged that the trial judge had erred in her instructions to the jury. He argued that she had erred in law in telling the 12 jurors “that they must be unanimous on the verdict, but that they need not be unanimous on how to arrive at a verdict. of guilt ”.
In its decision rendered Friday, the Court of Appeal is of the opinion that “no error has been demonstrated in the circumstances”. Under the pen of Judge Patrick Healy, who dealt with the question in just 8 pages, the Court dismissed the appeal, stressing that the judge interpreted the lessons of the case law correctly.
Fredette was sentenced to life in prison, with no possibility of parole for 25 years.
Watch video