“The worst is when you know the person,” says André Leduc, still shaken by the death of his immediate neighbor on the night of Sunday to Monday. An alleged murder that shakes the peaceful streets of this neighborhood of Sorel-Tracy.
Updated yesterday at 9:23 p.m.
Dazzling sunshine, immaculate lawns, mature trees: in this sector of Sorel-Tracy, on a bright summer evening, nothing suggests that the body of Audrey-Sabrina Gratton was found in sordid circumstances, less than 24 hours earlier.
A large security perimeter was in place on Turcotte Street at the time of writing these lines. Fire scene and crime scene technicians from the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) crisscrossed the scene to carry out analyzes and try to clarify the circumstances that led to the death of the victim.
The previous night, the body of Audrey-Sabrina Gratton, who was 43, was found in her home, charred. 700 meters away, rue Carignan, an injured man in his thirties was arrested by the SQ and taken to hospital. A second perimeter was set up for part of the day to analyze the scene.
PHOTO SARKA VANCUROVA, THE PRESS
Security perimeter on rue Turcotte, in Sorel-Tracy, in Montérégie
“There are still things to be clarified on the cause of death [de Mme Gratton], confirmed Stéphane Tremblay, spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec, late Monday evening. The person arrested is hospitalized and will be questioned when his condition allows it. »
Eventful evening
For André Leduc, it all started around 10:50 p.m. Sunday evening. The man celebrated his 74th birthday by enjoying the night air in his backyard, adjoining that of Mrs.me Gratton, he tells The Press, leaning on his fence. Mr. Leduc’s property is part of the security perimeter established by the SQ.
“I had a burning smell,” he continues. Her dog, an Alaskan Malamute, started to get nervous. They entered the house.
A few minutes later, flashing lights illuminated the street: the fire safety services were on site.
PHOTO SARKA VANCUROVA, THE PRESS
André Leduc
The house where M livedme Gratton, a small bungalow with a backyard, was also occupied by the owner and another couple of tenants, explains Mr. Leduc. Mme Gratton lived alone, and a couple occupied the other apartment.
They heard a bang, then a scream. The neighbor came out and that’s when he saw the flames [chez Mme Gratton]. It all happened in 10-15 minutes.
André Leduc, neighbor of the victim
The neighborhood then gathered outside. Audrey-Sabrina Gratton was missing. His body was found in his apartment. “When they took it out, it was already covered,” testifies Mr. Leduc, still shaken. The septuagenarian wouldn’t have wanted to see her anyway. “I want to remember that girl as she was! “, he launches.
And how was she? Kind, always ready to help, strong, she loved gardening and dogs and she had character, lists Mr. Leduc. She had friends and she was a mother, she had a daughter in her twenties.
The two neighbors had good neighborly relations, but not enough for him to have any idea of what could have happened in the apartment on the evening of the tragedy.
“I would never have thought to see something like that near our home,” breathes Mr. Leduc.
A district without history
“In our area, it’s quiet. We’ve been here for 50 years and I’ve never seen that,” says Lise Bernier-Proulx. The Press came across the barefoot lady in her garden of perennials, in front of her house. She had gone out picking lettuce and herbs to prepare supper, a block away from the drama. “It pains me in titi”, is moved the lady.
However, many of the neighbors on rue Turcotte did not learn of the tragedy until they woke up. None of those encountered by The Press did not know Audrey-Sabrina Gratton. “I only know two or three neighbours,” acknowledged one of them.
“Here, in the evening, there is nothing,” adds André Leduc, who has lived in Sorel-Tracy for a year and a half. “And during the day, the worst you see is people burning stop signs and guys making noise with their [silencieux] ! »