A Montreal woman accused of torturing and killing a man during a “massacre” at her home subsequently called a friend to take care of the housework, the latter testified this Wednesday.
• Read also: “I don’t want to die like that!”: a Montrealer tortured and stabbed to death following an argument
“She told me that they took a machete and that they ran after a guy and that they went crazy on him to the point where it was a massacre,” testified Christina Saulnier, during the trial of her friend Véronique Manceaux at the Montreal courthouse.
Visibly nervous, Mme Saulnier took the witness stand this Wednesday, to recount the scraps of information she was able to hear following the murder of Jimmy Méthot in September 2021.
Photo provided by the court
According to the Crown, Mr. Méthot went to the accused’s house that evening, in the company of other individuals. However, a conflict broke out and at one point, Manceaux began to hit the victim, who unsuccessfully tried to flee.
His attackers, including a minor, then allegedly served him a “last meal”, then forced him to drink flammable liquid.
Charcoal lighters were discovered in the home of Véronique Manceaux, where Jimmy Méthot was allegedly killed.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE COURT
“I don’t want to die like that,” Mr. Méthot allegedly pleaded, who was then stabbed to death.
During a search of Véronique Manceaux, the police focused on this box of chicken pie. According to the Crown, the victim was served a “last meal” before being killed in the residence.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE COURT
Housemaid
“In the following days, there was a cleaning of the premises, you will hear from an expert who detected these traces,” explained Me Jasmine Guillaume to the jury at the opening of the trial.
And for this, Manceaux would have called her friend who worked as a cleaning lady for a private company.
“She told me that the accommodation was in disarray following a party,” the woman testified. That it had happened a few days ago, that something had happened, she was a little panicked.”
Jimmy Méthot, victim of a sordid murder in September 2021 in Montreal.
Photo taken from Facebook
Being focused on driving, Mme Saulnier did not pay attention to what her friend was telling her, so much so that she did not seem to pay attention when the accused told her that “someone is dead”.
Just before the police arrived
Once there, the cleaning lady began to do her work when two men arrived. Mme Saulnier claimed that she did not know them, but that at one point, Manceaux would have gotten angry with them.
“She was angry that they didn’t arrive sooner, and that she had to do everything herself,” her friend said.
A first aid kit with soiled bandages was found at the home of Véronique Manceaux.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE COURT
It was only towards the end of the cleaning that Mme Saulnier had more details on the affair, namely the machete attack which allegedly turned into a “massacre”.
“Afterwards, I went home,” said the witness. I drove past later and saw the police, so I went straight back to the house.”
It wasn’t until weeks later that investigators contacted her.
The trial for Manceaux, who is charged with first-degree murder and indignity to a corpse, is scheduled for about four weeks. She is represented by Mare Carl Devost Fortin and Fanie Lacroix, while Me Marie-Claude Bourassa assists Me Jasmine Guillaume for the prosecution.