MONTREAL - A 23-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of his 19-year-old girlfriend in a Notre-Dame-de-Grace apartment Tuesday morning.
Sherri Thomas was killed in her home on Grand Blvd. near St. Jacques St. at around 8 a.m. Tuesday.
Thomas's boyfriend, Michael Gero, was arrested at the scene. Gero has a criminal record and has been in and out of jail on weapons, drugs and assault charges.
Gero was sentenced to 12 months and two years of probation for acting as a lookout during the robbery of a corner store deliveryman, in which a 65-year-old was stabbed repeatedly in the Ville St. Pierre section of Lachine in May of 2011.
Thomas's grandfather George Thomas spoke to CTV Montreal Wednesday, say he got a call the day before saying his granddaughter had been beaten and shot.
"When I was entering the front door of the Montreal General (Hospital), her mother was coming out the front door screaming and crying. I said, 'Maria, what's happening?' And she said, 'Sherri's gone...Sherri's dead," said a clearly emotional Thomas, fighting tears to say the words.
Because of some family problems, the young woman grew up in her grandfather's house. She moved in to the NDG apartment with her boyfriend this summer, a fact that displeased her family, because they were unhappy with the relationship.
"She knew about his criminal record," said Thomas. "But Sherri was very strong willed."
With his criminal record and history of violence, Sherri's father was also concerned her boyfriend was hitting her.
"He heard certain things but he couldn't prove anything and he didn't want to go over there and have any type of altercation or anything like that," said Thomas.
Gero is now charged with second-degree murder and will remain behind bars until his next court date in March.
"Mr. Gero is stressed, anxious, can't explain what happened, can't grasp the accusation. It's his girlfriend, his lover, as he said, the woman of his life, so it's very stressful," said defence lawyer Linda Taklit.
The incident occurred Tuesday morning, when people living nearby called 9-1-1 saying they heard screams and yelling coming from the fourplex where the woman lived.
"I looked out and there was a guy on the porch and I couldn’t really make out what he was saying," said local resident Cindy Derring, who awoke from the noise. "Then I saw the cops show up... he was looking down and looking back into the apartment."
Officers arrived to find a woman with serious injuries to her head and upper body. She was taken to hospital in critical condition but later died of her injuries.
Many friends of the victim expressed shock and sadness following news of her untimely death and expressed their sorrows on social media. One Twitter user announced that a candlelight vigil for Thomas would be held at the corner of Grand and St. Jacques at 7 p.m. Saturday.
