The man shot dead in St. Michel Friday night has been identified as gang leader Ducarme Joseph, although police are not confirming the victim’s name.

Around 10:15 p.m. Friday a man in his forties was found bleeding in a parking lot at St. Michel Ange and Villeray Sts. from multiple wounds to his upper body.

What appeared to be a gun with a silencer on it was seen on the ground beside the body.

Police were only saying Saturday the man is the 18th homicide victim of the year, but The Canadian Press has identified the man as Joseph, who survived an assassination attempt four years ago.

Police say they aren’t publicizing the victim’s name yet because family members have not been informed.

There had been 17 homicides committed in the city at the same time last year.

Criminal beginnings

Joseph rose to prominence in the 1980 and 1990s, co-founding the 67s, a group named after a bus line that passed through his St. Michel neighbourhood.

He pleaded guilty in 1986 to the fraudulent sale of real estate property. He was also accused of intimidation in 1988.

When the 67s broke up, Joseph retained his position as the head of a group of gang associates, and the group was “active” in trying to take control of their neighbourhood and others in Montreal, in addition to offering their “services” to different criminal organizations, including the Mafia, explained LaPresse crime reporter Daniel Renaud.

Joseph would take jobs for the Mafia involving with prostitution, extortion and kidnappings.

“He was the kind of individual someone could send to knock on someone’s door to collect a debt,” he said.

Assassination attempt

Two men died and two others were injured in a 2010 shooting that police later said was an attempt on Joseph’s life.

Joseph is listed as the owner of the Old Montreal clothing boutique where the attack took place.

Police said looked like it was carried out by professionals.

Joseph escaped unharmed out a back door.

He was arrested days later as he was leaving FTM Construction, which is owned by members of Tony Magi's family. Magi is a real estate developer with ties to the Mafia.

Joseph eventually pleaded guilty to breaking bail conditions, established after an incident which occurred in September 2009. On the day he was arrested, he was leaving the N.D.G. business with people he was not allowed to be associating with, as per his bail conditions. He was sentenced to 10 months in jail.

In May, Carey Isaac Regis, Kyle Gabriel and Terrell Lloyd Smith were found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder for the shooting.

They were sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole for 25 years.

Possible payback?

Joseph is believed to have been involved in some way in the 2009 shooting death of Nick Rizzuto Jr.

Once Vito Rizzuto returned to Montreal in 2012 after serving a prison sentence in the U.S., he regained control of the Mafia and Joseph became scared for his life, Renaud said.

Joseph left Quebec for a time, and when he returned he tried to keep a low profile, Renaud said. Joseph was seen from time to time in St. Michel right up until Friday, when he was killed.

His death may have been retaliation, Renaud says.

Organized crime expert and independent MP Maria Mourani said for the past five years, bikers from Ontario have been working closely with the Montreal Mafia.

She said she believes those bikers killed Joseph to appease the Mafia.

Renaud said if the Mafia was involved with Joseph’s death, a retaliatory strike is unlikely because the street gang members work hand in hand with the Mafia.

Payback would only happen if another group was behind his death, Renaud said.

Joseph, who has Haitian roots, believed in voodoo and thought himself invincible.

“Obviously, last night the magic ran out,” Renaud said.