Alexandre Gendron has been charged with the first-degree murder of his girlfriend, Cheryl Bau-Tremblay.
Bau-Tremblay’s body was found inside the Beloeil home she shared with her boyfriend Thursday evening. Gendron was taken in for questioning Wednesday and Thursday and was later arrested.
Gendron was formally charged with first-degree murder Friday afternoon. He looked exhausted and didn’t enter a plea during his brief appearance.
Bau-Tremblay’s family sat in the front row during the proceedings, her mother leering at Gendron. The prosecutor in the case told reporters the family was devastated and not ready to make any public comments.
Bau-Tremblay, who was 28-years-old and five months pregnant, was reported missing by Gendron Saturday afternoon, who said she left her home for a walk and did not bring her phone or her purse with her when she left.
Following the discovery of her body on Thursday, police said they did not know how long her body had been in the home, and were trying to discover if her body had been moved.
Neighbours say Richelieu police were inside Gendron's home where he lived with Bau-Tremblay for two hours Sunday. They never found a body. The SQ announced it was teaming up with Richelieu police on the investigation Thursday morning. Police from the Richelieu-Saint-Laurent region spent Wednesday searching the banks of the Richelieu River on foot, and with a helicopter and boats.
Surete du Quebec officers told CTV Montreal that they were the only ones able to obtain a search warrant and that they were only granted one on Thursday.
Bau-Tremblay had recently returned from visiting her sister in Magog. She and Gendron only recently moved to Beloeil and very few neighbours knew her.
To neighbours, they seemed like a normal couple. Court records Gendron had a history of domestic violence and alcohol abuse.
Bau-Tremblay was described as being sweet and caring. Friends say there was trouble in the relationship, but she didn't want to leave because she loved Gendron's 5-year-old son.
Gendron will remain behind bars until his next court date Sept. 15.
Meanwhile, neighbours have started to make a small memorial in front of her Beloeil home as a family gets ready to bury their daughter, sister, and friend, and her unborn child.
