Murder charges for two men in connection with Old Montreal fire
Two men were charged with second-degree murder and arson on Saturday, a week after a fire ravaged an Old Montreal building, killing a mother and daughter from France.
The early morning blaze claimed the lives of Léonor Geraudie, 43, and her seven-year-old daughter Vérane Reynaud Geraudie.
The fire erupted on the ground floor of the building and spread to the upper two levels which housed a hostel. Police have said 25 people were in the building at the time of the Oct. 4 fire, which injured three others.
Justin Fortier-Trahan, 20, and Juventino Hernandez Pelaez, 18, appeared in court Saturday charged in the deaths.
They also face a charge of arson causing bodily harm in connection to another man, and recklessly endangering life by damaging a property by fire or explosion.
After their arrest Friday, Cmdr. Jean-Sébastien Caron said at a news conference that one was suspected of using "an incendiary object" to set fire to the building, while the second is accused of driving a getaway vehicle.
Caron said both suspects were known to police but would not elaborate.
In addition to the Oct. 4 fire in Old Montreal, Fortier-Trahan and Hernandez Pelaez have been charged with arson in connection to another fire that took place roughly two hours earlier at a building on Wellington Street in Montreal’s Sud-Ouest borough.
Police spokesperson Caroline Chèvrefils told The Canadian Press on Saturday that police were called about a fire on Wellington Street fire just before 1 a.m. on Oct. 4, shortly before the fire erupted at around 2:40 a.m. in Old Montreal that same morning.
City records show the Old Montreal building belongs to Emile Benamor, who also owns another building in the neighbourhood that caught fire in March 2023 when seven people died.
Chèvrefils would not say whom the building on Wellington Street belongs to.
Police said Benamor has been co-operating with the investigation into the fires.
Earlier this week, a third building owned by Benamor in the same historic Montreal neighbourhood was struck by gunfire. Three people, including two teenagers, were arrested.
Police have not said whether those suspects were linked to the fatal Oct. 4. fire.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 12, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump on Day 1: Begin deportation push, pardon Jan. 6 rioters and make his criminal cases vanish
Donald Trump has said he wouldn’t be a dictator — 'except for Day 1.' According to his own statements, he's got a lot to do on that first day in the White House.
King Charles III and Kate attend remembrance events as both slowly return to duty
King Charles III led the nation Sunday in a two-minute silence in remembrance of fallen service personnel in central London as the Princess of Wales looked on, a further sign the royal family is slowly returning to normal at the end of a year in which two of the most popular royals were sidelined by cancer.
Porsche recalls 300+ Canadian cars at risk of losing wheels
Select Porsche owners in Canada have been told to stop driving their cars immediately and to seek repairs after an issue was identified that could cause wheels to separate from vehicles.
Mysterious black balls that washed up on Sydney beach were foul-smelling mini 'fatbergs'
The black balls – initially thought to be made of tar – were actually mini "fatbergs," made up of human feces, methamphetamine, human hair, fatty acids, and food waste, among hundreds of other vile and befuddling substances.
6.8 magnitude earthquake shakes Cuba after hurricanes and blackouts
A 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook eastern Cuba on Sunday, after weeks of hurricanes and blackouts that have left many on the island reeling.
Newfoundland man electrocuted by downed power line, two women injured
Police in Newfoundland say a man was electrocuted Saturday by a downed power wire about 10 kilometres north of St. John's, N.L.
LSU criticized after bringing caged live tiger into stadium before defeat to Alabama
No. 15 LSU has been criticized for unveiling a live caged tiger in its stadium for the first time in almost a decade before they were routed 42-13 by No. 11 Alabama in their SEC showdown.
Racist text messages referencing slavery raise alarms in multiple states and prompt investigations
Racist text messages invoking slavery raised alarm across the country this week after they were sent to Black men, women and students, including middle schoolers, prompting inquiries by the FBI and other agencies.
Paris to deploy 4,000 police officers for France-Israel soccer match following violence in Amsterdam
Paris police said Sunday that 4,000 officers and 1,600 stadium staff will be deployed for a France-Israel soccer match to ensure security in and around the stadium and on public transportation a week after violence against Israeli fans in Amsterdam.