Son charged in killing of mother in Montreal's 1st homicide of the year
A 28-year-old son has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of his mother Wednesday morning in Montreal's Centre-Sud neighbourhood.
The Crown prosecutor's office confirmed the accused, Emmanuel Gendron-Tardif, appeared in court Thursday morning to be formally charged in the killing of the victim, a 61-year-old woman whose death marked the city's first homicide of the year.
The accused, a filmmaker from Montreal, was remanded into custody and is scheduled to return to court on Feb. 28.
Multiple colleagues of the victim identified her as Lysane Gendron, an employee for the City of Laval known for her passion for arts and culture.
Around 7:20 a.m. Wednesday, police were called to a home near Fullum and De Rouen streets for a wellness check of the person living inside. When they arrived, they discovered the body of a woman with marks of violence on her body.
Gendron was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her family is reeling from the violent killing, which has left her brother, Jacques Gendron, in a state of shock.
"[My sister] was so devoted to everything. She was passionate about her work, her family, her mother who is alive at 90 and who is living this tragedy in a very difficult way," Gendron told Noovo Info.
According to her LinkedIn profile, the victim worked as the assistant director of culture in the city's culture, recreation, sports and social development department.
Quebec MNA Virginie Dufour, who worked with Gendron for several years when she was a city councillor in Laval's Sainte-Rose district, said Thursday she was saddened to learn about the killing.
"How is it possible? It was really a shock. It's such a big loss for the city, for the citizens, for her family, of course, and her colleagues. I really want to send my deepest sympathy to everyone," said.
Dufour, the Quebec Liberal MNA for Mille-Îles, said Gendron leaves behind a legacy of elevating music and culture projects in Laval and making them more accessible to the public.
"She brought music directly into the communities, in parks. She really convinced us to finance those projects and to put more money into culture," Dufour said.
"She helped change the way culture is perceived in Laval and how it's accessible by Lavallois."
Montreal police said there is a "family connection" between the accused and the victim, but did not reveal the relation.
The accused was initially questioned by investigators Wednesday as a witness to the crime before being deemed a suspect. Gendron-Tardif has no prior criminal record.
Other Laval city councillors expressed their condolences for Gendron's family in posts on social media Thursday, including Sainte-Rose councillor Flavia Alexandra Novac.
"Words fail to describe the sadness we feel at this horrible event," she wrote on her Facebook account.
"Her listening skills, her gentleness and her ideas were part of the many elements that made working with her so enriching and enjoyable."
Coun. Sandra Desmeules said in a social media post, "Words fail me to express my sadness. This kind of event should not happen."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Trump's lawyers grill ex-tabloid publisher as 1st week of hush money trial testimony nears a close
After prosecutors' lead witness painted a tawdry portrait of “catch-and-kill” tabloid schemes, defence lawyers in Donald Trump's criminal trial on Friday sought to dig into an account of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election.