Slain woman found with hands, mouth bound in Lachine apartment

Montreal police (SPVM) say the death of a 64-year-old woman found in an apartment in Lachine Monday is being treated as a homicide.

The victim has been identified as Linda Salagan.

Police spokesperson Sabrina Gauthier confirmed on Tuesday morning her death is considered the 21st homicide of the year on the Island of Montreal.

"We do not have any arrests for now," she said. "We're still trying to figure out the timeline. Maybe it happened a couple days ago, a couple hours before the [911] call."

Officers received a 911 call at 7:45 p.m. Monday about an incident in a residential building on 32e Avenue near Victoria Street.

When officers arrived, they found the woman's lifeless body. She was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

A source tells CTV News that her mouth and hands were taped.

Sebei Salem, a private school teacher who has been living in the building with his family since December, said it's generally calm in the building, but that he noticed a strange smell coming from the apartment Monday night. He called the building's cleaning staff.

"Something is strange in this apartment, which is at the beginning of the [elevator]," he said, adding he was shocked to hear that a woman's body had been found inside. "I'm afraid. I see that now it's become dangerous here, to live in this apartment."

The Montreal police major crimes unit is at the scene Tuesday to gather evidence and investigate the crime.

-- with files from The Canadian Press.