The boyfriend of Cheryl Bau-Tremblay, a young mother who was found dead in her Quebec home, has been charged with first-degree murder.
Alexandre Gendron, 35, was formally charged during a brief court appearance Friday afternoon.
Bau-Tremblay’s body was found Thursday inside the Beloeil, Que., home she shared with Gendron.
The 28-year-old mother of one, who was five months pregnant, had been missing since Saturday.
Richelieu Police, who were initially handling the case, said they were told that Bau-Tremblay had just returned from spending a few days visiting her sister in Magog, in the Eastern Townships, and then left home on foot alone but never returned. They noted the disappearance was highly unusual, as Tremblay had left without a purse or a phone.
On Wednesday, Richelieu police scoured the nearby Richelieu River, using boats, helicopter, and a bike patrol along the river banks.
It is unclear if Richelieu police ever entered the couple's home. Surete du Quebec officers told CTV Montreal they were the only ones able to obtain a search warrant for the home.
It is when the SQ entered the home that Bau-Tremblay’s body was discovered. They said they did not know how long her body had been in the home, and were trying to determine if her body had been moved. The suspected cause of death was not revealed.
Neighbours say the couple has just moved into the area about a month ago and while they didn't know much about them, they appeared friendly.
Neighbour Michel Parent told CTV Montreal he was surprised to learn of the death, saying he had never heard any fighting or seen anything strange at the home.
Court documents show that Gendron has a history of domestic violence and alcohol abuse, CTV Montreal’s Rob Lurie reported Friday.
With a report from CTV Montreal's Natalie Nanowski
