ROBERVAL, Que. - Quebec provincial police say they've opened a homicide investigation into the slaying of one of their former members.

Police identified the victim today as Norbert Fortin, 64, a retired officer who lived alone in a rural area.

Police say family members found a body inside his home on Sunday morning in the municipality of Sainte-Hedwidge, in the Lac-Saint-Jean region.

Sgt. Jean Tremblay says crime scene technicians and investigators have taken over the home after police declared the death a homicide.

Tremblay says the area is a small village of about 800, but the victim's home was in a rural area with homes mostly spread out.

Fortin had been retired for some time and had worked at the nearby station in Roberval, about 260 kilometres north of Quebec City.