Châteauguay femicide victim ‘wanted divorce,’ says accused’s sister in courthouse

Simone Mahan, 45, was found dead in her Châteauguay home on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Quebec provincial police later arrested a 49-year-old man in connection with her death. (Facebook)

Marcellin Koman, 49, has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of Simone Mahan in Châteauguay, on Montreal’s South Shore.

Koman, who was Mahan’s partner, appeared before a judge at the Salaberry-de-Valleyfield courthouse on Thursday afternoon.

This comes after the body of the 45-year-old victim was found in their home on Jules-Dumouchel Street at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

Koman was arrested shortly after near Saint-Stanislas-de-Kostka, about 30 minutes away.

At the courthouse on Thursday, the accused’s sister, who did not want to be identified, told reporters that her brother recently told her that his wife wanted a divorce.

She says she didn’t think anything of it at the time.

The couple, from the Ivory Coast in West Africa, had three children together.

Neighbourhood in shock

Residents in the area say they are stunned by the death, in what they describe as a quiet neighbourhood.

Eheneden Aghatise, who lives three doors away, called the situation “tragic.”

“I have no words. I just feel so sorry for the family, especially the kids, Aghatise said. “It’s very shocking because things like that don’t happen in this neighbourhood. It’s extremely sad to hear.”

• READ MORE: Man arrested after woman found dead in Châteauguay

Sergei Baranov, another neighbour who lives on the same street, said he would sometimes run into Mahan while walking his dog.

“We would greet each other and exchange hellos, but that was it,” Baranov said.

He added that the family has lived at the home for about five to six years.

“This incident is worrisome, but you never know what’s going through another person’s mind or why this happened or what led to it,” he said.

With files from Laurence Brisson Dubreuil.