Montreal matches total for 2009 with 31st homicide of the year

Montreal crime graphic

Montreal has already matched the number of homicides from all of last year more than two weeks before Halloween after what was originally ruled a suspicious death Wednesday was re-classified by police Thursday as a murder.

A 32-year-old woman was found dead behind a building on Centre St. in Point St Charles at about 5:20 Wednesday afternoon, and an autopsy on the body revealed Thursday that the woman was killed.

Police still know few details of the woman's death, Const. Olivier Lapointe said, but the autopsy showed she died a violent death.

Lapointe said it appears no weapons were used, but police have no other clues as to the cause of death.

The homicide is Montreal's 31st of the year, already matching the total for all of 2009.

Four arrests made in connection with Beaubien bar murder

There is also an update on the 28th homicide of the year that took place very early the morning of Oct. 2 at closing time of a bar on Beaubien St. near de Repentigny in the Mercier district.

A 21-year-old man was stabbed and killed in a fight involving about 15 bar patrons in the parking lot outside, with the victim found by police lying in a pool of his own blood.

One suspect, Jonathan Poulin-Agostino, was arrested and arraigned last week on charges of second degree murder.

Two other men, Kevin Tunis and Thierry Ferdinand, were arraigned Thursday on charges of assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon for a purpose dangerous to the public peace.

A fourth suspect, a 17-year-old boy, was arrested Thursday and will be arraigned Friday in youth court on a charge of second degree murder, Lapointe said.

Three arrested in metro robbery

Finally, three men were arrested Thursday in connection with the robbery and assault of a 56-year-old man at the St-Laurent metro station at 12:40 Thursday morning.

The three men, aged 21, 24 and 27, will be arraigned Friday on charges of aggravated assault and robbery.

The victim is in hospital in stable condition, but still hadn't regained consciousness by Thursday evening and therefore has not been able to help police in determining the motive for the attack.