Suspect arrested in connection with murder of Quebec woman in Cuba

Arrest in murder of Quebec woman in Cuba An arrest has been made following the murder of Antoinette Traboulsi, a Montreal hospital worker and mother of four found dead in Cuba.

MONTREAL — A suspect has been arrested in connection with the murder of a Montreal woman who was vacationing in Cuba last week.

Global Affairs Canada shared the news of the arrest with the woman's cousin, Sami Soussa, who has been acting as a point person between the family and authorities.

“It’s a relief, but at the same time there are still other questions,” Soussa told CTV News.

Antoinette Traboulsi, an orderly and mother of four from Montreal, was found dead beneath the sand on a public beach in Varadero a few days after she landed in Cuba. She had gone missing the day after she arrived.

Global Affairs Canada confirmed Traboulsi's death was a murder -- she had bite marks on her chest and her face had been beaten badly.

In an update to Soussa on Wednesday, a Global Affairs Canada management officer said Cuban police in Varadero confirmed there has been an arrest, but didn't share any details such as the name, sex or age of the person who has been taken into custody.

“I hope that the Cuban police would be able to give more information to the family because this will help us to better rest and for us to grieve as well," Soussa said.

He added that the family has been receiving messages on social media from people who believe they have information that can help them.

Soussa is planning to travel to Cuba to retrieve Traboulsi's body, but Cuban authorities said they can't do that just yet because of the ongoing investigation.

"For now we can't go there, so we've spoken to a lawyer," Soussa said.

The lawyer, Soussa said, helped the family of a woman who was murdered in Varadero earlier this year.