No new charges were laid today against a 29-year-old Quebec man charged in connection with the death of a Quebec provincial minister's aide.

Francois Proulx made a brief appearance Tuesday in court in Riviere du Loup, Que.

Proulx, who has been incarcerated since his arrest, is expected to return to court Friday to find out whether he will be freed on bail.

He has been charged with murder but police had said Proulx could face additional charges of kidnapping, confinement and robbery, said CTV Montreal's John Grant.

The Crown prosecutor told the court their investigation is still continuing.

Nancy Michaud, a 37-year-old employee of Quebec's natural resources minister Claude Bechard, was taken from her home early Friday morning as her two young boys slept in their beds.

Both Michaud and Proulx lived in Riviere-Ouelle, a small community about 140 kilometres northeast of Quebec City on the southern shore of the St Lawrence River. The two lived about a three-minute walk apart and likely knew each other.

Grant said the small farming community is still reeling from the tragedy.

"They're dealing with it as well as you can expect them to deal with it," Grant told CTV's Canada AM.

"It's a small community. Most people know each other and to have a murder in a community like that, where people don't normally lock their doors at night, is a terrible thing."

So far, few details have been revealed about Proulx. Michaud, who was an aide to a provincial cabinet minister, was well known across the riding.

"She was well known as a good mom with two little kids, a good life. People really, really liked her. She was very involved in her community, so it was a big shock," Grant said.

Michaud's husband came home from work at about 2 a.m. Friday to find his wife missing, while his two children slept.

Police later said they found evidence of a violent struggle between Michaud and her attacker.

On Saturday, investigators released footage of a suspect using Michaud's bank card at an ATM, and asked for help in identifying the masked man.

After following up on one tip, police found Michaud's body in the basement of an abandoned residence a few kilometres from her home.

A suspect was charged on Monday and was arraigned by a Quebec City judge via video link.

With files from The Canadian Press