Charge against man could be upgraded after ex-girlfriend fatally pushed from Montreal balcony

A man arrested shortly after a woman was allegedly pushed to her death from the third-storey balcony of a Montreal apartment building could see the charge against him get upgraded.

BACKGROUND: Woman pushed from third-floor balcony in Montreal has died

James Theramene of Laval is facing an aggravated assault charge in the New Year’s Day death of Tadjan’ah Desir.

An anti-domestic violence organization has identified the accused and victim, both 31 years old, as ex-partners.

Theramene was expected in court Wednesday, but the case was postponed until Monday.

Desir died in hospital after allegedly being pushed from the Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve apartment during what a witness told police was a confrontation.

The SPVM has called it the first murder of 2026 in the Montreal area.

It happened around 8:15 a.m. on Sainte-Catherine Street near Jeanne-d’Arc Avenue.

Theramene was arrested at the scene. The allegation against him has not been tested in court.

SPVM police cruiser
SPVM cruiser near Sainte-Catherine Street East and Jeanne-d’Arc Boulevard in Montreal’s Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough, near the site where a 31-year-old woman was allegedly pushed from a third-floor balcony on Jan. 1, 2026 (Jonathan Nudell, CityNews)

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