Suspect in case of Montreal woman murdered during work video call has died in prison
Posted November 5, 2026 10:13 am.
The man accused of murdering Leila Ben Salem has allegedly taken his own life while in prison.
Yousef Moussaoui, 33, allegedly committed suicide on Oct. 22, a week after his arrest. The accused was hospitalized but did not survive.
“The Coroner’s Office was notified on Nov. 2 of the death of Youcef Moussaoui. An investigation is underway by Coroner Andréjean Luc to determine the cause and circumstances of the death,” the coroner’s office told CityNews in a statement.
Officials at the coroner’s office add no further information will be released regarding the accused’s death at this time, as the coroner’s inquest process is confidential. The final report, once completed, will be made public.
Montreal police (SPVM) arrested Moussaoui on Oct. 15 in the Ville-Marie borough.
Moussaoui was denied bail after the prosecution opposed it. The accused was at Bordeaux Prison awaiting trial.
Ben Salem was murdered on Sept. 22 while on a work video call. The SPVM were called at around 3:25 p.m. to her apartment building in downtown Montreal on René-Lévesque Boulevard, near Saint-Christophe Street.
The motive for the murder still remains unclear and may stay unknown, as Moussaoui has died before his trial.
Montreal police confirmed that the defendant’s death brings the criminal proceedings to an end without a trial.
“Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and loved ones,” the police wrote in an email. “We are aware that this situation deprives them of a fair trial.”
They noted that their investigation revealed that Moussaoui had performed work at Ben Salem’s home and that a relationship of trust had developed between them.
“The evidence gathered by investigators indicates that the defendant was experiencing financial difficulties and owed significant sums of money that had been lent to him,” the police stated. “Investigators also gathered evidence showing that financial transactions had been carried out on the victim’s accounts after her death.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre both offered their condolences to Ben Salem’s family, colleagues, and loved ones in the House of Commons in September.
Carney noted that Ben Salem was at work when she was attacked.
— With files from The Canadian Press
