10 people arrested in connection to murders committed last year in Montreal

Montreal police (SPVM) and the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) have arrested 10 people in connection with two murders in Charlemagne and Montreal that took place last year.

Five men aged 21 to 31 and a 27-year-old woman were arrested, including four individuals who were apprehended last week during a joint investigation by the two police forces.

Four of the new suspects are currently behind bars for other crimes and behind bars at provincial jails and a federal detention centre in Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines.

“We are extremely proud of the work done by investigators from both of our organizations in these complex cases,” said SPVM Major Crimes Commander Jean-Sébastien Caron. “It is quite rare that we can gather so much evidence to charge so many members of the same gang in murder cases. We are also pleased to be able to provide some answers to the victims’ grieving families.”

The 27-year-old woman was arrested in Brossard and is currently being interviewed by investigators.

Nine of the 10 people arrested are currently in jail and are allegedly linked to a criminal street gang in the greater Montreal area.

“This is a major blow to this group, which is believed to have been involved in several shooting incidents in recent years,” reads a press release. “The investigation revealed that some of the individuals arrested conspired from detention facilities to order the two murders.”

According to the SPVM, two individuals aged 25 and 31, were arrested on June 18 and are connected to the 11th murder of 2024. They are also allegedly part of the same criminal organization.

On May 14, a 27-year-old man was shot and killed in the borough of Ahuntsic–Cartierville. The SPVM and SQ are still looking for Dylan Denis, aged 27, in this case.

Charlamagne and Montreal murders in 2023

The first two murders in 2023 took place on June 16 in the borough of Charlemagne, in the Lanaudière region. The victim died after being shot at close range.

The victim, a 32-year-old man, was in his parked Audi Q8 when the bullets struck him.

“Various elements collected by the joint investigation team indicate that the 32-year-old may have been the victim of mistaken identity,” noted the press release.

Nearly two months later, on Aug. 7, paramedics transported a 28-year-old man who was seriously injured by multiple gunshot wounds. He later died from his injuries.

The victim was initially found around 3:30 a.m. on Sainte-Catherine Street West, near Guy Street in downtown Montreal.

This marked the 19th murder of 2023 on the Island of Montreal.

Officers believe the second victim was potentially the real target.

The SPVM and the SQ worked alongside several police forces such as the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DPCP), Edmonton (EPS), Laval (SPL) and Vancouver (VPD), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

“Teams from the SQ and SPVM worked side by side for months to solve these cases, demonstrating exemplary collaboration during this joint investigation,” said SQ Crimes Against Persons Captain Jessie Houle. “The suspects will now have to answer for the acts they are suspected of having committed before the courts. Gun violence has no place in our society, and we have just made it clear to groups involved in this type of crime that our two organizations do not tolerate it.”

The four men who were arrested Wednesday and Thursday appeared at the Montreal courthouse.  They face various charges, including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

The individual apprehended on Thursday faces conspiracy to commit murder.

Anyone with information about these events should contact 911, their local police station or the SQ Criminal Information Centre at 1 800 659-4264. The public can communicate anonymously and confidentially with Info-Crime Montreal by calling 514 393-1133 or by filling out the reporting form available on their website.