Quebec minister's aide abducted, police say

The Canadian Press
May 17, 2008

Rivière-Ouelle, Que -- Police say an aide to a Quebec cabinet minister was abducted in the early morning hours yesterday.

Quebec provincial police say Nancy Michaud, a 37-year-old aide to Natural Resources Minister Claude Béchard, was taken from her home overnight.

Police say Ms. Michaud's husband called police around 2:30 a.m. when he found she wasn't at their home in Rivière-Ouelle, about 120 kilometres northeast of Quebec City.

Police say they have no evidence Ms. Michaud's disappearance is linked to her political work.


Reference Source

What is the purpose of this posting?

General interest.

quote:

Originally posted by Na Cl:
What is the purpose of this posting?

Perchance, your question reflects your obtuse parochialism??

quote:

Originally posted by Na Cl:
What is the purpose of this posting?

Perhaps he is suggesting that the criminals in GY could emulate.

Or maybe he just craves ATTENTION.

Quebec police arrest suspect in Michaud's death
Updated Sun. May. 18 2008 10:02 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

Quebec police have arrested a suspect in connection with the death of Nancy Michaud, an aide to a provincial cabinet minister, just hours after her body was found in an abandoned house.


The body of Nancy Michaud was found in the basement of an abandoned home northeast of Quebec City on Sunday, May 18, 2008


Michaud, 37, was an employee of Natural Resources Minister Claude Bechard. Police found her body Sunday afternoon in Riviere-Ouelle, 140 kilometres northeast of Quebec City.

Sgt. Gregory Gomez Del Prado, of the Quebec provincial police, said the suspect is 26 years old and from the same area.

"He seems to know the victim, who was living nearby," Del Prado told CTV Newsnet early Sunday evening. "He is being interrogated as we speak."

Michaud's body was discovered after police received a tip from the public. It's believed the house had been abandoned for nearly 20 years.



A police car stands in front of an abandoned house where the body of Nancy Michaud was discovered on Sunday May 18, 2008 in Riviere-Ouelle, Quebec. (Francis Vachon / THE CANADIAN PRESS)


Before the tragic discovery, authorities had been investigating Michaud's kidnapping.

"The investigation has changed from a kidnapping to a homicide," said Del Prado.

He said officers found something in a bush near the abandoned house that helped lead them to the body, but did not specify what they may have discovered.

Investigators had released surveillance video showing a man dressed in black withdrawing money from an automated banking machine, using Michaud's card, on Saturday.


A man withdraws money using Nancy Michaud's card in this image made available on Saturday, May 17, 2008, a day after she went missing. Michaud's body was found on May 18, 2008.


"From that video, we got a lot of calls that helped us find Madame Michaud," said Del Prado.

She was reported missing early Friday morning when her husband came home late from work around 2 a.m. and couldn't find her.

The couple have two children, aged six and 18 months, and they were sleeping without any adults in their home.

Investigators said there were signs of a violent struggle inside Michaud's house in Riviere-Ouelle, a town northeast of Quebec City. Her body was discovered just a few kilometres away.

Police believe Michaud was dragged into a car sometime overnight and then taken to the bank where the withdrawals were made.

Quebec Premier Jean Charest offered his condolences to Michaud's family Sunday, calling the woman's death inexplicable.

The minister who employed Michaud, Claude Bechard, praised her as being "extremely devoted" to her job and said his thoughts were with the victim's family and friends.

Reference Source

Suspect questioned after body of political aide found

William Marsden and Amy Luft , Canwest News Service

Sunday, may 18, 2008 -- Published: 4 hours ago

MONTREAL - A 26-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the murder of Nancy Michaud, who was assistant to Quebec Natural Resources Minister Claude Bechard.

The homicide inquiry began Sunday as an investigation into a home invasion and kidnapping. Then, police discovered Michaud's body in the basement of an abandoned house, 2.5 kilometres from her home in Riviere Ouelle, which is about 120 kilometres northeast of Quebec City.

The suspect was arrested Sunday afternoon near where the body was found. He is considered an "important witness," Surete du Quebec Sgt. Claude Ross said.


Nancy Michaud was kidnapped from her home in Rivire Ouelle overnight between Thursday and Friday.
Courtesy of the Sret du Qubec


We are questioning him, and if the investigation leads to certain elements, he will be charged with homicide," said Ross, who would not reveal further details as to why or how the suspect was apprehended.

Police speculate the killer is the person recorded on video overnight Friday using Michaud's bank card to withdraw cash from an automated teller in the village, Ross said.

"The person at the bank machine in the video is our chief suspect," he said Sunday before police announced the arrest.

Michaud, 37, was married and the mother of two children. Michaud's husband reported his wife missing after he came home at about 2:30 a.m. on Friday. The children, 6 years old and 18 months old, were asleep at the time. Michaud worked for Bechard as a political aide in the Quebec Natural Resources Kamouraska-Temiscouata riding office.

"My thoughts and my support go out to Nancy's loved ones," said Bechard in a statement made public Sunday night. "She was a mother, a friend and an extremely devoted employee. On behalf of my colleagues, I would like to offer my sincere condolences to her close friends, her husband, Daniel, their children and her family."

Premier Jean Charest added: "On behalf of the Quebec government, I want to offer my sympathies to Nancy Michaud's family, colleagues and friends, as well as the community of Riviere Ouelle. Our prayers are with you during this inexplicable tragedy."

After finding Michaud's body at 3:30 p.m., police cordoned off the neighbourhood around the house on Highway 132.

Ross said information from citizens led police to a wooded area behind the abandoned house where police discovered "elements of interest."

On the lawn next to the house, they found tire marks resembling those of a small car that police said might have been used by Michaud's abductor.

"This led police to enter the abandoned house," Ross said.

Ross would not comment about the cause or the time of death, adding police will await the autopsy report.

The video shows a man entering the Caisse Desjardins bank machine area in Riviere Ouelle overnight Friday. He wore a black ski mask, a dark blue rain jacket with the collar turned up, black gloves, black pants and black shoes.

He inserts a bank card and withdraws cash, which he stuffs into his left pocket. He retrieves the card and leaves.

"We have had about a dozen calls about the video," Ross said.

Michaud was abducted from her Riviere Ouelle home late Friday, apparently after trying to fight off an intruder.

Police said they believe Michaud might have recognized her assailant.

The man is believed to have taken Michaud to the Caisse, where he withdrew the money. Police speculate he forced Michaud into his small car, then drove on a dirt road through a cemetery behind her home.

Neighbours said they heard no unusual noises on the night of Michaud's abduction.

About 50 police officers using dogs and a helicopter were searching the area for Michaud when they found her body.

wmarsden@thegazette.canwest.com

aluft@thegazette.canwest.com

Reference Source

quote:

Originally posted by BLACKBEARD:

quote:

Originally posted by Na Cl:
What is the purpose of this posting?

Perhaps he is suggesting that the criminals in GY could emulate.

Or maybe he just craves ATTENTION.

Perchance, an apt descreption of your presence on GNI?

Very sad state of affairs. The world is getting very unsafe.

No other charges laid in Quebec murder case

Canwest News Service
Published: Tuesday, May 20, 2008


RIVIERE-DU-LOUP -- No additional charges were laid Tuesday against the suspect charged in the killing of Quebec political aide Nancy Michaud.

Francis Proulx, 29, was charged with first-degree murder via video-conference Monday and police said he may face additional offences of kidnapping, confinement and robbery at a court appearance Tuesday in Riviere-du-Loup, Que., about 200 kilometres northeast of Quebec City.

But the Crown prosecutor stressed no other charges were laid pending the ongoing police investigation.

"We indicted him with the most important charge according to the Criminal Code, which is first-degree murder. The investigation is going on and we will see after that if other charges will be laid," prosecutor Annie Landreville told reporters outside the courtroom.

Ms. Michaud, an aide to Quebec Natural Resources Minister Claude Bechard, was abducted from her Riviere Ouelle home late Friday, apparently after trying to fight off an intruder.

Police discovered Ms. Michaud's body in the basement of an abandoned house Sunday afternoon, 2.5 kilometres from her home in Riviere Ouelle, which is about 120 kilometres northeast of Quebec City.

Mr. Proulx, who lived only a few blocks away from the victim, was arrested shortly after the discovery.

Ms. Michaud, 37, was married and the mother of two children. Ms. Michaud's husband reported his wife missing after he came home at about 2:30 a.m. on Friday.

The violent death of Ms. Michaud and the arraignment of a neighbour for the crime has shocked the tiny community of Riviere Ouelle.

Reference Source