Suspect in murder of three women knew victims

SHAWINIGAN, QUE. — The suspect arrested in connection with the murder of three women in the city of Shawinigan was related to at least one of the victims, a neighbour said Thursday.

Police say the 51-year-old male suspect, who was arrested Thursday morning at a gas station north of the city, knew all three women killed.

He was scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.

Provincial police spokesperson Marc Tessier said the victims were 56, 61 and 70 years old.

One woman was killed and an 80-year-old man was injured in one residence in the town, 170 kilometres northeast of Montreal, while two women were killed in a home nearby.

The director of the local volunteer fire station said a 911 call came in around 11:45 p.m. Wednesday about a fire in a building.

Denis Boutin said the blaze was out by the time firefighters arrived and he could see a person laying inside.

Police said an 80-year-old man was wounded in that home before fleeing and alerting a neighbour. He was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Two other women were killed in a second residence not far away, police said.

“I can confirm the suspect knew all the victims, but right now it’s too early to determine who is who,” Tessier said in a phone interview.

He said the suspect attempted to start fires at both residences and left the second scene in a stolen car.

Liette Montreuil, who lives near the home where two of the women were killed, said at least one of the victims had a family connection to the suspect.

“It really hit me, they were good friends and today they aren’t here anymore,” she said.

Montreuil said she had met the suspect and he didn’t leave a good impression on her.

“He was an aggressive guy. The way he talked — it was very curt,” she said.

Police would not say how the victims died, nor whether a weapon was used.

Local resident Rosanna Muise, who works at a gas station close to where the events took place, said she was still in shock.

“I’ve lived here since I was 11 years old, and this is the first time I’ve heard any talk of acts like this,” she said. “Never, a massacre like that — because that’s a massacre, three people,” she said.