Man arraigned in death of woman, island’s first homicide of 2013
A suspect was arraigned Monday in the death of Pamela Jean, Montreal Island’s first homicide of 2013.
Juan Fermin Palma, 32, appeared briefly before Quebec Court Judge Lori Renée Weitzman at the Montreal courthouse where his case was remanded to Feb. 4 and he was ordered detained. He was charged with second-degree murder in the death of Jean.
Jean, 27, of Longueuil, was the mother of a young child.
Jean’s body had been found late Friday in the basement of a Montreal North duplex, on Hotel de Ville Ave. The street runs parallel to and just east of Pie IX Blvd., north of the Metropolitan Expressway.
According to the indictment, Jean is believed to have been killed sometime between Dec. 30, when she was last seen shopping in downtown Montreal, and Jan. 4, the day her body was discovered.
Jean had been reported missing by Longueuil police, and had last been in contact with family members Dec. 29.
Palma’s lawyer, Valerie Acosta, said Palma had been charged with assaulting Jean in the past but the case was withdrawn when Jean did not show up to testify against him.
According to court records, two cases involving alleged conjugal violence against Palma were withdrawn in 2012. He has charges of theft, breaking and entering and cocaine possession pending in both Montreal and Longueuil.
When Palma appeared at the Montreal courthouse Monday many of Jean’s friends and relatives were in the courtroom. Several gasped as he took his place in the prisoner’s dock and agreed to a condition that he not contact any of Jean’s relatives. None of the people who showed up at the courthouse wanted to comment after Palma appeared.