Victim Leduc was ‘creative, humane,’ sister says
The Ottawa police homicide squad is looking for an “armed and dangerous” suspect who allegedly beat a man into a coma in a Vanier apartment in 2017.
Gerald Leduc, 53, a father of one son, died from his injuries on Jan. 18, six months to the day after he was attacked. His family was by his side, hoping against all odds that he would recover, his sister told this newspaper.
The man his family called “Gerry” was “extremely intelligent, creative and humane,” said his sister, Noelle Trottier. “He had a great love for animals and tended to root for the underdog, always.”
Trottier said her brother had always been an intense person who suffered from anxiety. In the years before the attack, he had been estranged from the family, but they rallied around him in his hospital bed.
In the early days, they hoped he would turn a corner.
“But as the days wore on it was becoming more and more obvious that Gerry would most likely not survive this heinous attack,” Trottier said.
Police issued a broadcast to all officers Thursday evening, alerting them that the force now had grounds to arrest Marco Michaud, 36, for second-degree murder in what detectives believe was Leduc’s drug-related fatal beating.
On Friday, police announced a warrant for Michaud’s arrest and asked the public for any information that may lead them to their suspect.
Detectives began investigating what was originally an assault on July 18, 2017. Police responded to what they called a “disturbance” inside Leduc’s Selkirk Street apartment around 11 p.m. When officers arrived, they found Leduc bloodied and left for dead. He was taken to hospital where he remained in a coma.
Police in August, days after the attack, issued a public appeal for any information that would identify Leduc’s attacker, though they did not name the victim.
Homicide investigators took over the case in January when Leduc died from his injuries.
Michaud, his alleged attacker, is a convicted drug dealer with a lengthy criminal record dating back nearly two decades. He’s been convicted of drug possession, possessing a dangerous weapon, arson and robbery. In 2016, friends on his Facebook profile were commenting on him being “out” of jail.
Leduc, too, had brushes with the law, including convictions for theft, fraud, drug trafficking and possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking.
“My family and I would want people to know that Gerry was a good man, a wonderful father, a caring brother and friend,” Trottier said. “All he ever wanted was to be loved and accepted.
“Gerry was our baby brother and we all loved him very much. He will be missed.”
Police urge anyone who sees Michaud to call the authorities but not to approach him.
Michaud is described as a Caucasian male who stands 6-2 and weighs 200 pounds.
Anyone with information on Michaud’s whereabouts is asked to call the major crime unit at 613236-1222 ext. 5493. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or by downloading the Ottawa police app.
Leduc’s killing is the city’s seventh homicide of 2018.
My family … would want people to know that Gerry was a good man, a wonderful father, a caring brother …