Police in Gatineau have taken a third person into custody in relation to a double-homicide in Aylmer in 2014.
Sgt. Marc Tessier of the Sureté du Québec confirms the arrest of 34-year-old Ronald Junior Brazeau of Gatineau man. Police say he is scheduled to appear in court Thursday, May 7, 2015.
This follows the arrest and court appearance of the case's second suspect Wednesday morning.
24-year-old René Samson-Vonrichter faces two charges of murder in the deaths of Amanda Trottier and Travis Votour in their Aylmer home in January of 2014.
He has a lengthy criminal record including 2008 charges of drug possession, break and enter, mischief and breach of undertaking.
On Tuesday, 39-year-old Samson-Vonrichter,s girlfriend, Sonia Vilon, was also charged with first-degree murder.
Amanda Trottier and Travis Votour, both 23 years old, were found inside their home on Rue de la Terasse Eardley in January of 2014. 16 months after the murder of her daughter, while her little granddaughter was inside the house, Trottier's mother said she had all but given up hope of an arrest.
Victoria Lebrasseur says she bawled her eyes out and danced “a happy dance” when she heard the news that someone had been charged with the murder of her daughter.
‘Our hearts are lighter today,’ she said in French, ‘The investigation isn't over but at least this part of it is and finally we have justice for our little girl.
It's what she posted on her Facebook page moments after learning about the arrest.
‘Yes,O.m.g.,O.m.g. Justice…’ read the post.
Amanda Trottier and Travis Votour were found dead on the main floor of their Eardley Terrace townhome in January of 2014. Trottier's 3-year-old daughter was found unharmed upstairs.
She is now 4 and lives much of the time with her grandparents.
‘She misses her mother,’ says Lebrasseur, ‘and talks about her all the time. She even made a Mother's Day card for her.’
Officers from the Sureté du Québec arrested 39-year-old Sonia Vilon yesterday at a her home in Aylmer yesterday morning and were back at the house today.
‘No comment, you will have to talk to communications,’ said an investigator as he knocked on the door of the house.
No one the house would speak with us. Neighbours say the family rented the house and didn't know them well.
‘Let’s just say there's a lot of cars there,’ says neighbor Gilles Henri, ‘and, how do we say that, lots and people coming back and forth but we don't know what's going on eh?’
At the time of the murders, police believed drugs were involved, possibly organized crime. Today, they would not speculate on the motive.
‘I can tell you the investigation is ongoing and further arrests could be made regarding that incident,’ said Sergeant Marc Tessier with the Sureté du Québec.
Sonia Vilon appeared briefly in a Gatineau court today to face first degree murder charges. Her lawyer says she is shocked by the charges. She will be back in court May 22.
