The Sûreté du Québec has made a major breakthrough in a 2023 homicide case from the Outaouais region, arresting and charging two men with first-degree murder.
Arrests Made in Connection with 2023 Discovery
On January 14, 2024, provincial police took Stéphane Lévesque and Éric Chénier into custody. Both men, who are in their forties, face serious charges including first-degree murder and committing an indignity to a human body.
The arrests are directly linked to the death of Patrick Gagnon, 45. The suspects were scheduled for court appearances on Wednesday; Lévesque in Montreal and Chénier in Gatineau.
Timeline of a Disappearance and Discovery
The investigation began when Patrick Gagnon was reported missing on October 31, 2023. He was last known to be in the area of Mulligan Ferry Road in Kazabazua, a municipality located north of Gatineau.
Less than a week later, on November 5, 2023, a man's body was discovered on Heritage Road in the town of Gracefield. The Sûreté du Québec later confirmed the identity of the deceased as Gagnon, a resident of Lochaber-Partie-Ouest, Quebec.
Location and Ongoing Investigation
Gracefield, where the body was found, is situated in the Outaouais region approximately 100 kilometres north of Ottawa. The case highlights serious crime occurring in communities within relatively close proximity to the national capital.
The police have not released a motive or further details regarding the circumstances leading to Gagnon's death. The charges of first-degree murder indicate that investigators believe the killing was planned and deliberate.
The Sûreté du Québec's major crimes unit continues its work on the case, which moved swiftly from a missing person report to a murder investigation following the grim discovery in late 2023.
