pair arrested as suspects in deadly old montreal fire charged with second-degree murder
they were also charged with setting a fire on wellington st. on the same day as the blaze that killed a french tourist and her daughter on oct. 4.
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the two men who were arrested on friday as suspects in the deadly fire in old montreal that killed a french tourist and her seven-year-old daughter were charged saturday morning with second-degree murder. the men — justin fortier-trahan, 20, of montreal, and juventino hernandez pelaez, 18, a resident of the st-laurent borough — appeared before quebec court judge kettlyne ruben at the montreal courthouse through video conference. one was detained at the montreal police south operations centre, the other at the east operations centre.
during a press briefing on friday, cmdr. jean-sébastien caron, head of the major crimes squad, said the 20-year-old is believed to have used an incendiary object to start the fire and the 18-year-old alleged accomplice to have driven a getaway vehicle.
each faces five charges, including two counts of second-degree murder, causing a fire at 400 notre dame st. e. that caused bodily harm to a man, and causing a fire to a building while knowing someone was likely inside.
in addition, fortier-trahan and hernandez pelaez were charged on saturday with arson in connection with another fire that was started less than two hours earlier in a building on wellington st. in montreal’s sud-ouest borough. police spokesperson caroline chèvrefils told the canadian press on saturday police were called about a fire on wellington st., near the corner of ash st., just before 1 a.m. on oct. 4. in that case, someone tossed a molotov cocktail through the window of a two-storey building housing a boutique on the first floor.
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the fire in old montreal started at about 2:40 a.m.
fortier-trahan and hernandez pelaez appeared calm on saturday as they made their first court appearances and prosecutor marie-josée guillemette said the crown objects to their release. they cannot request bail hearings until their case is transferred to quebec superior court.
a conviction for second-degree murder comes with an automatic life sentence and the offender must spend at least 10 years behind bars before being eligible for full parole.
hernandez pelaez returns to court on oct. 15, fortier-trahan on oct. 18.
the notre dame st. e. building in old montreal was being used as a hostel and the five-alarm fire took the lives of french nationals léonor yvonne geraudie, 43, and her seven-year-old daughter, vérane reynaud-geraudie. the 23 other people who were inside made it out alive, though two were reported to be in critical condition by montreal police.
fortier-trahan recently served time behind bars for setting fire to a vehicle on april 30, 2023, in laval that belonged to someone with ties to the montreal mafia. the owner of the mustang damaged by the fire is described in a court document as having hung out at a café in montreal during the summer of 2020 with people tied to the montreal mafia.
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fortier-trahan pleaded guilty in january to arson and possessing a prohibited or restricted firearm inside a motor vehicle. he was sentenced to a prison term of more than 18 months but, when time served was factored in, he was left with nine months to serve.
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