The charred body found in a van in Beauce last Sunday is that of Karine Bélanger, a woman who may have been murdered by a dear friend before the vehicle fire.
• Read also: Calcined body in Beauce: all appearances of another feminicide
• Read also: A murder followed by a fire in the vehicle
• Read also: A body found in a charred car in Beauce
The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) revealed the identity of the 36-year-old young woman, originally from Quebec, a little less than a week following the discovery of her burnt body in a burnt-out and stolen van in Beauce.
Remember that the vehicle in which his body was found was abandoned in a cornfield along rang Saint-Pierre, in Saint-Bernard.
The body had been sent to the Laboratory of Forensic Sciences and Forensic Medicine in Montreal to be able to identify it, in particular thanks to a dental expertise.
A suspect in sight
An autopsy has also been carried out, but the exact circumstances of the mother-of-two’s death have still not been released.
However, according to several sources familiar with the matter, it might likely be a case of femicide in a marital context. A man in his twenties, known to the police community, would be in the crosshairs of the authorities.
However, the Sûreté du Québec has not yet made any arrests in this case. If the hypothesis is confirmed, it would be a 16th murder in a context of domestic violence to occur in Quebec and an 11th feminicide since the beginning of the year.
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Shaken colleagues
At the Walmart supercentre in Laurier Quebec, where the victim worked, there was consternation on Friday morning. The news spread like wildfire among employees the Journal spoke to.
Many were wondering regarding the circumstances of the death of the one they saw once more last week while others gathered in the aisles and spoke to each other in low voices, visibly shaken.
According to two employees, Karine Bélanger was rather discreet, but often confided in a close friend who works at the store. They just didn’t understand how anyone might go following such a good person.
“We learned of the tragic event in Beauce involving one of our associates. The Walmart family is very saddened by Karine’s passing. She remains in our thoughts and prayers,” said Steve Azoulay, spokesperson for Walmart Canada.
Contacted by the Journal, several relatives, friends and family members of Karine Bélanger preferred not to speak to the media.
– With the collaboration of Louis Deschênes, Jean-François Racine and Marie-Christine Trottier