CTV News Montreal

Updated: Fri Nov. 06 2009 5:46:55 PM

ctvmontreal.ca

Exactly one month after Natasha Cournoyer's body was found in Pointe-aux-Trembles, Montreal and Laval police have arrested a man in her murder.

48-year-old Claude Larouche appeared in court Friday to be charged with first-degree murder.

He entered a plea of not guilty.

The Montreal police major crimes section arrested Larouche Thursday evening at his home in Ahuntsic, where he lives with a woman and children.

Cournoyer, 37, was found dead in Montreal's east end last month, five days after she disappeared from a Corrections Canada parking lot in Laval on Oct. 1.

Police say her murder was completely random.

"There is no link, absolutely no link, personal link between the victim and the suspect," said Montreal Police Inspector Daniel Rousseau.

Larouche's history

Larouche is a carpenter with several prior convictions for multiple crimes, including sexual assault.

In 2005 he was sentenced to 40 months in jail for attempting to kidnap a seven-year-old girl.

Police say because of his record, they had DNA evidence for him on file.

Prosecutors are still waiting for more DNA results, but at the moment they believe the killer acted alone.

Cournoyer's disappearance

A security camera caught Cournoyer exiting the building, and it is believed someone attacked her as she was heading toward her car.

With the help of the Surete du Quebec, Laval police launched a large-scale investigation, using helicopters and sniffer dogs to help search for the missing woman.

On Oct. 6, blue collar workers discovered Cournoyer's body in a wooded area in Pointe-Aux-Trembles.

She was an employee in the communications office of Corrections Canada.

Larouche's next court appearance is on December 8.

Please Add Comments

Greg
"In 2005 he was sentenced to 40 months in jail for attempting to kidnap a seven-year-old girl."

I can't believe he only got 40 months!! For trying to kidnap a 7 year old?!!

angie
kill the bastard!

Ben Dover
He spent way less than 40 months in jail. In the U.S. Larouche would have been in a sex offender registry for the public to see. In Quebec & Canada the sick pervert lives with a woman and her CHILDREN! Hopefully somebody will make sure the kids haven't been assaulted by the animal.

I wonder how many MONTHS he will get for killing Natasha Cournoyer?
The system is broken, 1'm afraid that it will not be fixed. We need the death penalty for crimes like this!

annie degasse
Bastard.

blm
@ Greg. You are living in the wet noodle slap on the wrist capital of the world.

Mario
Lets give this guy another chance, its not his fault he must have been a victim or abused as a child, lets try to rehabilitate him, help him reintegrate into society..prison no thats to harsh not here in Canada, couple months in prison is good enough, parole is whats going to keep society safe.

For all you bleeding hearts liberals who dont support mandatory sentencing, who beleive in parole, rehabilitaion of violent offenders and plea bargaining for violent crimes....

Congrats on another positive outcome of your beliefs..

Its time Canada that we as a nation get harsh on violent offenders write your MP and demand changes, support the tories their the only ones trying to change the laws and senteces...

p.s...Hats off to the SPVM, SQ, and Laval for working together to catch this guy..

mario

Frank
I think that law enforcement should spend more time keeping people who are a threat to society off the streets rather than exhausting there time giving out trivial car tickets just to meet a quota!