Police in Halifax are asking for the public’s help as they investigate the case of a young man accused of killing his mother and attempting to bury her body in the backyard of their home.
Halifax Regional Police issued a statement Tuesday afternoon saying they want to speak a witness who may have given a ride to the accused, Ryan Lamontagne, in the early hours of Oct. 22.
READ MORE: Man charged with 2nd-degree murder in connection with mother’s homicide in Halifax
Investigators say the witness, believed to be male, may have met Lamontagne in the Dartmouth area, near the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge, and the two may have gone to a local coffee shop.
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They emphasized that the witness is not a suspect in the homicide.
Lamontagne, 26, is charged with second-degree murder and causing an indignity to human remains.
He appeared briefly in Halifax provincial court last week and was remanded to the East Coast Forensic Hospital for a five-day psychiatric assessment.
On Tuesday, the young man appeared in court via video link and was ordered to undergo a further 60 days of testing.
READ MORE: Police investigating woman’s death in Halifax
As well, the presiding judge said Lamontagne must return to court on Dec. 23 for a hearing to determine if he is fit to stand trial.
Police say when they arrived at the Lamontagne home early on Oct. 22, they found the accused in the backyard with the body of his mother, 65-year-old Linda Lamontagne.
He was arrested without incident, police said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 29, 2019.