Quebec man charged in death of Océane Boyer appears in court

François Sénécal briefly appeared at the Saint-Jérôme courthouse on Wednesday morning after he was charged in the violent death of 13-year-old Océane Boyer.

The 51-year-old, who is accused of first-degree murder of Océane, was in the courtroom for only a few minutes where a few dozen people gathered, including the victim’s family.

He didn’t make eye contact with anyone in the room while standing in shackles and looking straight ahead. His daughter, Alexandra, sat to his right.

Quebec Superior Court judge Carol Richer granted a request by Crown prosecutor Steve Baribeau, who asked to release to the defence the police warrants used to investigate the case.

READ MORE: Man, 51, charged in murder of 13-year-old Océane Boyer

The content of the warrants — which Baribeau said were sealed and that no one had access to — are the subject of a publication ban.

“The judge ordered the warrants to be opened so that the defence can get access to the motives that allowed police to execute the warrants,” he said.

Océane’s body was discovered last week by passersby on the side of a road in Brownsburg-Chatham in the Laurentians, about 70 kilometres northwest of Montreal.

There was evidence of violence on her body, according to Quebec provincial police.

READ MORE: Police arrest man in Montreal after 13-year-old girl’s body found in Laurentians

Sénécal was arrested in Montreal by Quebec provincial police the day after Océane’s body was found. The two knew one another and he was a longtime friend of the family, according to Océane’s mother.

A funeral is planned for the teen on Friday in Lachute. Her family said the service will be held at 11 a.m. at the Ste-Anastasie church located on Béthany Street.

Sénécal is expected to be back in court on March 20.

— With files from Global News’ Olivia O’Malley and the Canadian Press