A 33-year-old man has been charged with first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder after his mother-in-law’s body was found in a Brampton house that was on fire.
Peel Regional Police said emergency crews were called to Martindale Crescent, near McLaughlin Road and Williams Parkway, shortly before 4 a.m.
After police and firefighters arrived, they found a 71-year-old man, three girls between the ages of four and 11, and their 34-year-old mother who was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
They subsequently found the body of a 61-year-old woman, identified through court documents as Maria Manuela-Correia, inside the home.
A Brampton man, identified by police as Helder Vertentes-Arruda, was taken into custody. He was charged with a count of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder. The suspect appeared in a Brampton court Friday afternoon.
Global News learned the accused is the victim’s son-in-law.
Investigators sealed off a basement apartment approximately four kilometres away that the suspect and his family were renting.
The landlord of the property told Global News he called police early Thursday morning after the accused and his wife, who neighbours said were married for about 11 years, got into a fight over drugs while the couple’s three children slept.
Global News learned police were called and the suspect was charged with possession of drugs. The landlord said he got a text from the accused’s wife Thursday night to advise she was leaving with the children.
The landlord said he called police again at around 10:30 p.m. on Thursday after Vertentes-Arruda began banging on door. Officers came and left without laying further charges He said the accused was holding a pipe wrench and told him there were three men downstairs, questioning if the suspect was possibly under the influence of a substance.
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Meanwhile, Vertentes-Arruda was remanded into custody and is set to appear in a Brampton court by video link for a bail hearing on Dec. 14. He was also ordered to have no contact with the alleged victims, including his three children.
— With files from Nick Westoll and Gabby Rodrigues
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