The Sûreté du Québec (SQ), as part of the CENTAURE strategy, is asking for the public’s help to shed light on four murders linked to organized crime.
Provincial police say the deaths do not necessarily have a link between them.
Mobile command posts were deployed Thursday morning in Longueuil, Laval and Oka, where the crimes were committed in the past two years.
LAVAL
The police at the command post located at 164 boulevard des Laurentides in Laval are looking for information concerning the murders of Sacha Nelson César and Nitchell LaPaix.
LaPaix was shot on Aug. 17, 2021 near the intersection of Tourangeau and St-Luc streets.
“Certain information collected so far suggests that the victim was connected to street gangs,” the SQ said in a press release.
César was fatally shot by two suspects who fired at him as he left his home on rue de la Fabrique on Dec. 1, 2020.
“The victim had ties to organized crime and was known for drug dealing,” authorities said.
OKA
In the neighbouring region of the Laurentians, the police are trying to advance their investigation into the murder of Arsène Mompoint, which occurred on July 1, 2021, on rue Saint-Michel in Kanesatake.
The suspect, a man who got out of his grey sports utility vehicle to shoot the victim, fled towards the village of Oka.
Mompoint was a well-known figure in Montreal organized crime.
SQ police officers from the investigation services for crimes against persons and organized crime murders will be available to gather information at the intersection of Route 344 and Rang de l’Annonciation in Oka.
LONGUEUIL
On the south shore of Montreal, another mobile command post is located at 2901 chemin Chambly in Longueuil.
The police are looking for information on the murder of Joas Jean-Baptiste, which occurred on Aug. 5, 2021 on rue Truteau, where gunshots were heard. Suspects were seen running from the scene.
The victim had been involved in violent events over the previous months.
The CENTAURE strategy has the mandate to ensure constant pressure on organized crime, while actively fighting against the trafficking of illegal firearms in Quebec.
CENTAURE allows the Sûreté du Québec and all partner police forces to maximize their efforts targeting the supply, importation, distribution and illegal possession of firearms.
People who have been witnesses or who have information related to these files are invited to present themselves this Thursday to the police officers of the mobile command post concerned.
Any information can also be sent to the criminal information centre of the Sûreté du Québec at 1-800 659-4264.