Two people accused of killing 30-year-old Hawkesbury woman Marielle Portelance appeared in court on November 21. At the hearing, a judge set the court date for the murder trial, which will begin on February 27, 2017. The trial is expected to run until March 3 and it will held in room RC-05 of the Saint-Jérôme Courthouse.
The victim’s body was found on Friday, July 29, in a remote area in Grenville-sur-la-Rouge. Portelance’s body was wrapped in a carpet and left by the side of the road. Police treated the case as suspicious and ruled it a homicide following the results of an autopsy. At the time of the discovery, police would not confirm the date or cause of death of the victim, but did say she likely died sometime within 48 hours of when her body was discovered.
On August 19, Sûréte du Quebec (SQ) police officers arrested Grenville residents Mario Lalonde, 32 and Marie-Josée Castilloux, 39. Later that day, Lalonde and Castilloux appeared before a judge at the Saint-Jérôme Courthouse where they were each charged with first degree murder.
On Monday, the two suspects were back in court. Castilloux walked into court wearing a black dress, with leg irons and handcuffs. At the request of Lalonde’s lawyer, the two suspects were separated. An injunction has also been filed to prevent them from speaking with each other until their court case has been completed. They are similarly prevented from speaking with a woman identified as Natasha Louis-Seize. After setting the February 27 court date, Castilloux was escorted from court by police. Lalonde appeared a few minutes later in a grey sweatshirt and prison-issue red pants. Like to Castilloux, his legs were manacled and his wrists restrained by handcuffs.
After consulting with their records, the judge again confirmed the date of the trial, which was approved by the lawyers of the accused.
The Saint-Jérôme Courthouse is located at 25 rue de Martigny Ouest, in Saint-Jérôme.
