By Canadian Press

Quebec man found guilty of first-degree murder in slaying of ex-wife, stranger

Oct 19, 2019 | 9:50 AM

ST-JEROME, Que. — A Quebec man has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2017 stabbing death of his ex-wife and the fatal beating of an elderly stranger in order to steal his car.

The jury returned the two verdicts today during its third day of deliberations in the case of Ugo Fredette.

Fredette, 44, was arrested on Sept. 15, 2017 in Ontario after a lengthy run from police following the slayings of Veronique Barbe, his ex-wife, and Yvon Lacasse, a man he came across at a rest stop, a day earlier.

The Crown’s case was that Fredette killed Barbe by stabbing her 17 times because he didn’t accept the end of his relationship with the 41-year-old woman.

As for the murder of Lacasse, 71, the prosecution had argued he was killed so Fredette could switch from his employer’s vehicle to one that allowed him to continue to flee authorities more discreetly.

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Fredette had admitted to causing the deaths of both victims, but had said he’d reached his breaking point on the day both were killed and didn’t intend to kill anyone, arguing in favour of a manslaughter verdict in both cases.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2019.

The Canadian Press