(Laval) “The only hypothesis for me would be that he had a psychosis”: A relative of Jérôme Frigault, the young man accused of killing his aunt two hours after a police operation on Thursday in Laval, believes that Excessive consumption of speed could be the origin of the tragedy.
Published at 7:39 p.m. Updated at 8:46 p.m.
“The Jérôme who committed this crime and the Jérôme I know are two different people,” confided his good friend, who preferred to remain anonymous. Before Thursday, nothing seemed to be a problem: The 30-year-old had neither a criminal record nor a mental health history, his friend said. It is possible that Jérôme Frigault suffered a psychotic attack on Thursday evening. According to our information, this is also the authorities’ hypothesis.
PHOTO FROM MIREILLE MARTIN’S FACEBOOK ACCOUNT
The victim Mireille Martin
Mireille Martin, a 61-year-old woman, died from her injuries after being stabbed in her home in the Vimont neighborhood of Laval. Her nephew Jérôme Frigault lived in the same building as her.
Because of the young man’s worrying behavior, she contacted her ex-partner on Thursday evening. Officers from the Laval Police Service (SPL) arrived at the scene. Two hours later, the victim collapsed to the ground in front of his neighbors.
Prior to this incident, police had never responded to this address.
The 30-year-old man was charged with first-degree murder Friday afternoon at the Laval courthouse.
Consumption problem
According to his friend, Jérôme Frigault regularly consumed methamphetamine tablets. “I have left my partying years behind me, but not Jérôme,” said the young man.
He also wonders whether he would have encountered “bad stocks” that would have led to a crisis.
Because his childhood friend, with whom he got into trouble, was anything but violent, even under the influence of drugs. He describes him as being very intelligent and it’s hard to imagine him getting angry.
“I found it hard to believe what happened. It was only when I recognized his car with the Acadian flag on TV that it really dawned on me,” marvels the man who has accompanied him since high school.
He was actually supposed to watch it recently, but canceled due to lack of time. Every year Jérôme Frigault spent the summer in New Brunswick, where his parents still live today.
He settled in Quebec about 10 years ago. “I have seen him in situations where he had taken drugs and there was an argument and he was never angry. »
He doubts his friend asked many questions about his habits. “I don’t think he thought about it much or asked for help. Psychosis came to mind because we don’t know what’s in drugs these days. You can come across anything. »
The Office of Independent Investigations (BEI) will not be conducting an investigation into this incident. “The BEI was contacted by the Laval Police Department. We have all relevant information to analyze the file. “The conditions and criteria of the law are not met to give it jurisdiction,” BEI Media Relations said.
In collaboration with Daniel Renaud, La Presse
What there is to know
Mireille Martin, a 61-year-old Laval resident, was reportedly stabbed to death by her nephew at her home in Vimont County on Thursday evening. Shortly before the tragedy, police officers were on site.
Jérôme Frigault, 30, was charged with second-degree murder Friday afternoon at the Laval courthouse. He had no criminal record and no mental health history.
According to our sources, the suspect was reportedly in the middle of a psychotic episode when police intervened. According to a friend of Jérôme Frigault, he regularly used speed.