Trial for murder of André Bourgoin in Mont-Joli: four accused to be tried in Quebec in 2027

The trial of four men accused of the murder of André Bourgoin, which occurred in September 2024 in Mont-Joli, will be held at the Quebec City courthouse in January 2027.

Four accused in Mont-Joli murder referred to jury in Quebec

The trial of four men accused of the second-degree murder of André Bourgoin will take place from 11 January to 20 February 2027 at the Quebec City courthouse, according to journallesoir.ca. The news was confirmed Monday at the opening of the criminal assizes term at the Rimouski courthouse.

Bourgoin, 46, a resident of Mont-Joli, died on 7 September 2024 during an altercation in an apartment on Rue Aubin. The four accused — Bernard-Briand Lewis-Philipps, Patrick Francis, Zachary Dryden and Jerred-Xavier Taylor — have been in custody since the day of the events. The first three are being held at the Rivière-des-Prairies Detention Centre; the fourth at the Sorel Detention Centre.

They face charges of second-degree murder and carrying a weapon for a dangerous purpose. They were committed to trial following their joint preliminary inquiry, held on 24 October. The trial will be presided over by Superior Court Judge Guy De Blois.

A publication ban applies to the content of testimony and the identities of witnesses heard at the preliminary inquiry, a usual measure at this stage designed to preserve the integrity of the future jury trial.

The victim was known to authorities: in 2019, Bourgoin had been identified as a leader of a drug trafficking network in Mont-Joli as part of Operation Urchin. He was then sentenced to 54 months' imprisonment.

Time already spent in pre-trial custody will be credited at a rate of 1.5 days per day at the time of sentencing.

Source: Google News CA — Québec (FR)