Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Queen Street East homicide - First-degree murder charge laid

On February 7 at 6:52 p.m., the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service received a call from a citizen about a possible deceased male at 844 Queen Street East, the Diplomat Hotel.

Police attended and discovered a deceased elderly male with obvious signs of trauma in one of the rooms.

Detectives from the investigation services unit commenced an investigation and were quickly able to determine a suspect.

At 9:37 p.m., officers from the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service CORE unit attended at the suspect’s residence and arrested him.

The accused, 52-year-old Rene Joseph Lamarche of 181 James Street, Unit 6, has been charged with one count of first-degree murder.

He will appear in bail court this morning.

The name of the 73-year-old victim is not being released at this time pending notification of next-of-kin.

A post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death will be conducted at a place and time yet to be determined.

The investigation is ongoing and police remain on scene for forensic examination.

Domestic Related Arrest
Officers with the Sault Ste Marie Police Service arrested a 22 year-old male at 3:55 pm on the 7th of February and charged him with two counts of assault, one count of assault with a weapon and one count of administer noxious thing. It is alleged that on the 3rd and 7th of February the accused assaulted his girlfriend at her residence. Police investigating the incident learned that the accused also sprayed the victim in the face with bear mace during another domestic dispute at a downtown residence in October 2010. The accused is to appear in bail court this morning.

Male Charged for Sexual Assault
Detectives with the Sault Ste Marie Police Service Investigations Unit arrested a 41 year-old male on the 7th of February at 12:05 pm and charged him with one count of sexual assault. It is alleged that on the 4th of January the accused sexually assaulted a female person known to him while at his residence. The name of the accused is not being released to protect the identity of the victim. He is to appear in court on the 7th of March.

Employee charged with Theft at Workplace
Officers with the Sault Ste Marie Police Service arrested 18 year-old Joseph Romano of 1028 North Street on the 7th of February at 11:30 am at Wal-Mart and charged with two counts of theft under $5,000. It is alleged that between the 13th of December and the 7th of January the accused while working at Wal-Mart, on five separate occasions, consumed food and beverages without paying. On the 7th of February the accused stole a memory stick from the store. He is to appear in court on the 7th of March.