The legal proceedings for two individuals accused of setting a deadly fire in an Old Montreal building, resulting in the tragic deaths of a mother and her young daughter in October 2024, commenced this week.
Juventino Hernandez Pelaez and Justin Fortier-Trahan stand accused of two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the passing of Léonor Geraudie and her daughter, French nationals who lost their lives in the blaze.
Montreal criminal defense attorney Kwadwo Yeboah shed light on the severity of the charges, explaining, “By committing this act, there was a foreseeable risk of fatalities. With two individuals tragically losing their lives, the prosecution is pursuing charges of second-degree murder.”
Allegedly, Fortier-Trahan is believed to have thrown an incendiary device into the building, while Hernandez Pelaez was purportedly involved in driving the getaway vehicle.
Security camera footage captured a masked individual breaking into the building just moments before the fire erupted.
During the preliminary inquiry, a publication ban has been imposed to safeguard the identities of witnesses, their testimonies, and any related evidence. Yeboah emphasized the ban’s importance in preserving sensitive information and protecting the integrity of potential jury pools.
The defendants, arrested at ages 18 and 20, also face charges of arson causing bodily harm and endangering life through property damage by fire or explosion. Both were seen in handcuffs as the legal proceedings unfolded in a Montreal courtroom.
The tragic incident unfolded in a three-story building housing a restaurant-bar on the ground floor and a hostel on the upper levels.
