Son charged with murder in mother's death at Halifax home sent for assessment
Ryan Richard Lamontagne charged with 2nd-degree murder, indignity to human remains in mother's death
A 26-year-old man charged with murder after his mother was found dead Tuesday morning behind a central Halifax home has been ordered by a judge to undergo a psychiatric assessment.
The body of Linda Lamontagne, 65, was found in the backyard of the house on Willow Street, police said Wednesday. Her son, Ryan Richard Lamontagne, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and indignity to human remains.
According to court documents, he attempted to bury his mother's body in the backyard. The records also say he lived in a unit of the house, which is owned by Halifax Peninsula Housing Co-operative Ltd.
He appeared in Halifax provincial court Wednesday morning, and appeared to have cuts on his face. He was remanded to the East Coast Forensic Hospital for a psychiatric assessment to determine if he is fit to stand trial.
He is due to appear in court again next Tuesday.
Officers were called to the home, which is near the corner of Dublin Street, around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Police spokesperson Const. John MacLeod said Wednesday that Linda Lamontagne had "very recently" died, although he did not have a time of death.
Ryan Lamontagne, man accused of killing his mother makes first court appearance under tight security. Defence asks for fitness assessment. He will return to court next Tuesday. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nscourt?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nscourt</a> <a href="https://t.co/PGYmGGaeiI">pic.twitter.com/PGYmGGaeiI</a>
—@CBCBlairRhodesInvestigators on scene
Forensic investigators in white suits combed the area Tuesday morning and police taped off a large area around the scene. The body was removed around 11 a.m. Investigators were still on the scene Wednesday morning.
"It's certainly not uncommon for us to spend several days on the scene of a homicide," said MacLeod.
MacLeod said the home has several apartments but couldn't say whether anyone else was home at the time.
After an autopsy, the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service ruled the death a homicide.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact them.
Other deaths on Willow Street
In 2008, in an unrelated incident, a mother and son were found dead in the house next door to Tuesday's crime scene in what police said was a murder-suicide.
The bodies of Roberta Jollimore, 75, and Gregory Jollimore, 52, were discovered after his work reported he had been missing work for about a week.
Roberta Jollimore, who suffered from Parkinson's disease, was found lying on the basement floor, her head was resting on a Bible and a shrine of stuffed animals surrounded her.
The home was subsequently sold to a different family.
With files from Paul Palmeter