Police lay murder charge in March death now deemed a homicide

Mohamad Barkhadle has also been charged with attempted murder in a separate incident on May 15

Image | Burnside Avenue Apartment Building Woman Death Child

Caption: A 35-year-old woman was found dead in a unit of this apartment building near Tunney's Pasture on Wednesday, March 22, 2017. Her young son was alive and unharmed. (Andrew Foote/CBC)

Ottawa police have charged a 31-year-old man with first-degree murder in the March death of a woman on Burnside Avenue.
On March 22, 2017, just before 11 a.m., a 35-year-old woman was found dead in an apartment east of Tunney's Pasture. Her young child was found alive and unharmed in the same apartment unit.

Image | Ottawa Police Body Found Burnside Apartment

Caption: An Ottawa police officer keeps watch on the unit where the 35-year-old woman's body was found in March. (Jean Delisle/CBC)

Mohamad Barkhadle was arrested in connection with the woman's death on Wednesday. He will next appear in court on Aug. 24.
Barkhadle has also been charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault, forcible confinement, overcoming resistance by choking, uttering threats, breach of probation and failure to report as required in a separate incident that occurred May 15.
At the time, police investigators expressed concern that there might have been other victims.
Police initially said no foul play was suspected in the woman's death, but an autopsy was ordered and homicide investigators took over the case.
The cause of the woman's death has not been released. She cannot be identified due to a publication ban.