Montreal homicide detectives have been busy in the last 24 hours dealing with two new reported murders.
One in east end Montreal, the other in Verdun.
The 12th murder of the year took place Tuesday night in Pointe Aux Trembles. A 66-year-old man was killed inside his Notre Dame Street apartment.
The victim has been identified as Jean Pierre Beaulieu.
Initially ruled a suspicious death, the homicide squad was called in to investigate after an autopsy found marks of violence on the victim's body.
"I'm surprised. He was a quiet man," one neighbour told Global News' Domenic Fazioli.
Another neighbour, Pauline Lucille Fortin St. Pierre, said the victim lived with a roommate at 14363 Notre Dame Street East.
"The roommate is his best friend. He's travelling overseas in Thailand. He still doesn't know what happened. It's so sad," she said.
Police are trying to determine the motive behind the attack.
"It could be a robbery gone wrong or a settlement of accounts. It could be a number of things. Everything is being considered at this stage," said Sgt. Laurent Gingras, spokesperson with the Montreal police.
The alleged killer is still on the loose.
The 13th murder took place in Verdun, steps from the Verdun Auditorium.
The incident dates back to nearly a week ago, Friday, April 8. A 56-year-old man was attacked outside the De L'Eglise metro station by a gang of young people. The man died of his injuries in hospital Wednesday afternoon.
According to police, a group of young men pushed the man to the ground after coming to the defence of two young teenaged girls who claim the man was chasing them.
Charges are expected to be laid later Thursday or Friday.
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