Rabat – A 27-year-old man has been charged with manslaughter following the death of a Moroccan woman, Hiba El Rhazi, whose body was found inside a condominium in Montreal’s Ville-Marie borough.
The suspect, identified as Alexandre Karim Amaury Restau, was arrested on Wednesday, April 15, after police conducted a wellness check at a residence on Simpson Street. Authorities say the victim was found inside the apartment and was declared dead at the scene. Converging reports suggest that he is of Lebanese descent.
According to the charge sheet, Restau has allegedly used a firearm in the killing of Hiba, who is reportedly his partner.
He appeared before Quebec Court Judge Guylaine Rivest on Thursday via video conference from a Montreal police detention facility. The prosecution opposed his release, and the judge ordered that he remain in custody for now. The case is scheduled to return to court later this month.
Police have not released further details about the circumstances leading to the woman’s death. However, initial information suggests that the suspect and the victim were in a relationship. This has raised concerns that the case may be linked to domestic violence.
Witnesses described a rapid police response at the scene. A neighbour reported seeing officers force entry into the building to arrest the suspect. A side door of the apartment complex remained damaged and sealed off with caution tape, while a police investigation vehicle was stationed outside.
Montreal police spokesperson Florence Stafford declined to confirm whether the forced entry caused the visible damage to the building or if the damage was due to what unfolded the day of her death.
According to local media, this incident is the seventh homicide reported this year in Montreal police territory. Authorities also indicated that it could be the third case classified as femicide in 2026, though this has not yet been officially confirmed.
A 2025 UN Women report revealed that partners and family members killed a woman intentionally every 10 minutes in 2024. Around 50,000 women and girls worldwide lost their lives at the hands of their partners or family members.
The report said femicide “shows no signs of slowing down”, describing gender-based killings as “the most brutal and extreme manifestation of violence against women and girls.”
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