A 20-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of his 18-year-old partner, who was allegedly strangled during an altercation Tuesday in a Montreal apartment.
Heberth Gudiel Martinez Ramirez made an appearance at the Montreal courthouse Wednesday morning to face the charge.
A charge sheet identified the victim as Katerine Alejandra Mejia Salinas.
On Tuesday, Montreal police were called to an apartment on Everett Street near 19th Avenue in the city’s Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough around 12:30 p.m. and found an unconscious woman. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers arrested a 20-year-old suspect at the scene and then questioned him.
The accused does not have a criminal record in Quebec.
Mejia Salinas’s killing marks the eighth suspected femicide in Quebec since the beginning of 2026. Her death is also the sixth killing in Montreal so far this year.
Martinez Ramirez is scheduled to return to court on May 6.
‘We have to stop it’
Neighbours who live near the apartment said they struggled to make sense of the tragedy.
“Violence has become so rampant, there’s so much of it,” said Steve Ramsay.
Veronique Bovard came to see the memorial and pray for the victim.
“I didn’t know this woman but she represents women in general, and it’s unfortunate what happened.”
“We have to stop it before it happens, because when it happens, it happens, but by then it’s too late,” said Gisele Beaudoin.
‘It’s so devastating’
Groups have been speaking out against the rise in intimate partner violence, calling the recent spate of “suspected” femicides one of the deadliest starts to the year in Quebec.
“A femicide at any age is horrible but, of course, when it’s a young woman — 18 years old — makes us think of our own children, our own daughters. It’s a young woman who had her whole life ahead and this was snuffed by someone because they decided to take the ultimate power over them so it’s devastating,” said Claudine Thibaudeau, a clinical coordinator with SOS Violence Conjugal, in an interview Wednesday.
“We always wonder what more could have been done in the situation. We always wonder if the person realized they were in a situation of intimate partner violence prior to this happening. We always wonder whether this person knew how to get help or not.”
Intimate partner violence is deeply rooted in sexism, she said, describing it as the “soil that helps it grow.”
While campaigns to educate people about the warning signs and how to seek help have resonated with women, Thibaudeau said she doesn’t believe the message is making a difference with men and young boys, who are increasingly being exposed to sexist norms.
“There are certain masculinist discourses that are gaining traction, influencers, particularly among younger men, teenagers and young men, and research suggests some are adopting more sexist attitudes and especially in how they view their intimate relationships,” she said, while women conversely are not accepting such views.
“This widening gap can really increase tension and increase risks for younger women,” Thibaudeau said.
Reaching people, particularly males, at a younger age and opening a dialogue with them can help dismantle those values before they take root, she added.
8 suspected femicides in Quebec this year
Jan. 1: Tadjan’ah Désir, 31, was allegedly pushed from a third-floor balcony on New Year’s Day in Montreal and died a few days later. James Theramene has been charged with manslaughter in the case.
Jan. 5: Mary Iqiquq Tukalak, 54, was killed in an apparent murder-suicide in Nunavik.
Jan. 13: The body of Susana Rocha Cruz, 44, was found in the St. Lawrence River in the Quebec City area after she was reported missing on Jan. 7. Abraham Bonzalez Leon, 43, was charged with second-degree murder in her death.
Jan. 18: Veronic Champagne, 40, was killed after sustaining serious injuries on Jan. 18 in Rougemont, Que. Her apartment was also set on fire. David Guertin, 41, was arrested at the scene after a stand-off caught on camera by neighbours. He was later charged with second-degree murder.
Jan 26: Marie-Kate Ottawa, 39, was found dead in her home in Manawan, a First Nations community about 250 kilometres north of Montreal. The body of her ex-partner was also found inside. He was suspected of killing Ottawa before taking his own life.
Feb. 2: Sonia Maricela Gonzalez Vasquez, 54, was found dead in her home in Brossard. The body of her husband, Marcos Amilcar Diaz Lopez, 56, was also found inside. Police described the tragedy as a femicide followed by a suicide.
Feb. 27: Danielle Lascelles, 67, was found dead in her home in St-Jerome, Que., after police received a 911 call. Her partner, Patrick Clavel, 50, has been charged with second-degree murder.
March 31: Katerine Alejandra Mejia Salinas, 18, died after allegedly being strangled by her partner in a Montreal apartment. Heberth Gudiel Martinez Ramirez, 20, has been charged with second-degree murder.
With files from CTV News’ Rob Lurie and Denise Roberts
