There will be no trial for the man accused of killing 45-year-old mother Leila Ben Salem while she was in a work video conference meeting at home in Montreal.
The Montreal Coroner’s Office confirmed that Youcef Moussaoui, 33, died on Nov. 2.
Moussaoui was arrested Oct. 15 and taken into custody, more than three weeks after Ben Salem was killed in her René-Lévesque Boulevard apartment on Sept. 22.
“An investigation is underway, led by Coroner Andréjean Luc, to determine the cause and circumstances of the death,” the coroner’s office said.
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Moussaoui was due to appear in court on Dec. 21 in Montreal, and was detained at Bordeaux jail at the time of his death.
Montreal police (SPVM) said its investigation showed that Moussaoui had done some work at Ben Salem’s home and that a “relationship of trust” had developed between them.
“Evidence gathered by investigators indicated that the accused was experiencing financial difficulties and was facing demands for repayment for important sums that had been lent to him,” the police force said.
“Investigators also gathered evidence showing that financial transactions had been carried out on the victim’s accounts after her death.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre both offered condolences to Ben Salem’s family, colleagues and loved ones in the House of Commons in September.
Carney said Ben Salem was working when she was attacked.
The coroner could not provide further information as to the cause of his death.
“The coroner’s investigation is confidential until the release of the final report, which is public,” spokesperson Jake Lamotta Granato said.
--With files from The Canadian Press.
