Trois-Rivières, QC — Sûreté du Québec (SQ) officials have made a significant breakthrough in a decades-old case involving the disappearance and death of Louis Valentine, a Laval man who won the lottery before he vanished in 2000. On Thursday evening, a 63-year-old woman from Trois-Rivières was arrested in connection with Valentine’s murder.
What Happened
Louis Valentine, who had won a large sum of money in the lottery in 1999, was last seen alive in August 2000. A year after his windfall, he relocated to Trois-Rivières, where he met the woman now accused of his death. His family reported him missing in February 2001, prompting a lengthy investigation by police.
In a press release, the SQ’s cold-case squad confirmed that after nearly 25 years of active investigation, they made the arrest on Thursday. The woman is facing charges of murder and committing an indignity to a corpse.
What Happens Next
Officers and forensic specialists executed search warrants at an address on Corbeil Street in Trois-Rivières, where they conducted further investigations, including assistance from a forensic anthropologist. Media reports suggest that the woman allegedly murdered Valentine, then dismembered and froze his remains before eventually burying them.
While the full details have not been disclosed, the Sûreté du Québec highlighted that the possibility of foul play was never ruled out in the disappearance of Valentine, and the investigation remained active for nearly 25 years before this arrest.
What Happens Next
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are calling on anyone with information to come forward. If you have any information related to this case or any other cold cases, you are urged to contact the SQ criminal information line at 1-800-659-4264 or visit their official cold-case webpage.
This story may be updated with more information as it becomes available.
