No new charges for suspect in Quebec political aide killing

A Quebec man charged with first-degree murder in the death of a provincial cabinet minister's assistantwon't face additional charges for the time being, but will remain in police custody until the end of the week, authorities said.

Police speculated there would be additional charges brought against Francis Proulx, 29,after the body of Nancy Michaud was found a few kilometres from her home in the small town of Rivire-Ouelle early Friday.

During a brief hearingTuesday afternoon at the Rivire-du-Loup courthouse, Crown attorney Annie Landreville said Proulx could still face additionalcharges of kidnapping, confinement and robbery, but prosecutors will wait before filing formal charges.

"The investigation is not finishedit's ongoing, and we've already charged [him] with the most serious offence in the Criminal Code, which is murder," she told reporters in French outside the courtroom.

Proulx was arraigned Monday in Quebec City in the death of Michaud, a 37-year-old mother of two and community volunteer.

Quebec provincial police (Sretdu Qubec, or SQ) said Michaud was snatched from her homeas her two young children slept upstairs.

Her body, which showed signs of violence,was discovered inan abandoned, three-century-old house that once belonged to Proulx's grandmother.

Proulx's defence lawyer, Jean Desjardins, said he would seek bail for his client when they return to court Friday, but declined to comment on his strategy.

"We'll see a bit later," Desjardins answered when asked about bail. "You have to understand that he appeared in court today and I just became acquainted with his file a few hours ago," he said to reporters in French.

Proulx will also undergo a preliminary hearing Friday for unrelated robbery charges.

He's being held at the Rimouski Detention Centre, about 100 kilometres east of Rivire-du-Loup.

Michaud'shusband reported her missing when he arrived home after working late and discovered the children, a six-year-old and an 18-month-old, alone. Police said there were signs of a violent struggle atthe house.

Police saidrobbery might havebeen a motive for the crime, and on Saturday they released a bank security video showing a masked person making a cash withdrawal early Friday morning. Money was taken from accounts belonging to Michaud and her husband.

Michaud, a formertelevision reporter,worked as a political assistant in the constituency office of Natural Resources Minister Claude Bchard, but police have said they do not believe her slaying is related to her work.

Bchard did not attend question period at the provincial legislature on Tuesday,but stayedin his Kamouraska-Tmiscouata riding where Michaudwas killed.

Bchard issued a statement of sympathy late Sunday.

"My thoughts and my support go out to Nancy's loved ones," he said. "She was a mother, a friend and an extremely devoted employee. On behalf of my colleagues, I would like to offer my sincere condolences to her close friends, her husband Daniel, their children and her family."

Quebec Premier Jean Charest also offered his condolences, calling her death an "inexplicable tragedy."

Public Security Minister Jacques Dupuis said while her death is an isolated incident, it offers acautionary tale.

"Unfortunately, we cannot predict human behaviour," he said in French while speaking to reporters inQuebec City. "But we have to be vigilant when it comes to marginal behaviour."