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A 31-year-old Ottawa resident has been charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of another man in the ByWard Market on Thursday evening.
An Ottawa Police Service release on Friday afternoon identified the victim as Stephen Pedicelli, 45, of Montreal.
The release said the OPS Homicide Unit had charged Jean-Paul Theragene of Ottawa, with second-degree murder. He appeared in court on Friday.
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Anyone with information about the case was asked to contact the Ottawa Police Service Homicide Unit at 613-236-1222 ext. 5493. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 or online at crimestoppers.ca.
Earlier on Friday, the Ottawa Police Service said it had received a 911 call for a man with stab wounds in the area of the Salvation Army Booth Centre on George Street. He was transported to hospital in critical condition, but he subsequently succumbed to his injuries.
Ottawa Paramedic Service spokesperson Marc-Antoine Deschamps said Friday that paramedics were called to George Street between Cumberland and Dalhousie at about 10:45 p.m. They treated “an adult male” for stab wounds.
On Friday morning, people in front of the Salvation Army Ottawa Booth Centre said they saw the area in front of the homeless shelter blocked off by police tape the night before.
Glenn van Gulik, the Salvation Army’s public-relations secretary for Ontario, said the stabbing didn’t happen in front of the Booth Centre, but rather down the street. He said the injured man “found their way towards our location,” where Salvation Army staff saw him.
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He did not confirm whether or not the victim was a resident of the shelter, directing further questions to police.
“At this point we’re working closely with police and supporting their investigation,” van Gulik said. “Our team is there to support individuals and the community, to make sure we have a safe place, and to continue to support the investigation.”
In October 2019, a jury found Jean-Paul Theragene and his brother, Federique, not guilty of robbery and assault in connection with a 2017 incident after which a bleeding man staggered into a Vanier supermarket and pleaded with staff to call police.
The alleged victim in that case, the Crown’s key witness, testified that he was beaten repeatedly after demanding $150 in overdue rent from Jean-Paul, then was held at gunpoint by Federique and forced to unlock a gun safe while his apartment was emptied of valuables.
The Theragene brothers each denied that account as they testified in their own defence.
Jean-Paul Theragene’s lawyer, Ewan Lyttle, said Friday afternoon that it was “too early to comment” on the latest charge.
With files from Marlo Glass and Aedan Helmer
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