Surete du Quebec police outside an apartment in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., west of Montreal, where multiple people were stabbed, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. Quebec provincial police continue to investigate after a stabbing attack west of Montreal that left two women dead and a third critically injured. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Peter McCabe
VAUDREUIL-DORION, Que. – The suspect in a stabbing attack west of Montreal that left two women dead and a third seriously injured appeared in court on Friday and was charged with two counts of second-degree murder.
Fabio Puglisi, 44, was charged in the killing of his 68-year-old mother and a 53-year-old neighbour, both of whom were stabbed Thursday in a condo tower in the Montreal off-island suburb of Vaudreuil-Dorion.
The victims are identified as Elisabetta Puglisi-Caucci and Manon Blanchard.
Puglisi was also charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault against another neighbour – a 70-year-old woman who was transported to hospital in critical condition but who police say is now stable.
During a court appearance by video conference from a provincial police station, the accused, whose hands were bandaged, was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to determine whether he is fit to stand trial. That request was made by the defence but was not challenged by the Crown.
Puglisi has a history of mental health issues and has twice been found not criminally responsible for crimes in 2012 and 2020, according to court documents. Records also show Puglisi was charged after he allegedly assaulted a woman on Nov. 16. He was due in court on Feb. 9 in that case.
Puglisi was ordered not to contact the neighbour who survived Thursday’s attack or members of her family.
The accused will remain detained and is due back in court Feb. 22.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 16, 2024.
