Jury finds 2 guilty in killing of Ottawa physiotherapist

A jury has found two men guilty in the killing of an Ottawa physiotherapist in 2023.

After nearly 12 weeks of testimony, jurors on Sunday night convicted Nicolas Bergeret, 39, of first-degree murder, which carries an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years.

His co-accused, Antoine Richemond, 36, was found guilty of manslaughter and is scheduled to begin sentencing proceedings later this week.

According to evidence laid out by Crown prosecutors, the violence began with a night of drinking at an Orléans pub in February 2023.

The jury heard that Bergeret and Richemond became increasingly angry over the course of the night and directed their aggression toward Kyle Andrades, 35, whose official cause of death was blunt force trauma.

After leaving the pub, Andrades, Richemond and others attended an after-party at Bergeret’s commercial garage in Navan.

Soon after arriving, Bergeret became angry because he thought someone had stolen his drugs. Another man was suspected, but Bergeret turned his attention to Andrades.

A security video presented during the trial showed the men re-entering the garage, and Bergeret waving a baseball bat at Andrades. Moments later, Bergeret entered an office and the video feed was cut.

3rd suspect testified for Crown

Richemond, who testified in his own defence, attempted to minimize his role and placed the responsibility on Bergeret. His lawyer argued Richemond participated in the attack out of fear of what would happen to him if he didn't.

A third man charged in connection with Andrades’s death is expected to stand trial later this year.

He testified for the Crown against the other two, describing how Bergeret and Richemond forced Andrades to his knees, then onto his stomach, and beat him with the bat, a hockey helmet and a battery-powered tool.

The third suspect said he left during the assault but returned later to find Andrades lying face-down, bloodied and his jacket torn.

Several other partygoers testified that Bergeret had contacted them after the assault to help clean up the garage, and some said they urged Bergeret to take Andrades to the hospital.

Police raided the garage on Feb. 7, 2023, as Bergeret watched the raid unfold live via his surveillance system. He and Richemond were arrested later that day.

Police officers who testified at the trial described a large amount of blood found throughout the garage.