Police lay murder charge in March death now deemed a homicide

Ottawa police have charged a 31-year-old man with first-degree murder in the March death of a woman on Burnside Avenue.

On March 22, 2017, just before 11 a.m., a 35-year-old woman was found dead in an apartment east of Tunney's Pasture.Her young child was found alive and unharmed in the same apartment unit.

Mohamad Barkhadle was arrested in connection with the woman's death on Wednesday. He will next appear in court on Aug. 24.

Barkhadle has also been charged withattempted murder and aggravated assault, forcible confinement, overcoming resistance by choking, uttering threats, breach of probation and failure to report as required in a separate incident that occurredMay 15.

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At the time, police investigators expressed concern thatthere might have been other victims.

Police initially said no foul play was suspected in the woman's death, but an autopsy was ordered and homicide investigators took over the case.

The cause of the woman's death has not been released. She cannot be identified due to a publication ban.