Family of Moncton, N.B. homicide victim struggle to comprehend his death
The family of Max Boudreau is still trying to cope with his death and is dealing with the grief as best they can.
His cousin, who is speaking on behalf of the family, said it's been particularly hard on Boudreau's mother.
"Every day brings new challenges for her at the moment. So we're just taking it one step at a time," said Louise Vautour-Goguen. "Her family is all around her to support her. She's receiving a lot of love and support at the moment."
The body of the 24-year-old Moncton, N.B., man was discovered last Tuesday in a wooded area in Irishtown.
Last Wednesday, police said they were treating his death as a homicide.
An autopsy was preformed on Friday and confirmed Boudreau's death was a homicide.
Forty-two-year-old Justin Barrow of Moncton has been charged with first-degree murder and made a brief court appearance last Wednesday.
Barrow's next court appearance is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 12.
Boudreau was last seen leaving a Dieppe bar in a taxi at 3 a.m. on Nov. 15. He was reported missing to police on Nov. 17.
The family doesn't know much about what happened the night of his disappearance and that makes the grieving process even more difficult.
"The circumstances are hard to deal with. There's still a lot of questions, still a lot of incomprehension around everything, but we're actually just trying to focus on Max, on the beautiful person he was. And we want to do everything we can to honour his beautiful life," she said.
Vautour-Goguen said she had known Boudreau since he was a baby and was always amazed by his sense of humour and positive nature.
"He had such a bubbly personality," she said. "He had such a great sense of humour. His laugh was absolutely contagious. He has such a good sense of fashion too.”
“He comes into a room and you notice his presence right away. He's so endearing, funny, fun-loving. He loves to laugh, just have a good time, an all-around great guy. Yeah, we're just devastated."
CTV News spoke with Olivia Bulmer, one of Boudreau's closest friends, last week about the shock of hearing about his murder.
"I couldn't believe it. I had to hear it from the family because I just couldn't believe it," said Bulmer on Thursday. "It still doesn't feel real, but with time it will get better. I hope we can get through this together and never forget him."
Vautour-Goguen said preparations are underway for her cousin's funeral and plans for a celebration of life for Boudreau are in the works.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Train derailed in Sarnia after colliding with a truck
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.