Fugitive Arrested at Montreal Airport After Two-Year Manhunt

MONTREAL — A man listed among Canada’s top 25 most wanted fugitives for murder and drug trafficking has been arrested at Montreal‘s Trudeau International Airport. Quebec provincial police say Jonathan Ouellet-Gendron, 36, was apprehended on Saturday as he returned to Canada.

The arrest was made by officers from the Sûreté du Québec Airport Unit, the Mascouche Major Crime Investigation Division, and the Canada Border Services Agency. Ouellet-Gendron has been wanted since May 2022, when he was identified as a suspect in a homicide case in Saskatoon.

According to a news release from the Saskatoon Police Service, Ouellet-Gendron became a fugitive following the shooting death of 29-year-old Brandon Baxandall at 700 Block of Melrose Avenue. He was added to the Bolo Program’s list of top fugitives in May 2023, taking the 10th spot.

Quebec police confirmed that Ouellet-Gendron is scheduled to appear in court in Montreal on Sunday.

Saskatoon police responded to reports of shots fired in May 2022 and found Baxandall dead behind an apartment building. They subsequently reported that two men seen fleeing the scene were of slim build, one of whom was carrying a bag with a strap.

Ouellet-Gendron was officially charged with first-degree murder shortly after the incident. Police had warned the public that he was considered armed and dangerous. In a related case, Mohamed Abdula Ali was sentenced to six years in prison last year after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

As part of the ongoing investigation, Saskatoon police released an eight-minute video on YouTube detailing their response to the homicide. The video includes dashcam footage and crucial evidence from the crime scene.