Man from Hemmingford, Que., charged with 2nd-degree murder in partner's death

A man from Hemmingford, Que., Nicholas Gravel, has been charged with second-degree murder in connection to the death of his partner, Kelsey Watt.

Gravel, 31, made a virtual court appearance in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que., on Wednesday afternoon and will remain in custody at Montreal's Bordeaux jail for now. His next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 16, and he retains the right to request a bail hearing.

Initially, Gravel faced a charge of committing an indignity to a human body, but the Crown stayed those proceedings.

Watt was last seen on Sept. 21, prompting authorities and volunteers to conduct extensive searches for several days. Last Thursday, provincial police arrested Gravel after discovering Watt's body in a wooded area near Hemmingford, a small town located about 70 kilometers south of Montreal, close to the U.S. border.

Several of Watt's family members attended the court session, wearing white ribbons in memory of her and as a symbol of action against violence toward women.

CBC News had previously withheld Gravel's name due to a publication ban to protect the identities of the victim and a child. That ban has since been lifted.

Watt's public Facebook profile features numerous photos of her and Gravel together, with her profile indicating they were engaged. Several images also show them with a young boy, identified as their child. In 2023, Watt captioned a photo of the three of them, "My perfect little family."