Ian Bush expected to be charged in 2007 triple homicide involving retired judge
'We haven't seen any evidence of any sort of violent behaviour,' suspect's brother says
Bush's lawyer Geraldine Castle-Trudel said police executed two search warrants on Bush. One allowed police to take a DNA sample from her client, who is undergoing a psychiatric assessment in connection with the attack on 101-year-old veteran Ernest Côté in December 2014. The other was executed at Bush's family home in Ottawa.
Sources confirm police have been investigating the link between Bush and the triple homicide for several weeks.
Bush, 59, who lives in the Ottawa suburb of Orléans, is in custody on charges of attempted murder, robbery, forcible confinement and more related to the home invasion.
Bush is currently undergoing a court-ordered psychiatric assessment at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre.
Police sources said Monday that DNA evidence was found at the scene of the 2007 slayings of Alban Garon, his wife Raymonde, and their friend and neighbour Marie-Claire Beniskos.
CBC News also learned that the victims in 2007 were found with bags over their heads.
None of the allegations have been proven in court and no charges relating to the unsolved homicides have been laid.
Shock for family
"Obviously for his wife and children it's been extremely difficult, and the current allegations won't make it any less so," he said by phone Tuesday from Mexico, where he's vacationing.
Norm Bush said his brother is a family man and that while he and his six siblings live far apart and get together infrequently, none can recall violence in Ian's past.
"We've always known him to be an intelligent person, and he has a sense of humour. He's always been, to our knowledge, a good family man. He has coached minor league ball with his kids and ... the usual things parents would do when their families are growing up. And he seemed to place a high priority on family activities and things of that nature."
Norm Bush said the family is keen to see what evidence police have linking his brother to the 2007 slayings.
"What I'm thinking is that we just need to see what evidence the police have and let the investigative process do what the investigative process will do.... There's nothing I can say about it until we actually see why they're making these allegations and what supports them," he said.
Defence lawyer 'upset' over media leak
"I'm really upset about the notion that somebody, obviously with some information that only an insider would have, would think it was appropriate to basically launch, through the press, a claim that someone was going to be charged," Castle-Trudel said.
"If the police are going to charge my client with something, fine, go ahead, charge him. ... Why? Why is somebody doing that?"
The Ottawa police major crimes unit is not commenting on the investigation.
Bush's next court appearance is scheduled for Friday.