Man charged in political aide's death

MONTREAL, May 19 (UPI) -- Canadian authorities Monday charged a suspect with first degree murder in the killing of a Canadian political aide, court papers show.

Francis Proulx, 29, will face other charges, including kidnapping, in a Riviere du Loup court Tuesday, the Montreal Gazette reported.

Nancy Michaud, a political aide to Quebec Natural Resources Minister Claude Bechard, was abducted from her Riviere Ouelle home Friday. Police said Proulx became their No. 1 suspect during his interrogation.

Authorities believe the victim was kidnapped after trying to fight off an intruder, the newspaper reported.

Police discovered her body in the basement of an abandoned house, miles from her home. They believe the killer is the person recorded on video Friday using Michaud's bank card to withdraw cash, the report said.

Michaud, 37, was married and the mother of two children. Michaud's husband reported his wife missing after he came home at about 2:30 a.m. Friday.

The children -- ages 6 years 18 months -- were asleep at the time police believe she was abducted.