SQ FINDS POT CROP NEAR HOMICIDE SITE

52-year-old Killed In Laurentians. Victim Argued With Two Masked Men
Who Tied Up Girlfriend And Fled In His Truck

A large marijuana field discovered in a wooded section of the lower
Laurentians was ordered harvested by police who suspect the illegal crop
may be tied to a homicide.

The Surete du Quebec requested a warrant yesterday to access the land and
chop down the plants. The field was discovered while the SQ used a
helicopter to survey the land surrounding a home in Wentworth, a township
of about 450 residents just north of Lachute.

"We were using the helicopter to take photos of the (murder) scene, as
usual, when we spotted marijuana plants not very far," said Constable
Isabelle Gendron, an SQ spokesperson. "It is a large quantity of marijuana
but it is too early to say if it is related to the victim."

Kevin McRae, who would have turned 52 today, was killed just outside his
home after he had taken a morning walk sometime around 8:30 Tuesday morning.

Though Gendron said McRae was not known to the police, he had been
convicted of assault in 1977 and 1982.

"He was with a girlfriend who did not live with him. They were outside when
two masked men who were armed approached them. There was a fight between
the four and (McRae) was killed," Gendron said.

Neighbours in the area reported hearing gunfire around 9 a.m. Tuesday. But
Gendron said she was still awaiting the results of an autopsy before saying
how McRae had died.

The woman was tied up by the masked men who fled in McRae's pickup truck, a
black 2000 Toyota Tundra, with the license plate HCB 981.

The woman freed herself and called for help.

The marijuana field is located in a heavily wooded area, difficult to
access from a public road.

Municipal evaluation records show McRae owned more than five hectares of
the mostly wooded land surrounding his home. Gendron was unable to confirm
whether the marijuana was found on land owned by McRae.

Hidden marijuana fields are not uncommon in that part of the Laurentians.
Gendron said that police recently seized more than 1,400 plants in four
different municipalities near Lachute.

The Surete du Quebec is asking anyone who spots the truck or has
information on this incident to contact them at (514) 310-4141.