Allyson Beaurgard
& Laurent Robillard-Cardinal
CLARENDON – The Sureté du Québec (SQ) was called to 337 fourth concession road in Clarendon, January 18 around 3 am, where they discovered the body of
50 year old Shawville resident Darwin Zimmerling. Zimmerling was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Allyson Beaurgard
& Laurent Robillard-Cardinal
CLARENDON – The Sureté du Québec (SQ) was called to 337 fourth concession road in Clarendon, January 18 around 3 am, where they discovered the body of
50 year old Shawville resident Darwin Zimmerling. Zimmerling was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators from the Crimes against the Person branch of the SQ investigated the death and shortly after arrested 68 year old Brian Brownlee, the owner of the home where the body was found. Brownlee appeared in court in Gatineau, January 19, where he faced charges for second degree murder. He will remain in custody until his next court appearance on February 13.
Marc Tessier, SQ spokesperson, told the Journal the cause of death was gunshot wounds, but he would not disclose how the police were alerted
of the situation. Some unconfirmed reports have said Brownlee committed a “crime of compassion” after the victim tried to take his own life with a gun but did not succeed.
According to Martin Cote, West Quebec Chief Prosecutor, the investigation is still ongoing and the case does not appear to be a suicide or “murder by compassion”. He said Zimmerling and Brownlee knew each other through Brownlee’s son, who was a friend of Zimmerling.
Cote would not disclose why Zimmerling was at the Brownlee residence, but confirmed that Brownlee, the owner of the gun used, was the one who called 911.
Zimmerling worked in carpentry and is survived by his two children.
