Marcel Savoie, 65, had driven for Taxi Vétérans in Victoriaville for nearly 30 years. He was married with children. At about 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22, 1999 he picked up a 24-year-old man outside a bar in Saint-Christophe-d'Arthabaska. As they drove along route 161 the man beat Mr. Savoie with his coin changer and then strangled him to death. Passersby saw Mr. Savoie lying in a ditch beside his car and called police. At first it looked as though he had died in a single vehicle accident but a closer examination revealed the true cause of death. Police quickly identified a suspect and arrested him the next day at a relative's home in Rivière-du-Loup.

The killer was out on parole from a 12-month sentence for assault and battery. The terms of his parole required him to respect a curfew and stay away from bars. Prior arrests in 1995 and 1997 were for drunk driving, parole violation, obstructing a police officer and disturbing the peace. In a plea bargain the killer had his charge reduced from murder to manslaughter. He was sentenced to 16 years with no possibility of parole for seven years.