Article content

When she was growing up in Timmins, Heather Simon lived in the shadow of her big brother, Austin.

“I looked up to him. He was very popular. Anyone who met him liked him,” Simon said in an interview Sunday afternoon. “He was charismatic. He was handsome. He was cool. And because he was my big brother, I was cool too.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or 'He was handsome. He was cool': Family, friends remember slain Ottawa carpenter Back to video

“No one would bother me. I was Austin Simon’s little sister.”

Austin Simon, a 39-year-old carpentry “ninja” and a father of two young children, died Halloween night after he was found unconscious on Murray Street suffering from stab wounds. He died that night in hospital.

On Sunday, 33-year-old Ignace Kayiranga, appeared by video link in an Ottawa court to be charged with second-degree murder. He was ordered held in custody. A publication ban covers evidence presented during Kayiranga’s brief hearing.

jpg

Kayiranga has been previously convicted of theft, criminal harassment and multiple counts of both assault and breaching court-ordered conditions. In addition to the murder charge, he continues to face charges of possessing a weapon, carrying a concealed weapon, mischief, and theft laid before the homicide.