The estranged partner of a young mother who was stabbed to death along with her parents at their home in Aylmer, Que., has been charged with first-degree murder Friday, Gatineau police say.

Shakti Ramsurrun, 28, was formally charged at a Gatineau courthouse Friday with first-degree murder in the deaths of Anne-Katherine Powers 21, her mother Louise LeBoeuf, 63, and LeBoeuf's partner Claude Lévesque, 58.

All three were stabbed to death Thursday, according to police.

Police and neighbours said the accused, the three victims and a young child lived in a suburban home at 64 Félix-Leclerc Street, where the bodies were found.

Neighbours said the older couple operated a bed and breakfast at the home.

The victim's friend, Virginia Lamaute, said Powers and Ramsurrun met on a Caribbean cruise just over two years ago.

Lamaute said the couple married and had a baby together in Mauritius, a small island off the east coast of Africa where the husband is from. She had moved back to Aylmer before him and he had followed by moving to Canada six months ago.

Relationship was ending, friend says

The relationship had recently turned sour and Powers wanted to separate, added Lamaute, but the couple still lived together in the home. A court sketch of Shakti Ramsurrun, who faces three counts of first-degree murder in relation to the deaths of his estranged partner, her mother and her step-father. (Laurie Foster-McLeod/CBC)

Police spokesman Const. Pierre Lanthier said Ramsurrun became a permanent resident of Canada in 2011. Lanthier referred to Ramsurrun as an ex-boyfriend, not a husband.

He said Ramsurrun was not known to police and that police had never been called to the home for any prior incident.

Ramsurrun was found soon after police arrived at the scene. He was arrested while holding his 15-month-old child at the nearby Rivermead Golf Club where he worked.

Police say he did not resist arrest and was questioned Friday. The child is now in the custody of children's protection services and was not harmed.

Home, golf course searched

On Thursday, Gatineau police were called to the scene at 1:15 p.m. ET, a home near the golf club, after receiving a 911 call. Police would not say who the call came from. Police remained at the crime scene Friday to search for evidence in the triple homicide. (CBC)

Police appeared to remove a body from the home before cordoning off the area. Police also cordoned off a second area at an abandoned van at the Rivermead Golf Club course parking lot, less than a kilometre from the home. The van was packed in the back with multiple items, including children's toys.

Police were also searching in bushes behind the home and in neighbours' yards for evidence.

An autopsy on the three bodies is also scheduled for this morning and police remain at the crime scene.

Ramsurrun was remanded into custody. Court officials will meet May 31 to determine his next court date.