Justus Chester is “the sweetest boy,” a friend and former roommate says.
The woman says Chester, who faces a second-degree murder charge in the death of 23-year-old Julia Brady, was her former roommate. She spoke about Chester, 26, and Brady.
“I actually lived there with him,” said the Midland woman, who asked not to be identified. “I moved out six weeks ago.”
The woman said Brady moved into the basement apartment a while later after a relative moved out west.
“Let me tell you something about Justus, regardless of his tattoos, Justus is the sweetest, sweetest boy,” she said.
The woman said that like her, Brady struggled with addiction issues and had been in an abusive relationship in the past.
“Julia was sweet as pie,” she said, noting Chester had also had a past stormy relationship.
“Both of them (Chester and Brady) just wanted love. Julia and Justus had a very loving relationship.”
The woman said she is now sober, but prior to that Chester would encourage her as she battled her own addiction and mental-health issues.
"He was always there to tell me that I'm better than that, tell me I could have a better life than what I had," she said. "Julia, she was really sweet, they got along really well."
Police attended a residence on Seventh Street shortly before 1 p.m. last Monday and found a woman dead. Another person was taken to hospital for medical attention. He has since been arrested and charged.
Chester was remanded into custody following a virtual bail hearing after being formally charged Friday. He has his first official court appearance date July 29 at the Ontario Court of Justice.
The woman expressed doubt that Chester actually murdered Brady and offered an alternative scenario (which Village Media chose not to publish, as the case is before the courts).
She added: “I really just hope that the coroner does his job.”
The woman, who visited the Seventh Street home Sunday, says the cleaners didn’t do a proper job, noting that a bloody mattress was left behind and bloody gloves were found on the driveway.
She said: “These people were paid to clean the house. This is a family home."
