PETERBOROUGH, Ont. - Police have charged Justin Boyer, 20, with second-degree murder in connection with a bar brawl that led to the death of 41-year-old Ottawa resident Stephenson Auguste.

Auguste died three days after a Jan. 28 melee at a Peterborough strip club called Thursday's.

Sgt. Deb Gillis said police contacted members of the Boyer's family, and he turned himself in Tuesday.

Boyer appeared in court Tuesday, was remanded to custody, and will appear in court again Thursday.

The charge comes as a relief for Auguste's family and friends.

"We are definitely happy about it," said Shawn Barnes, Auguste's brother-in-law. "It brings some closure."

Auguste, known as "Scooby" to his friends, was taken to Sunnybrook hospital in Toronto following the brawl.

His family believes he was attacked.

Barnes said Auguste wasn't a fighter and didn't deserve what happened to him.

Auguste was in the city working for a scaffolding company.

"It's been pretty devastating. It's weird how bad things happen to good people," Barnes said.

Auguste left behind two sons, ages four and two; an 18-year-old daughter; and his wife.

"The boys don't really understand, you know?" Barnes said.

Gillis said she couldn't release a lot of information about the circumstances surrounding Auguste's death and injuries, only that he died of blunt force trauma to his head.

Two groups, unknown to each other, got into a brawl that night, she said, and at some point Auguste received his injuries.

sdeeth@peterboroughexaminer.com