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Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Boy, 14, charged with first-degree murder after random 'sadistic' stabbing of elderly Ontario woman: police
A teenage boy has been charged with first-degree murder after a woman was fatally stabbed in Pickering, Ont. Police received a call to a residential area of the Southern Ontario city around 3 p.m. on Thursday, Durham Regional Police said in a news release. A passerby had noticed an elderly woman lying on the ground outside of a home near Lynn Heights Drive and Fairport Road. The victim was brought to a Toronto-area trauma centre where she was pronounced dead. On Friday, the 14-year-old suspect appeared in court via video from the Durham Regional Police Division 17 for a hearing in Oshawa, CBC News reported. He said he understood the charges against him and confirmed he had the chance to speak with a lawyer. In an update to media on Friday morning, acting staff Sgt. Joanne McCabe said police are investigating reports of the suspect allegedly looking at homes in the area weeks before the incident. Although the attack appeared to be random, she said the victim and the suspect had a brief conversation before the woman was stabbed. A neighbour told CBC she saw the suspect walk toward the woman's house, but couldn't see the stabbing from where she was sitting in her bedroom. 'It seems like a lot of people have seen him walking around that day, around that time, just because he stood out quite a bit,' said Pickering resident Gabriela Fredericks. After watching video footage of the area, police said the woman was outside of her house when a suspect approached her. There was a brief encounter and then the woman was attacked. She was stabbed 'multiple times,' police said. A shelter in place was in effect while police conducted a search, and the Ontario Provincial Police issued an Alert Ready notice. The search team included officers from multiple units, including Air1, Drone, K9 and Tactical Support, according to Durham Regional Police. The suspect was discovered by police at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday evening and taken into custody without incident. A press conference was held after the arrest on Thursday. Durham Regional Police Service Chief Peter Moreira told media that authorities would not be revealing details about the arrest, CP24 reported. He said the investigation was 'in its infancy' and those details 'may form part of the evidence.' He said the investigation would also uncover if the victim and suspect knew each other in any way. Moreira said the victim was stabbed 'in a sadistic and cowardly unprovoked attack that was captured on video.' Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe posted on X on Thursday, giving his 'thoughts, prayers, and sympathies' to the victim and her family. Ashe also thanked the Durham police 'for their efforts in bringing this to a quick resolution.' He later confirmed the woman was in her 80s. The woman, whose identity has not been made public by police, was a retired teacher, according to neighbour Laurie Deoliveira. 'We live in a safe community. It's not a normal thing to happen,' she said. Deoliveira, along with others from the community, have laid flowers at the woman's home. Brian Fredericks, who lives across the street from the victim, called her a 'lovely lady' whom he had known for 32 years. A candlelight vigil was set for Friday evening, although its organizer John Meloche later cancelled the event. He said in a Facebook post that it was due to the family's wishes to have privacy 'during this incredibly difficult time.' The 14-year-old will not be named, as the Youth Criminal Justice Act in Ontario prohibits the identification of minors in such cases. He is due back in court on June 20, CBC reported. With additional reporting by The Canadian Press. Quebec man accused in huge cocaine, fentanyl and meth smuggling case appears in U.S. court Toronto plane crash report includes new video and details about what went wrong with Delta aircraft Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
Vancouver Sun
4 days ago
- Vancouver Sun
Boy, 14, charged with first-degree murder after random 'sadistic' stabbing of elderly Ontario woman: police
A teenage boy has been charged with first-degree murder after a woman was fatally stabbed in Pickering, Ont. Police received a call to a residential area of the Southern Ontario city around 3 p.m. on Thursday, Durham Regional Police said in a news release . A passerby had noticed an elderly woman lying on the ground outside of a home near Lynn Heights Drive and Fairport Road. The victim was brought to a Toronto-area trauma centre where she was pronounced dead. UPDATE 1: 14-Year-Old Male Charged with First Degree Murder A 14-year-old male has been charged with first degree murder after a female was killed in Pickering in Durham Region's second homicide of 2025. The suspect was initially reported to be 13 years of age; however, he is… On Friday, the 14-year-old suspect appeared in court via video from the Durham Regional Police Division 17 for a hearing in Oshawa, CBC News reported . He said he understood the charges against him and confirmed he had the chance to speak with a lawyer. In an update to media on Friday morning, acting staff Sgt. Joanne McCabe said police are investigating reports of the suspect allegedly looking at homes in the area weeks before the incident. Although the attack appeared to be random, she said the victim and the suspect had a brief conversation before the woman was stabbed. A neighbour told CBC she saw the suspect walk toward the woman's house, but couldn't see the stabbing from where she was sitting in her bedroom. 'It seems like a lot of people have seen him walking around that day, around that time, just because he stood out quite a bit,' said Pickering resident Gabriela Fredericks. After watching video footage of the area, police said the woman was outside of her house when a suspect approached her. There was a brief encounter and then the woman was attacked. She was stabbed 'multiple times,' police said. A shelter in place was in effect while police conducted a search, and the Ontario Provincial Police issued an Alert Ready notice. The search team included officers from multiple units, including Air1, Drone, K9 and Tactical Support, according to Durham Regional Police. The suspect was discovered by police at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday evening and taken into custody without incident. A press conference was held after the arrest on Thursday. Durham Regional Police Service Chief Peter Moreira told media that authorities would not be revealing details about the arrest, CP24 reported . He said the investigation was 'in its infancy' and those details 'may form part of the evidence.' He said the investigation would also uncover if the victim and suspect knew each other in any way. Moreira said the victim was stabbed 'in a sadistic and cowardly unprovoked attack that was captured on video.' Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe posted on X on Thursday, giving his 'thoughts, prayers, and sympathies' to the victim and her family. My thoughts, prayers, and sympathies go out to the victim and her family. Thank you to @DRPS for their efforts in bringing this to a quick resolution. Ashe also thanked the Durham police 'for their efforts in bringing this to a quick resolution.' He later confirmed the woman was in her 80s. The woman, whose identity has not been made public by police, was a retired teacher, according to neighbour Laurie Deoliveira. 'We live in a safe community. It's not a normal thing to happen,' she said. Deoliveira, along with others from the community, have laid flowers at the woman's home. Brian Fredericks, who lives across the street from the victim, called her a 'lovely lady' whom he had known for 32 years. A candlelight vigil was set for Friday evening, although its organizer John Meloche later cancelled the event. He said in a Facebook post that it was due to the family's wishes to have privacy 'during this incredibly difficult time.' The 14-year-old will not be named, as the Youth Criminal Justice Act in Ontario prohibits the identification of minors in such cases. He is due back in court on June 20, CBC reported. With additional reporting by The Canadian Press. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Just unimaginable':14-year-old boy charged with first-degree murder in random Pickering stabbing
The 14-year-old suspect in Thursday's fatal stabbing in Pickering has been charged with first-degree murder, a court heard Friday morning. The incident spurred a massive local manhunt and a shelter-in-place warning for residents. Around 3 p.m. on Lynn Heights Drive , the victim was in front of her home when a male approached and stabbed her repeatedly , police said. A passerby found her and she was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead. The suspect was arrested "without incident" after what investigators called an "extensive search" around 8:30 p.m., officials said in a news release late Friday morning. Durham police acting staff Sgt. Joanne McCabe told media at the scene on Friday morning that police are looking into reports from residents that someone was seen prowling homes in the area in the weeks leading up to the incident. 'This is something that I think ... is going to impact this community for a very long time,' McCabe told reporters at the scene. The attack appears to be random, noting that the boy and the victim had a brief chat before she was fatally stabbed, McCabe said. 'What that conversation was will also be part of the investigation,' she said. McCabe could not confirm whether the suspect was known to police prior to Thursday's attack. Acting staff Sgt. Joanne McCabe told reporters Friday that a 14-year-old boy has been charged with first-degree murder following a stabbing outside a Pickering home on Thursday evening. 'This is something that I think ... is going to impact this community for a very long time,' she said. Calvi Leon/Toronto Star Neighbours identified the victim as Eleanor Doney, a retired school teacher who loved to garden and dress up a makeshift scarecrow at the edge of her front lawn. On Friday, it was dressed in a plaid shirt, a red hat and holding two Canadian flags. A sign below it read: 'God keep our land glorious and free.' One resident said Doney lived at the residence for more than 30 years and looked after her husband. 'She was a beautiful woman. She wouldn't hurt anybody,' the woman said. 'It's just unbelievable.' Laurie DeOliveira said she didn't know her personally but often saw her decorating the scarecrow, a community staple. 'I always have a bit of gratitude for how she kind of lights up the neighbourhood with her different kind of characters that she portrays for the rest of the community to enjoy,' said DeOliveira. 'I just wanted her family to know she was meaningful to us.' Syed Ali said he felt compelled to come by the home where the stabbing occurred to pay his respects to the victim. 'She was just gardening,' Ali said. 'It's very shocking.' Ali said he remembers when his son was 14 years old — the same age as the suspect. Kids are supposed to be outside playing and studying, he said. 'We have to check (kids') mental health. We should be concerned about this.' John Meloche, who lives down the street from where Doney was attacked, said he was home at the time and saw his video surveillance captured who he believed to be the boy walking towards and then away from the victim's house. The teen could be seen wearing a long, black, shiny trench coat, black dress shoes and a black mask and gloves and was holding a black briefcase. In one video, the teen stops and bends down, fiddling with something near his bag, before continuing, walking at a steady pace. Arrest of boy Thursday evening ends an intense police search following the death of a Pickering On Thursday evening at the scene, Durham police Chief Peter Moreira called the incident a 'sadistic and cowardly, unprovoked attack that was captured on video.' 'I worked in homicide for a long time, and I can tell you that an unprovoked attack like this is just unimaginable.' Moreira declined to comment further on the details of the arrest, saying the investigation is still in its early stages. Police have not publicly stated whether there was a relationship between the victim and suspect, adding the victim's name is being withheld at her family's request. The suspect's identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The apparently random nature of the fatal stabbing pushed Durham officers to take 'unusual steps,' Moreira added, including deploying the OPP Alert Ready service. Although the shelter-in-place was only intended for the people in the immediate area, the alert was received on cellphones elsewhere in the GTA. McCabe said on Friday investigative work is done before emergency alerts are deployed, and police 'understand the fear that they may cause.' 'We don't release them lightly,' she added. 'The Alert Ready is a system that is in place to notify our community members of an ongoing situation that is deemed a risk to public safety. The decision was made to have residents shelter in place as the suspect was at large and armed. The process for doing so is for the DRPS to submit a request in writing to the OPP. The OPP has the final approval if an alert should be made. The DRPS provided a suggested area to shelter in place in our alert request to the OPP. The area the alert extends to, is at the discretion of the OPP. My understanding is the reach for the alert went further than the requested area as the armed suspect was mobile and there was an imminent threat to public safety … My understanding is that it was a possible glitch in the system. DRPS did not classify it as a terrorism event,' McCabe said in a statement. Durham Regional Police investigate a murder near the intersection of Fairport and Lynn Heights in Pickering. The city of Pickering cancelled all evening activities and classes in the wake of the attack, but after the suspect was arrested, locals were told they could go back to their activities. 'I'm shocked that a person so young has so much hate in them,' Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe told reporters at the scene Thursday. Ashe added the boy was affected by the 'burden of mental health.' Police previously reported the suspect was 13 years old. Anyone with information about the stabbing is asked to contact detectives at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 2529 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). With files from Jason Miller and Jennifer Pagliaro
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Why did I get an emergency alert for a homicide in Pickering? Teen boy charged with 1st-degree murder following ‘sadistic and cowardly' attack
Thousands of Ontario residents received a shelter-in-place alert during the Thursday afternoon commute. The alert indicated police were investigating a homicide suspect at 2125 Lynn Heights Dr., but it failed to mention the community name of Pickering. The alert appeared to create confusion on social media and included the r/askTO subreddit on . People receive this alert on Toronto-area cellphones as police hunt for a suspect in Thursday's stabbing death. Commenters reported receiving the alert in downtown Toronto and Newmarket. Others who said they received it, live more than 100-kilometres away from the impacted area, in places like Haliburton and Barrie. Alert Ready is the public-facing brand name for the National Public Alerting System administered by Public Safety Canada. Canada's emergency alerting system is intended to deliver critical alerts to Canadians through television, radio and LTE-connected and compatible wireless devices. The May 29 Pickering alert was sent by the Ontario Provincial Police on behalf of Durham Regional Police. In an email to Metroland, Durham police spokesperson Joanne McCabe said the local police service provided a suggested area to shelter in place in its alert request to the OPP. 'The area the alert extends to and what information is released, is at the discretion of the OPP,' McCabe added. 'My understanding is the reach for the alert went further than the requested area as the armed suspect was mobile and there was an imminent threat to public safety.' Metroland has also reached out to the OPP and will update this piece when we receive a reply. A shelter in place can be issued for major police events. The Government of Canada website advises people to follow the directions and advice of law enforcement and first responders. Here's what you should do if you receive a notice: In a May 30 update, Durham police said a 14-year-old boy was arrested and charged with first-degree murder after an older adult woman was stabbed to death in the Lynn Heights Drive and Fairport Road area of Pickering Thursday afternoon. The suspect was initially thought to be 13, according to a previous news release. On May 29 at 3:05 p.m., police responded to the area for an unknown trouble call. After a brief encounter, the suspect 'assaulted the victim in an unprovoked attack (by) stabbing her multiple times,' police said. The woman was outside her home on Lynn Heights Drive near Fairport Road around 3 p.m., when police say the suspect approached her. A passerby found a woman on the ground outside a residence suffering from traumatic injuries. She was transported to a Toronto-area trauma centre and pronounced dead. In a media briefing Thursday evening, Durham police Chief Peter Moreira called the suspect 'sadistic and cowardly' in the unprovoked attack, which was captured on video. 'I worked in homicide for a long time and I can tell you that an unprovoked attack like this is just unimaginable,' Moreira added. The woman was doing what 'everyone else would do at the front of their home,' according to Moreira and added she does not hold any responsibility for the attack. Following the stabbing, police said the suspect fled eastbound on Lynn Heights Drive, which prompted a massive search that included a rare shelter-in-place alert issued across the Greater Toronto Area in a bid to minimize any risk to public safety. Police said the suspect was arrested without incident Thursday evening at 8:30 p.m. The stabbing death is Durham Region's second homicide of 2025, said police. The woman's name is being withheld at the request of the family. — With files from Kristen Calis, Toronto Star Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
