A Toronto man whose remains were found floating in an Uxbridge, Ont. pond last spring was abducted from Toronto before he was murdered and his body was put in a hockey bag, police say.

On May 10, Durham Region Police Service (DRPS) were called to a rural area of Uxbridge, near Uxbridge Concession Road 6 and Allbright Road, after a local resident found human remains.

Ontario Forensic Pathology Services confirmed the remains are those of 32-year-old Ariel Kaplan, of Toronto but provided few other details about what lead up to his death. 

.“We now believe Mr. Kaplan was abducted from the area of Yonge Street and Sheppard Avenue in Toronto on August 29, 2021, before he was killed and his body was disposed of,” Det. Sgt. Doris Carriere said at a news conference on Monday morning.

Ariel Kaplan

Kaplan was reported missing in August 2021, police said.

Months earlier, in May 2021, he was charged with two counts of possession of property obtained by crime exceeding $5,000 for his alleged involvement in the theft of a tractor-trailer that was carrying nearly $250,000 worth of juice bottles and washing machines.

Durham police’s homicide unit is working in conjunction with the Toronto police’s homicide and missing persons units on this investigation.

With files from CTV News Toronto's Abby O'Brien.