As a new year begins, Toronto police are asking the public not to forget about a number of still unsolved crimes from 2011.
While officers were successful in cracking several cold cases this past year, including two this month alone, a number of high-profile crimes from the past 12 months are still without resolution.
That's unless tips come in from the public that allow officers to crack the cases before they become cold.
"There is always a family, there are always loved ones of the victim and it is important to find out who is responsible, so we can provide closure for them," Const. Tony Vella told CP24.com during a year-end interview. "It is very difficultly having a loved one victimized, not to mention not even knowing who is responsible."
Toronto Police Services has a cold case squad and as a result, no file is ever entirely closed, but as the days turn into months it becomes increasingly hard to solve crimes, Vella said.
That's why police are urging the public to keep recent unsolved crimes near the top of their minds in 2012, should something or someone jog their memory.
"We have to continue (investigating) until we find out who is responsible," said Vella. "It could be 30 or 40 years from now. We won't stop."
The following is a list of some of the top unsolved crimes from 2011:
Explosives found in Etobicoke party store
In October, the Amazing Party and Costume store, near Kipling Avenue and the Gardiner Expressway, was forced to close its doors after seven packages of explosives were found inside. The devices were destroyed by a police bomb squad, but could have caused bodily harm or even death if they had went off in the store, officers said at the time. The intermittent closures of the store during its busiest sales period translated into a loss of $500,000 for owner Shawn Hamilton.
Update: A reward of $10,000 posted by Hamilton has not yet provided any leads that would justify charges. The store, meanwhile, is upgrading its cameras and security system and is planning to hold a formal reopening in the new year to help keep the case in the limelight.
Related Links
Store owner offers $10,000 reward after explosives found
Seventh bag of explosives found at party store
Fourth suspicious device found at Etobicoke store
Bloodshed at community barbecue
Jermaine Smith, 28, was fatally shot while attending a back-to-school barbecue near Dundas Street and Scarlett Road on August 28. The shooting occurred within steps of a playground filled with children and just metres from the barbecue, attended by 150 people, Det. Sgt. Wayne Banks said at the time. Smith had a two-month-old son and was not believed to be involved in any gang activity.
Update: The case is still unsolved according to Const. Tony Vella and police have not released a description of the suspect, other than to say they are looking for a black male. In September, Smith's family released a statement in which they claimed Smith "died a hero", shielding children from a hail of gun fire.
Related Links
Police identify man killed in Saturday shooting
Slain man shielded children from gunfire: family
Man beaten, run over
In the early hours of Dec. 1, Abirashid Guled, 51, was knocked to the ground during an altercation in the middle of Jane Street and then run over by a minivan moments later. He was rushed to Sunnybrook Hospital, but was pronounced dead upon arrival. The driver of the minivan was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Update: The investigation has been handed over to the homicide squad, who on Dec. 15 released a surveillance camera video showing a person of interest in the case. He is described as white, 6'2", between the ages of 20 to 30, with short dark hair. He was last seen wearing a white jacket with a hood and a dark logo on the left shoulder.
Related Link
Man dead after being run over by minivan
University of Toronto employee found dead
At around 5 p.m. on March 2, Allan Lanteigne, 49, had just finished another day of work as a University of Toronto office clerk and was walking home. Less than 24 hours later, responding to a call from a concerned co-worker, police found Lanteigne's body inside his Ossington Avenue home, suffering from obvious signs of trauma. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Update: Police continue to investigate, but have not released a cause of death, time of death or description of any suspect or suspects. In May Lanteigne's former partner Jarvis Belding spoke to the Toronto Star about his frustration with the pace of the investigation and the number of questions left unanswered.
Related Links
Police seek clues in Ossington Avenue murder
15-year-old boy shot dead steps from home
He was the youngest homicide victim of 2011. Andrew Naidoo, 15, was hanging out in a courtyard outside his families Martin Grove Road townhouse with several friends when he was repeatedly shot just after 11 p.m. on May 29. He was rushed to Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, but was pronounced dead a few hours later. At the time, Toronto police officers made a public appeal for witnesses and City Coun. Vincent Crisanti said the city and Neighbourhood Action Committee would develop a plan to curb violence in the area.
Update: There have been no arrests in the case and a suspect description has not been released. Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Sgt. Gary Giroux at (416) 808-7387.
Related Links
