TORONTO — Surveillance video released in the death of a woman who police say worked in the sex trade shows her suspected killer calmly leaving after she was sexually assaulted, beaten and suffocated.
Thirty-four-year-old Sylvia Consuelo was assaulted and killed early Saturday in her Toronto Community Housing apartment at 121 Kendleton Drive in Etobicoke, homicide Det. Sgt. Hank Idsinga said Friday.
Her body was discovered by friends around 4:30 a.m., around two hours after the suspect left.
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The security-camera footage shows a man with his face hidden “pop open” what should have been a secure door to the apartment complex and make his way through the tunnel system to Consuelo’s apartment, Idsinga said.
“He knew his way around. He knew his way up to her apartment,” the detective said.
“It’s a little unnerving to see how calm and cool he is when he walks out of there,” Idsinga added.
TCHC did not directly respond when asked whether the door in question has since been strengthened, with spokeswoman Lisa Murray saying only the Kendleton building’s access doors “are inspected daily, and are repaired as soon as they are found to have been compromised.”
The suspect is light skinned and was wearing light-coloured Nike running shoes (Roshe model), dark jeans (Red BBQ brand), a black leather bomber-style jacket, grey hoodie with plaid pattern, a black and white plaid scarf and a black toque, Idsinga said.
Idsinga said Consuelo struggled with mental health and drug addiction, and worked as a prostitute.
Investigators are exploring whether the suspect knew Consuelo’s, and checking her “client list” of johns.
“Either they know each other or he knows of her.”
Police are going through footage from the days before Consuelo’s death to see if the suspect previously visited the building, he said.
Fifty Toronto police officers and TCHC officials are canvassing an area of north Etobicoke for evidence in the case, Idsinga said.
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