A 43-year-old Ontario man wanted on a Canada-wide arrest warrant for second-degree murder in the death of his seven-year-old stepson has been arrested.
Niagara Regional Police said in a statement Tuesday evening that Justin Kuijer was arrested by OPP in Kenora, Ont., just before 5 p.m. ET after officers received a 911 call from a resident. Police responded and found Kuijer alone in a van previously reported to investigators. He was arrested without incident and will be returned to the Niagara Region in the coming days.
“We would like to thank the public, the media, and our law enforcement partners for their continued support over the last few days. Their efforts have led to the capture of Kuijer, and some small semblance of closure for the victims and their families,” Niagara Regional Police Det. Sgt. Brian Bleich said i n the statement.
A press conference to provide an update on the arrest has been scheduled by Niagara Regional Police for Wednesday afternoon.
Police said Nathan Dumas was found critically injured in a home in St. Catharines, Ont., Friday morning. He was rushed to hospital, but died early Saturday.
Kuijer managed to travel just under 2,000 kilometres from St. Catharines before being arrested.
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Kuijer, who is Dumas’ stepfather, was also being sought on attempted murder charges in relation to a stabbing incident at a Royal Bank branch located at 211 Martindale Rd. on Friday in which a woman was sent to hospital.
The arrest warrant was issued on Monday. Police earlier told Global News more than 100 tips were received from residents.
Carol Kuijer, Justin’s stepmother, spoke with Global News earlier on Tuesday and encouraged him to “please come turn himself in just like I want him to do and his father would have wanted him to do.”
READ MORE: Canada-wide warrant issued for Ontario man wanted in death of 7-year-old stepson
She said Justin would frequently come visit his father with his stepson Nathan and the two biological children he had with Nathan’s mother Whitney Dumas. Carol described Nathan as a “beautiful boy” and said Justin treated him as though he was his own son.
In an obituary posted online, Nathan was remembered as a “kind, loving boy with a big heart, full of compassion for everyone and everything.”
“As the polite young gentleman he was, he never missed an opportunity to open a door, give a gift or come to the defense of a good friend,” the obituary said.
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“Nathan truly felt the joy of giving, never looking for anything in return.”
A visitation for Nathan will be held at Pleasantview Funeral Home on Thursday between 6 and 8 p.m. and on Friday between 12 and 2 p.m. A celebration of Nathan’s life will be held in the funeral home’s chapel at 2 p.m.
A GoFundMe crowdfunding page in memory of Nathan has raised more than $21,000 since being launched on Saturday.
With files from Catherine McDonald and David Shum
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