Niagara Regional Police say the public was instrumental in helping to locate and capture a 43-year-old Ontario man wanted on a Canada-wide arrest warrant for first-degree murder in the death of his seven-year-old stepson.
“The power of social media in this case — I was shocked myself to learn in the last five days we had over 600,000 hits on social media including Facebook and Twitter in relation to this case,” Niagara Regional Police Chief Jeff McGuire told reporters at a press conference in Niagara Falls, Ont. on Wednesday.
WATCH: Justin Kuijer, accused of killing stepson, returned to Niagara Region after arrest
Police said Justin Kuijer was located by Ontario Provincial Police in Kenora, Ont. Tuesday afternoon following a tip from a member of the public.
Authorities said officers found him inside a 2009 Pontiac Montana van in a Walmart parking lot and was arrested without incident just before 5 p.m. ET.
“There were six OPP officers from the Kenora detachment on scene,” McGuire said. “It sounds to me that they executed a very good arrest.”
The arrest comes five days after 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, who is Dumas’ stepfather, is facing a first-degree murder charge in connection to the child’s death.
READ MORE: Canada-wide warrant issued for Ontario man wanted in death of 7-year-old stepson
He 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. McGuire said they had a professional relationship at the bank.
WATCH: Ontario man accused of killing stepson arrested. Lama Nicolas reports.
Kuijer was brought back to Niagara Region Wednesday evening and is expected to appear for a bail hearing in St. Catharines on Thursday.
“There’s no question that there’s a great relief in the community and some spirit of fear during the time he was not in custody,” McGuire said.
Carol Kuijer, Justin’s stepmother, spoke with Global News 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.”
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.
READ MORE: Stepmother asks suspect wanted on Canada-wide warrant in death of boy, 7, to surrender
Carol described Nathan as a “beautiful boy” and said Justin treated him as though he was his own son.
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.
VIDEO: Justin Kuijer, the man accused of killing his 7-year-old stepson, was found and arrested Tuesday night after being on the run for five days. Ashley Carter reports.
With files from Nick Westoll and Catherine McDonald
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