York Regional Police say the burned human remains that were found in Parry Sound have been identified as those from a missing Ontario real estate agent.
A Markham, Ont., woman named Yuk-Ying Anita Mui, 56, was reported missing by her family on Aug. 9 after they had not heard from her, police said.
Police called the disappearance at the time “suspicious” because the woman, who spoke regularly with her family, had been unreachable for days.
Investigators said her white 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE450 Sport was found about eight kilometres from her home in the Finch and Warden avenues area in Toronto. Police have said it is unclear how her vehicle got there.
The day she went missing Mui was supposed to visit a large rural property on Vandorf Sideroad in Stouffville related to her real estate business, police said.
A few days following her disappearance, on Aug. 12, police said officers with the Ontario Provincial Police reported that burned human remains were found near Avro Arrow Road and Highway 400 in McDougall Township, part of the district of Parry Sound, more than 200 kilometres from where she went missing.
“The Office of the Chief Coroner has positively identified the deceased as Mui,” police said.
Police said during their investigation they learned the suspects they had identified were allegedly in possession of property belonging to Mui.
Three teens, two 17-year-olds and one 16-year-old, were charged. Charges include fraud under 5,000, several firearm-related charges, and failing to comply with probation or release orders. However, none of the charges are related to the killing of Mui.
“All of three young offenders are persons of interest in this homicide investigation, but their exact involvement as to what they did or what they had to do with this investigation and with the disappearance of, Miss Mui, is being investigated,” Det. Dave Gill with YRP’s homicide unit said at a press conference on Thursday.
When it comes to the fraud charges, Gill said officers believe the young offenders were using Mui’s credit cards at multiple different locations in the Greater Toronto Area.
He added the credit cards were used after her disappearance.
Two of the teens have been released on bail, while the other remains in custody awaiting a bail hearing in the coming days, Gill said.
York Regional Police chief Jim MacSween told reporters that investigators believe this was a targeted interest.
“We believe Miss Mui was targeted and our homicide unit will continue the investigation until we find the individuals responsible for her death,” MacSween said.
A vehicle of interest was identified as a white 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter cargo van.
Police said investigators think Mui was transported in that type of van and are asking anyone who may have seen this van or have dashcam or surveillance video of the area of 3821 Vandorf Sideroad, in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, or in Parry Sound between Aug. 9 and Aug. 12, to contact them.