WATCH ABOVE: Toronto Police are asking for the public’s help in providing information into an alleged homicide investigation. Police say they believe 22-year-old Shawn Kapadia was murdered on July 5. Catherine McDonald reports.
TORONTO — Toronto police are asking the public for help in connection with the alleged murder of a missing 22-year-old Mississauga man.
Homicide Det. Dave Dickinson said police believe Shawn Kapadia, 22, was killed on July 5 at 7 Foundry Ave., near the intersection of Davenport and Dufferin, in Toronto.
Kapadia was reported missing by his parents on July 10. He was last seen leaving his home in Mississauga on July 5, driving a 2007 silver Pontiac G6.
Dickinson said police responded to unit 118 of 7 Foundry Ave. on July 12 for an incident that was intiailly believed to be unrelated to that of the disappearance of Kapadia.
Police had initially responded to an “insecure property” at the unit, meaning that it was unlocked, but Dickinson said there was no evidence of a break-and-enter.
He added that the investigation then led police to 50843 O’Reilly’s Rd. S in Wainfleet, Ont., where Kapadia’s car was located with the assistance of Niagara Regional Police.
“Based on evidence collected in Toronto and Wainfleet, it is the belief of investigators that Shawn was murdered at 7 Foundry Avenue in Toronto,” Dickinson said, adding that an extensive search of the area in Wainfleet was conducted. “To date, the body of Shawn has not been located.”
WATCH: Homicide Det. Dave Dickinson appealed to the public for any information on the disappearance of Shawn Kapadia. Toronto Police are now treating the case as a murder.
Dickinson said that on July 11, an older model John Deere backhoe was observed attending the O’Reilly’s address in Wainfleet, before leaving the address on July 12 in the afternoon carrying a large block of concrete in the front bucket.
He added that the backhoe was last seen driving on Broadway Avenue in Welland.
“First I need anyone who may have attended the address 7 Foundry Avenue in Toronto looking for Shawn after his disappearance to get in contact with me,” Dickinson said.
“Shawn’s silver Pontiac G6 was located at the rear of the address on O’Reilly’s Road. If anyone can provide me with information as to the movements of this car on or around July 8th I need them to contact me.”
Dickinson said he’s appealing to anyone who may have seen the John Deere backhoe carrying a large block of concrete in the front bucket on the afternoon of July 12.
“It is likely that this backhoe was borrowed or taken without consent,” he said.
“If you lent your John Deere backhoe out or noticed it missing on the weekend of July 11 I need you to contact me.”
Dickinson also appealed to landowners in the Wainfleet, Welland and Niagara Falls region to check their properties.
“I need you to look for recently dug or disturbed soil and/or fresh pieces of concrete placed on your property,” he said.
“We’re making great progress in this investigation, we’ve spoken to numerous persons. I’m not going to get into the specifics of what people said and the status of each person we’ve spoken to but what I am doing right now is appealing to the public.”
He said no arrests have been made but he does “anticipate them in the future,” adding that Kapadia had “an association” to the call at Foundry Avenue where two unidentified people reside.
Anyone who may have seen the backhoe, the silver Pontiac, or who has information, is asked to contact Det. Dickinson at 416-808-7400, extension 77418, or Niagara Regional Police Service at 905-688-4111, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637).
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