A 31-year-old man has been charged with first-degree murder after allegedly stabbing and killing his mother at an apartment building in Thorncliffe Park overnight, according to Toronto police.
Emergency crews responded to a call around 12:30 a.m. at a residential mid-rise on Thorncliffe Park Drive just south of Overlea Boulevard.
A woman was located on the fourth floor of her apartment unit with multiple stab wounds and pronounced dead at the scene.
Police have identified the victim as 69-year-old Marite Zala, of Toronto.
Ernest Lajos Zala, of Toronto, was arrested at the scene and was charged with first-degree murder.
He was scheduled to appear in court Friday.
Police allege victim and suspect are mother and son.
A resident of the building where the victim resided said she was from the Philippines and lived with her son.
“She was close to my place in the Philippines. She’s in my dialect,” Lisa, who did not want to give out her last name, said.
“She’s a good lady. She always says hi.”
Police are asking anyone with information or who may have seen Zala or know about his whereabouts Thursday to contact police at 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).