York Regional Police say a 23-year-old man has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder after four people were found dead in a Markham home on Sunday.
Police said officers were called to a home on Castlemore Avenue, near Mingay Avenue and southwest of Major MacKenzie Drive East and Markham Road, just before 3 p.m. with a report multiple people may have been injured.
A man at the front door of the home was taken into custody after officers arrived and police said they found three women and a man dead inside.
“The identification process for the deceased is going to take quite some time as post-mortems are done by the coroner,” Const. Andy Pattenden told reporters during a brief update Monday morning.
Officers announced Menhaz Zaman was charged with four counts of first-degree murder. He appeared in a Newmarket court on Monday and was remanded into custody.
Emmera Riaz, a former long-time basement tenant at the home where the bodies were found, expressed shock at Zaman’s arrest. She said her interactions with the former engineering student over the years were nothing but positive.
“He’s such a nice guy all the time,” Riaz said.
Meanwhile, investigators appealed for witnesses or anyone who may have information to come forward.
“We want to reassure the community that York Regional Police has been here throughout the night … and I can guarantee that this community is very concerned,” Pattenden said, adding no other suspects are wanted in connection with the deaths.
Those with information were asked to call or email police at 1-866-876-5423 ext. 7865 or homicide@yrp.ca, or to call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
— With files from The Canadian Press