Homicide detectives say that Richard Clements, a 72-year-old double amputee who lived alone in an Etobicoke apartment, was friendly and generous but that those attributes may have led to his murder.
Police are still searching for the killer who left a bloody trail of footprints after stabbing Mr. Clements multiple times and stealing items from his apartment sometime between Dec. 2 and Dec. 3.
“This is a vicious, brutal murder of a 72-year-old man,” Detective Sergeant Brian Borg told a news conference Thursday. “It’s a horrific case… That poor man didn’t have a chance.”
Police announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
The retired Toronto businessman had both of his feet amputated 10 years ago because of a medical condition and used a wheelchair or prosthetic limbs to get around. He lived on a modest disability pension and volunteered at his apartment at 1 Coin St.
A friend came to visit him shortly after midnight and found the door open; Mr. Clements was lying beside his overturned wheelchair.
People often showed up at his door, asking to borrow a few dollars or a cigarette, Det. Sgt. Borg said.
“He was very generous with what he had and people knew it…Richard and his personality attracted those kinds of people who would come and see him,” he said.
Police tracked footprints made by someone wearing Nike runners downstairs to an apartment below Mr. Clements. The footprints stopped in front of the door and did not go in.
Mr. Clements had visited that apartment the night that he was killed to visit the resident, another disabled man, and take the friend’s dog for a walk.
Police said they have spoken to the friend who was co-operative; however, Det. Sgt. Borg declined to provide further details. The friend died on Monday, he said.
Det. Sgt. Borg believes Mr. Clements, his friend and the killer are acquainted. The murderer knows the building and the residents, he added.
“He was the type of person that if you asked for help, he’d rob Peter to pay Paul. He’d borrow money from his family to lend it to someone else,” said his cousin Sandra Shaw. “Richard didn’t have enough for someone to steal something valuable because he gave everything away. It’s just a horrific, heinous murder beyond my comprehension. None of us can understand it.”
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