Police have dropped the charges against the husband of a Vaughan woman who died last weekend and have arrested a new suspect.
York Regional Police said on Sept. 23 at around 7:45 p.m., officers received a report of a fire in the Parktree Drive and Lucena Crescent area.
Police said when officers arrived, a woman was found unresponsive inside the home.
Officers said the victim was taken to hospital where she was pronounced deceased.
She was later identified by police as 64-year-old Naheed Askaryar from Vaughan.
On Tuesday, police charged Askaryar’s husband, 71-year-old Mohammad Askaryar with first-degree murder and arson endangering life.
In an update Thursday, police said those charges have been withdrawn.
Police said “as a result of new information from the community, investigators uncovered additional evidence.”
Officers said 43-year-old Ahmad Shekeb Askarzada was arrested on Thursday.
He has been charged with first degree murder and arson endangering life.
Family told Global News that the Askarzada is a nephew of the Askaryars.
Family said they believe the allegations against Askarzada relate to the fact that Naheed Askaryar may have helped to set up an arranged marriage for him that didn’t work out.
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Nargis Askaryar is the niece of Naheed and Mohammad.
She told Global News Thursday was a “bittersweet” day for the family.
Nargis said the family is happy that her uncle has been released by police, but are still grieving Naheed’s passing.
Nargis said, though, that the family is “a little upset” at the way police handled the investigation.
She said police have told the family that the night of the murder, her uncle went out to “run an errand,” and was gone for around 20 to 30 minutes.
Nargis said when he returned, emergency services were already at the scene attempting to resuscitate his wife.
“He was trying to go in and they were not allowing him to go in,” she said. “When he did see her, he saw her being taken out on a stretcher, and he was in and out of consciousness because he couldn’t believe and he was in such great shock to see her dead.”
Nargis said he was taken to hospital, and once cleared, was questioned by police.
She said she couldn’t believe the news when her uncle was charged.
“When we heard it, it was like absolutely no way, this is wrong,” she said.
Nargis said her uncle is a “gentle soul” who “would not even hurt a fly.”
“He was just all about his wife,” she continued. “He was a bird guy and a flower guy, and those three things were his passion.”
She said he is a “happy go lucky guy” who “always has a smile on his face.”
She said Mohammad and Naheed were “inseparable.”
“They were a couple you would aspire to be they were married over 40 years,” she said. “When you think of lovebirds you think of them two, they only had each other because they had no children.”
Nargis said her uncle was not permitted to go to the funeral for his wife.
“I don’t think he’ll ever have closure – so I can’t say that closure was taken from him,” she said.
Nargis said the family is seeking a public apology from York Regional Police, saying “they did not handle it correctly.”
“They were very quick to charge my uncle,” she said.
“Everything’s been dropped, but they have yet to give us a public apology – to my uncle first and foremost – and they need to do what’s right.”
Global News reached out to York Regional Police for comment, but did not hear back by time of publication.
Officers said anyone with information is asked to contact police at 1-866-876-5423 ext. 7865 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
-with files from Global News’ Ahmar Khan
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