Police seek help identifying man after dismembered body parts found in Lake Ontario near Cherry Beach last October
Toronto police are appealing to the public for help as they investigate the discovery of parts of a young man’s dismembered body that were found off Cherry Beach and in the outer harbour area in October of 2023.
At a news conference at Toronto Police Headquarters on the morning of Tuesday, March 5, Acting Supt. Kathlin Seremetkovski, from 51 Division, and Det. Sgt. Tiffany Castell, from the Homicide and Missing Persons Unit, provided an update on the investigation into the discovery off the human remains.
On Oct. 9, 2023, at approximately 10:19 a.m., police responded to call for a suspicious event at Cherry Beach. When officers arrived, a human thigh was located near the water’s edge and shortly after another thigh was located approximately 150 metres away — also in the water
On Oct. 30, 2023, at approximately 3 p.m., the Toronto police Marine Unit was on patrol in the outer Toronto harbour area of Lake Ontario when officers came upon a human torso in the water.
An autopsy revealed that the body appeared to have been intentionally dismembered.
In November of 2023, DNA testing confirmed the body parts belonged to the same person, said police. Neither the thighs or torso have any distinctive scars, marks or tattoos.
The torso was wearing a size small t-shirt and a necklace and was partially wrapped in a black plastic garbage bag, said police.
A profile has been completed by a forensic pathologist and it is believed the individual was male, 21 to 28 years old, with a light brown, tan complexion, an average to lean build, and black body hair, said police. He is believed to have been five-feet, six-inches tall, plus or minus 3.5 inches, said police.
The individual died within approximately 24-48 hours of the thighs being discovered on Oct. 9, 2023, said police
The investigation is being led by 51 Division with the support of the Homicide and Missing Persons Unit.
Police are seeking the public’s help identifying this individual.
An image of the necklace found with the torso has been released by police in hopes it might help identify the young man.
Toronto police said this necklace was found with the torso of a man’s body found in the outer harbour area on Oct. 30 of 2023.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-5100 or by using the dedicated tip email at help51@tps.ca
People can also contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477 or at https://www.222tips.com
