The ex-boyfriend of a Canadian woman who was abducted by fake police officers has been charged with first-degree murder, marking the latest twist in a high-profile kidnapping case that had appeared to stump investigators for nearly two years.
On January 12, 2022, Elnaz Hajtamiri was forcefully taken from a residence in a beach community in Ontario by three men wearing police gear. They entered the home without permission and forcibly took her barefoot through the snow to a waiting vehicle.
Police announced on Thursday that Mohamad Lilo, the former boyfriend of Hajtamiri, has been arrested and charged with her murder. This is the first public statement from the police indicating their belief that the missing woman has been killed.
Lilo, a former business partner of Hajtamiri, was already being charged with kidnapping for her disappearance. In addition, she is facing charges for attempted murder and attempted kidnapping in relation to a previous attack where she was assaulted and beaten with a frying pan in an underground garage.
The assault resulted in severe injuries to the head, which needed 40 stitches. According to authorities, they later discovered a tracking device at the location. In November, when she brought her car in for maintenance, two additional tracking devices were discovered in her vehicle.
Two men, Riyasat Singh and Harshdeep Binner, were arrested by the police for their involvement in the assault at the parking garage.
Following the kidnapping, authorities urged the community to share any relevant details.
Earlier this year, Fariba Hajtamiri, Elnaz’s mother, expressed in a statement that the thought of never knowing what happened to her daughter weighs heavily on their souls. She also mentioned that there may be individuals who have information and are considering coming forward.
“We beseech you to act in a just manner and assist us in alleviating our hardships.”
The relatives of the victim had also provided a cash reward of C$100,000 to anyone who could provide information that would result in the capture of those responsible for her kidnapping.
Hajtamiri, also known as Tamiri, was born in Iran and moved to Canada less than five years ago following the loss of her husband. Shortly before she went missing, she established her own cake-making company after leaving a previous career in import-export.
Source: theguardian.com
