Toronto homicide detectives are investigating after human remains were discovered along Highway 401 in Pickering early Friday, prompting a multi-site forensic search stretching across Durham Region.
Police said officers located a body shortly after midnight on the south side of the highway’s eastbound lanes, just west of Whites Road. Although the location falls outside Toronto’s jurisdiction, the city’s homicide unit has taken the lead in the investigation.
Speaking briefly to reporters Friday evening at 43 Division, Det.-Sgt. Phillip Campbell confirmed the remains belong to a 67-year-old woman, though her identity has not been released. He declined to say how officers located the body, offering only that “it was discovered through investigation.”
“This is very early in the investigation,” Campbell said. “There are a lot of steps we have to take and we want to protect the integrity of the investigation.”
Campbell confirmed a man is in custody and that the pair were in a common-law relationship. He would not comment on whether the man is cooperating, saying only that “he has provided some information and we’re investigating that information.”
The woman had been reported missing since Wednesday and was last seen near Brimley Road and Omni Drive in Scarborough, north of Ellesmere Road.
Remains Believed Found in a Suitcase
While investigators have not released further details, sources told the Toronto Sun the victim’s remains were discovered in a suitcase and are believed to be those of a missing Scarborough woman.
Throughout Friday morning, Toronto Police searched the area along Highway 401 with the assistance of Ministry of Transportation trucks, which were used to block lanes while Forensic and Marine Unit officers examined a marshy gully near a culvert. Officers used metal detectors and long poles to scour the terrain and were seen removing evidence before clearing the scene around midday.
A homicide detective arrived shortly before noon and entered the marked crime scene, which contained numerous police evidence markers.
Witnesses Describe Heavy Police Presence
Workers from a nearby musical instrument and sound warehouse gathered near the site as officers searched the area.
“I don’t know what to make of it,” said employee Aidan Kendic, who learned of the discovery during a break. “It’s pretty crazy… It does freak me out. I don’t know why they would pick here right next to my work.”
Co-workers looked on from behind a fence separating the business from the overgrown marsh, some taking photos as investigators combed the ground.
Possible Linked Scenes in Durham Region
Further east in Durham Region, a dumpster was removed from the Pickering Casino Resort Hotel and transported on a flatbed truck, which sources say was likely taken to the Centre for Forensic Sciences.
Around noon, CTV helicopter footage captured several Toronto Police vehicles, a Forensic Unit truck and a group of officers searching a waste management transfer station in Pickering. It is believed the scenes may be related, though police have not confirmed any connection.
Investigation Traces Back to Earlier Disturbance Call
Sources also told the Toronto Sun the case may be linked to a recent “unknown trouble” call attended by officers from 43 Division, after neighbours reported a disturbance at a Scarborough residence.
According to those sources, police were initially unable to locate a woman who may have been involved. Investigators later reviewed security footage showing her entering the home but not leaving.
A man was subsequently arrested and first charged with aggravated assault relating to the missing woman after officers allegedly located evidence of a suspected crime scene inside the residence.
Toronto Police have not publicly confirmed these details, and the investigation remains ongoing.
This article was first published on Toronto Sun
