Skip to main content

Body found in Kawartha Lakes area confirmed to be one of two missing Whitby, Ont. women

Ava Burton, 58, and Tatilda Noble, 85, disappeared from their home earlier this month. Ava Burton, 58, and Tatilda Noble, 85, disappeared from their home earlier this month.
Share
TORONTO -

Durham Regional Police say they have found the body of one of two missing Whitby women who investigators allege were murdered.

Ava Burton, 58, and her 85-year-old mother, Tatilda Noble, had been missing since at least Oct. 14. That was when police were called to their home on Sceptre Place in Whitby to do a wellness check. Officers did not find the women but did find evidence at the scene indicating "suspicious circumstances surrounding their disappearance."

Just over a week later on Oct. 22, investigators arrested a 30-year-old suspect in connection with the disappearance of the two women.

Police confirmed the suspect is Burton’s son.

Joshua Burton of Whitby has since been charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the deaths of his mother and grandmother.

Although police laid charges, they had not yet located the body of either woman.

Durham police said Thursday that human remains from two bodies were discovered by Ontario Provincial Police on the evening of Oct. 24 in Mariposa Township, about an hour's drive north of Whitby.

"Post mortem results confirmed the identity of one of the bodies recovered as Ava Burton, age 58 of Scepter Place in Whitby,” police said in a statement. “Investigators have not yet been able to confirm the identity of the second victim recovered at the scene.”

Police said autopsy results indicate obvious signs of trauma to both victims.

Investigators have not said what led them to believe the women had been murdered or what they believe the motive may have been. Police are asking anyone with information about the case to come forward.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Stay Connected