Police in York Region have laid murder charges against a 31-year-old suspect one day after the body of a man was found behind the wheel of a vehicle in Richmond Hill.
Police have identified the victim as 22-year-old Matthew Arcara of Toronto.
Arcara’s body was found in the driver’s seat of a Jeep parked on Bayswater Avenue -- a quiet street in the Oak Ridges area of Richmond Hill -- shortly before 7 a.m. on Thursday.
His death was almost immediately ruled a homicide.
In the hours following the discovery, a man claiming to be the victim’s uncle told CP24 that his nephew’s downtown Toronto roommates were tied up on Wednesday night by unknown assailants who killed a pet dog.
By Friday afternoon, York Regional Police confirmed those details, saying the two suspects allegedly involved in the murder attended a Toronto residence in the hours following.
There, police allege the suspects tied up two male occupants, robbed them and then killed the victim’s dog.
Toronto police confirmed to CTV News Toronto that they were investigating a home invasion at 100 Harbour Street, near the Air Canada Centre, where a dog was killed, but would not say whether there was a connection to the Richmond Hill incident.
Investigators were seen searching and later towing away a white Audi A7 sedan at the building.
A resident at the building told CTV News Toronto that several officers have been standing guard at a unit on the 69th floor of the building.
“There are a few cops that are upstairs on my floor. They’ve been there all night, kind of just standing in front of the door,” the resident, who identified himself only as Jules, said.
Neither of the roommates involved in the home invasion were injured, York police said.
A suspect identified as Newmarket-resident Arjuna Paramsothy has been charged with one count of first degree murder, two counts of robbery using a firearm, two counts of forcible confinement, one count of disguise with intent and one count of killing an animal.
He is being held in police custody until he can face the charges in a Newmarket courtroom on June 1.
A second male suspect remains outstanding, though no information was provided on his identity.
Police confirmed Arcara as the victim late Friday afternoon. They say an autopsy has been ordered to determine the cause of death.
Earlier, friends told CP24 Arcara worked in construction and was one week away from his 23rd birthday.
In a statement provided to CP24 Friday, Arcara’s family called him “an amazing young man with so much promise.”
“We expected him to amount to greatness one day. He was responsible and ambitious and was definitely going to be a leader of industry,” the statements reads. “At 22 he had already started his own business. He was a beautiful young man who loved his brother and his parents more than anything in the world. He was taken away too soon.”
Early Thursday evening, dozens of Arcara’s friends and family walked to the spot where his body was found to lay bouquets of flowers.
The makeshift memorial has grown since then, with candles lining the curb of Bayswater Avenue.
“Even if you didn’t know Matthew very well, he impacted your life at some point,” friend Mitchell Andreas told CTV News Toronto. “He had so many close friends… about 60 of us came out last night to celebrate his life and mourn him. He was an amazing person, so humble, so nice, so genuine.”
The 22-year-old’s untimely death has left the family in shock. In their statement, they asked for privacy while they grieve but urge anyone with information about the murder to contact police immediately.
“We are cooperating with the police investigation and ask anyone with information to contact them. We want justice. Matthew we will always love you.”
