Toronto police have charged three men with first-degree murder in the May 2007 shooting death of philanthropist Glen Davis.

Police announced the arrests and charges at a press conference Monday.

Davis, well known for his generous donations to various wildlife causes, was shot in an underground garage in Toronto's midtown area.

The 66-year-old had just finished having lunch with a WWF associate when he was killed beneath the building that houses the WWF offices on Eglinton Avenue, near Mount Pleasant Road.

Sources told CTV Toronto on Monday that Davis, who was extremely wealthy, was murdered because a family member didn't agree with how we was spending his millions.

Davis was born into wealth, with his father leaving him more than $100 million as his inheritance. After Davis survived a fiery plane crash in 1983, he turned his attention to the environment, donating generous amounts to a variety of eco causes.

After Davis was murdered, police did a thorough background check and could not find anything that would explain his murder or a vicious beating he endured 18 months before the shooting.

Staff Insp. Brian Raybould said at the news conference he could not discuss the relationship between the two attacks or how the victim was connected to the suspects.

"We're not able at this point, because the case is before the courts now, to elaborate on any motive, potential motive or connections of those involved other then to say that the three accused are certainly involved together," Staff Insp. Brian Raybould told reporters on Monday in Toronto.

Raybould said the three suspects were related through business and personal interests.

Charged with first-degree murder are:

  • Ivgeny Vorobiov, 30, of Richmond Hill
  • Dmitri Kossyrine, 30, of Richmond Hill
  • Marshall Ross, 37, of Toronto

Ross is a relative of the murdered man.

Vorobiov was arrested last Friday and appeared in court on Saturday.

Kossyrine and Ross were both arrested Saturday and both appeared in court on Sunday.

Last month, police announced a $50,000 reward for information about the case.

Police also made a direct appeal to a "person of interest" seen accompanying a murder suspect in a surveillance video. The appeal urged the man to come forward with information about the shooting death.

At the time, police said they were not sure how or if the man in the video was involved in the murder.

It is unclear if the "person of interest" or the suspect in the video are among those arrested.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Austin Delaney