Ont. woman charged with kidnapping in Elnaz Hajtamiri abduction investigation
Ontario Provincial Police have arrested and charged a Brampton woman with kidnapping in connection with the Elnaz Hajtamiri abduction investigation.
READ: Complete details on the Elnaz Hajtamiri investigation
Police say the public helped to identify Krystal P. Lawrence after investigators released images of three suspects last month.
Police say 30-year-old Lawrence was arrested on Thursday and has since been released from custody with conditions, which police say include a curfew, residential component, non-communication order and other restriction on travel.
OPP Det. Insp. Martin Graham said police analysis determined Lawrence could be released into the community with those restrictions.
"The police, in all cases, look at the offence, the individual, past criminal record, but most importantly, the likelihood that this individual may pose a public safety risk, commit further offences or otherwise," he explained.
"They are not free but are subject to a number of conditions placed upon them within the community," he added.
She has a court appearance scheduled for May 2 in Collingwood.
Meanwhile, the search for Deshawn Davis, 35, of Toronto, continues. Police issued a Canada-wide warrant for his arrest.
Investigators have not identified the third suspect but say they believe he resides in the Greater Toronto Area.
Graham said Davis and the yet-to-be-identified suspect also face kidnapping charges.
"Their distinct roles will be fleshed out and identified in the ongoing prosecution, and as such, to reveal anything further at this stage may impact negatively on that ongoing prosecution," Graham added.
They urge anyone with information to contact the OPP immediately at 1-888-310-1122 or the dedicated tip line at 1-833-728-3415.
Police also hope to speak with one, potentially two, persons of interest who rented vehicles in December 2021, noting they are not suspects but could hold clues that may help the investigation.
Police released an image of a person(s) of interest who is not considered a suspect in the alleged abduction case, but rented vehicles in December 2021 and could have relevant information. (Handout)
Still, the biggest question remains, where is Elnaz Hajtamiri?
"We believe that the steps that we have undertaken to this point absolutely are moving us toward the goal that we are all seeking. I would encourage anybody, the members of the public out there; people know what happened to her.
There is a reward of $100,000 offered to anyone who has information that will lead us to where the location of Elnaz is, and I implore you, if you have that information, please bring it forward," Graham said, adding this is one of the most "complicated and complex investigations" he's been involved in.
Elnaz Hajtamiri is shown in an Ontario Provincial Police handout photo. OPP have said three men dressed in police gear snatched 37-year-old Hajtamiri on the evening of Jan. 12, 2022 from a relative's house in Wasaga Beach, Ont., and loaded her into a white Lexus SUV. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-OPP
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
Investigators say Hajtamiri, 37, was kidnapped by three men posing as officers on January 12, 2022, from a Wasaga Beach home where she had been hiding with loved ones after a violent assault in York Region.
In July, police charged her former boyfriend, Mohamad Lilo, with attempted murder, kidnapping and criminal harassment.
The allegations against all the accused have not been tested in court.
With files from CTV's Dana Roberts.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.