Toronto police officer accused of failing to properly investigate woman's 'repeated pleas' for help before her murder
A Toronto police officer is facing disciplinary charges after he allegedly failed to “conduct a sufficient investigation” into a woman's “repeated pleas” for help with an ex-boyfriend that she had come to fear, just days prior to her murder.
Police tribunal documents outlining the case against Const. Anson Alfonso state the officer was attached to 32 Division on Aug. 15 of last year when he and a partner responded to a call for a domestic incident.
Daniella Mallia, 23, is seen in this undated image. Mallia is Toronto's 42nd homicide victim of 2022. (Toronto Police Service)
The documents state the female complainant advised that her ex-boyfriend had been “harassing her and threatening her via text” and provided “information and evidence” that would have given Alfonso “reasonable grounds to believe a criminal offence had occurred.”
However, the documents say Alfonso “ultimately took no action to protect” the woman.
Three days later, Daniella Mallia was fatally shot in an underground garage near Jane Street Sheppard Avenue. Her ex-boyfriend Dylon Dowman was ultimately charged with first-degree murder in her death. His case is still before the courts.
“You spoke with the ex-boyfriend for only three minutes, showing a deficient investigation and insufficient collection of information,” the tribunal documents state. “You also improperly considered the case to be a ‘he said, she said’ and cautioned the complainant, when there was ample evidence that the complainant was a victim. The complainant repeatedly advised you that her ex-boyfriend’s behaviour caused her to fear for her safety, and you took no action to protect her.”
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
The tribunal documents outline more than a dozen alleged deficiencies when it comes to the investigation conducted by Alfonso and his partner, including “failing to investigate previous assault allegations.”
The documents also allege Alfonso was “inappropriately influenced by the victim’s unwillingness to attend court” and failed to take a number of required steps, including notifying an Intimate Partner Violence Investigator and requesting that a supervisor attend the call.
When he did speak with a supervisor, the documents state that Alfonso told him that there was “no evidence of any threating, stalking or violence” and failed to mention that the ex-boyfriend had an active firearms prohibition, despite being asked directly.
“As the investigation police officer, you failed in your duty to act on information and evidence provided by the complainant and did not ensure her safety,” the documents state. “Your conduct constituted a substantial departure from what is expected of a reasonable police officer placed in these circumstances.”
The allegations against Alfonso have still not been tested before the police tribunal.
In a statement provided to CP24 on Wednesday, Toronto Police said Chief Myron Demkiw did meet with the family of Daniella Mallia to inform them about the “alleged misconduct” and to express his “sincere condolences.”
Demkiw also released a statement of his own expressing his concerns about the allegations.
“The service expects every member to treat victims of crime with dignity and respect, and to conduct themselves with professionalism and integrity. Like all areas of criminal investigation, our procedure on how to address intimate partner violence is very clear, and all members must adhere to it,” he said. “As chief, I am concerned about the alleged misconduct in this case, and want to reassure the public, particularly those who are vulnerable, that officers respond to intimate partner violence calls on a daily basis, and they do so with compassion and professionalism. Those who fail to follow procedure or to meet our clear professional standards will be held to account.”
Alfonso is facing three counts of misconduct and one count of insubordination.
A police spokesperson confirmed to CP24 that his partner, Const. Sang Youb Lee, will also face disciplinary charges in the case but has not yet appeared before the tribunal.
In a statement, Toronto Police Association President Jon Reid called the case a “tragic incident for everyone involved” but urged members of the public to “wait for the disciplinary process to take its course” before rendering judgement.
“Right now, we understand there are more questions than answers. Police officers are governed by the highest degree of oversight and accountability, more so than any other profession. As difficult as it may be, we must wait for the disciplinary process to take its course. In the interim, there is no value in passing judgement on these officers or with casting aspersions on an entire membership,” he said.
Alfonso is currently suspended with pay, as per the terms of the Police Services Act.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.