

Chris Fox, CP24.com





Police say they believe that a 23-year-old Mississauga man who was reported missing earlier this month was murdered at a building in Toronto’s west end and then taken to Niagara Region where his body may have been disposed of.

Shawn Kapadia was last seen driving away from his home in the area of Bristol Road and Kennedy Road on the afternoon of Sunday, July 5 in his 2007 silver Pontiac G6.

Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday afternoon, Det. Dave Dickinson said that investigators now believe that Kapadia was murdered inside a residence on Foundry Avenue near Davenport Road and Lansdowne Avenue.

Officers had originally responded to the address on July 12 after receiving reports that it was unsecure.

According to Dickinson, there was no evidence of a break-and-enter at the address but evidence was found that led officers to a home on O’Reilly’s Road in Wainfleet, where Kapadia’s vehicle was located.

It is not immediately clear what Kapadia may have been doing in the Foundry Avenue home, however Dickinson did tell reporters that he “had an association” to the address.

Two unidentified people live in the foundry Avenue residence and have been interviewed by police.

It is not known what, if any, relationship they had with Kapadia.

“Based on evidence collected in Toronto and Wainfleet it is the belief of investigators that Shawn was murdered at 7 Foundry Ave.,” Dickinson said. “To date the body of Shawn has not been located.”

Police looking for info on backhoe

Toronto police began their search at the O’Reilly’s Road address last Wednesday but until now had refused to say what they were looking for or even disclose what the investigation pertained to.

According to Dickinson, witnesses in Wainfleet observed an older-model John Deere backhoe arriving at the O’Reilly’s Road address sometime during the weekend of July 10 and then saw it leaving the property with a large block of concrete in its front bucket on July 12.

That backhoe was last seen travelling eastbound on River Road towards Welland.

Police are now appealing to anyone with information about the backhoe to come forward.

“It is likely that this backhoe was borrowed or taken without consent. If you lent your John Deere backhoe out or noticed it missing on the weekend of July 10 I need you to contact me,” Dickinson said. “I am also asking landowners in the area of Wainfleet, Welland and Niagara Falls to check their properties. I need you to look for recently dug or disturbed soil and or fresh pieces of concrete placed on your property.”

Dickinson said that Kapadia was known to police but did not elaborate on his background.

The detective also declined to provide any information about potential suspects, though he did say he anticipates laying charges “very shortly.”

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