A resident of a Toronto nursing home is dead after an alleged attack by his elderly roommate, police say.
Francisco DaSilva, 87, was found dead on the fifth floor of the Castleview Wychwood Towers, a long-term care facility operated by the City of Toronto.
Nursing staff called police after finding DaSilva’s body sometime after 8 a.m. Saturday. Police say he had suffered head injuries.
His roommate, Francesco Greco, 81, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
Toronto Police Det. Ted Louimanis said Saturday police are interviewing nursing staff as they investigate what might have sparked the attack and how DaSilva was killed.
“Right now, the scene is under forensic investigation, we haven't seized anything yet," Louismanis told reporters outside the nursing home.
An autopsy is expected to be held on Sunday.
Located in midtown Toronto, Castleview Wychwood cares for nearly 500 residents, including young men and women suffering from traumatic head injuries and elderly patients afflicted with a variety of illnesses.
Investigators say the suspect in the case is aware of what’s happening, but it’s unclear if he is suffering from mental illness.
Similar cases have been reported in Canada in recent years.
A recent investigation by CTV’s W5, ‘Deadly Care,’ revealed that in the past 12 years, there have been at least 60 murders in Canadian nursing homes.
The city would not comment on the matter Saturday.
Greco is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Sunday.
With a report from CTV Toronto's Colin D'Mello
