Family considers reward in search for killer

Toronto police investigate the shooting at Richmond St. W. and Niagara St. early Friday morning, June 13, 2008.

As police continue to hunt for a suspect in the slayings of Torontonians Dylan Ellis and Oliver Martin, the family of one of the men is considering offering a reward to assist in the search.

The men, both 25, were shot and killed on Friday while sitting in a parked SUV on Richmond St. W. Police have ruled out carjacking and drugs as motives, but say the men may have been involved in a verbal exchange with their killer that fuelled the incident.

Funerals for the men, both from the Rosedale area, are planned for this week. Ellis will be buried on Wednesday, and Martin on Thursday.

Meanwhile, a makeshift memorial to the slain men continues to grow on the sidewalk near the spot where they were gunned down.

"The pile of flowers and gifts has grown every day," said Kristina Miethner, 35, who lives in the townhouse complex where the men had been visiting friends before the shooting.

The victims had been life-long friends. Ellis was an aspiring photographer and Martin worked as an investment banker. The two had just finished watching an NBA game on TV when they were shot in the front seat of the Range Rover Ellis was driving.

Martin's girlfriend was in the backseat but wasn't injured. She told police the men hadn't made contact with anyone after they left their friend's home.

While there is now a police command post set up in the neighbourhood, Miethner says she doesn't feel any more or less safe than she did before the shooting.

"I've never really felt unsafe in this neighbourhood," she told CTV.ca on Tuesday. "What does freak me out a little is the pretty much constant presence of news vans, particularly so long after the incident."

Police are encouraging area residents to come forward with anything they remember about the night of the murders, noting that details that seem minor to individuals may help police compile a more complete picture of what happened.

The reward is being considered by the Ellis family. Family members say a decision will be made when Ellis' father arrives in Toronto from the United States later this week.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Jim Junkin