First-degree murder charge laid in 2023 Vaughan, Ont. homicide

A York Regional Police patch is shown in Aurora, Ont. on Dec. 19, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Arlyn McAdorey (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press)

Police have charged a suspect with first-degree murder nearly two years after a man was found dead in a Vaughan, Ont. home.

On the afternoon of on Sept. 1, York Regional Police officers responded to the residence near Laskin Drive near Ilan Ramon Boulevard, in the area of Bathurst Street and Rutherford Road, for a call about an injured person.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found a deceased male who had what police described as a “significant” head injury. His death was deemed a homicide at the time.

The victim was identified was identified by police as 50-year-old Rakesh “Rick” Joshi.

Police previously said that Joshi had been dead for about 24 hours before he was found. It’s unclear who made the 911 call.

Images of a suspect and suspect vehicle, a Porsche 911 Turbo, were released by investigators in the months following Joshi’s death.

In an update on Tuesday, police said they had charged 51-year-old Vaughan resident Alexander Cherniak with first-degree murder in connection with Joshi’s death. The Porsche was also recovered.

It’s unclear if the suspect and victim were known to each other.

Police say the investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact them.