Man charged with indignity to body after Toronto filmmaker found dead

The man found dead in Toronto's Liberty Village on June 8, 2023 has been identified as Reeyaz Habib. (Toronto Police Service)

A man has been charged in connection with the investigation into the death of a Toronto filmmaker whose body was discovered in a compactor in the city’s Liberty Village earlier this month.

Toronto police said they were called to a townhouse complex in the Western Battery Road and East Liberty Street area on June 8 for a suspicious death.

At the scene, officers found human remains in the complex’s compactor.

On June 13, police said the homicide unit had taken over the investigation and identified the victim as 53-year-old Reeyaz Habib.

He was reported missing by police the day after his body was found, although they said Habib was last seen on June 5.

On Friday, police announced that 33-year-old Khoa Tran had been arrested as the suspect in the case.

He has been charged with indignity to a human body and obstruction of justice.

The Canadian Film Centre said in June 20 statement that Habib was a “gifted storyteller and filmmaker.” It added that he was finishing up post-production on his first feature as a writer and director on Fat Lady Sriracha.

“This is a great loss for the CFC and Canada’s creative community. Reeyaz will be deeply missed by so many,” the statement read.