Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada

CTV National News: Effectiveness of BOLO list Allison Bamford takes a look at how effective the strategy is to post a $1M for any information on Canada's most wanted fugitives.

A suspect wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of a 29-year-old Toronto man in the city’s east end last summer has topped a list of Canada’s most wanted fugitives, police announced Tuesday.

A $100,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of Michael Bebee, a 35-year-old wanted in connection with the murder of Shamar Powell-Flowers exactly nine months ago.

The reward was announced Tuesday as Toronto police unveiled the “be on the lookout” (BOLO) program’s updated list of the Top 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada.

Speaking at a news conference, Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw said at the time of Powell-Flowers’ murder, Bebee was under a gun prohibition for his role in another Toronto shooting four years earlier.

The victim’s family released a statement Tuesday, saying that are still grappling with the loss of the 29-year-old, who was shot and killed near Danforth and Carlaw avenues in the early morning hours of July 23, 2023.

“For nine months, we have been crippled not only by grief, but by the realization that there are people out there who could help us, but who instead have chosen to remain silent,” the statement read.

“People who could step up as our amazing Shamar would have stepped up for them had the tables been turned, had someone not chosen to carry a gun and fire a shot that left a hole in his heart and our hearts and the hearts of so many others.”

They described Powell-Flowers, a construction engineer, as “brave, loyal, ambitious, highly intelligent, and hardworking.”

“He was a guardian angel and guiding star who was always trying to save others. How cruel it is that this loving and beloved man, our Shamar, could not be saved himself, and was left to die alone.”

In total, the BOLO program is offering $1 million in reward money for information leading to the arrest of the suspects on the list.

In total, six Toronto suspects were placed on this year's list, including Cristian Cuxum, who is wanted for the October 2022 murder of Edwin Alvarado.

Alvarado was shot and killed at La Liga Sports Complex, an indoor soccer and basketball facility near Finch Avenue West and Dufferin Street, on the evening of Oct. 9, 2022. Police said $100,000 reward is also on offer for information leading to the arrest of Cuxum.

Deshawn Davis is listed as the 11th most wanted fugitive on the list for his alleged involvement in the abduction of Elnaz Hajtamiri.

Hajtamiri was abducted on Jan. 12, 2022 from a residence in Wasaga Beach and hasn’t been seen or heard from since.

Max Langlois, the director of BOLO, said since the program was launched six years ago, about 30 to 35 per cent of rewards that were offered have been collected.

Not including the suspects on this year’s list, Langlois said 21 of 58 suspects highlighted by the program have been arrested.

“I can tell you without a doubt, the vast majority of these cases have progressed in terms of investigative leads,” Langlois said.