Police appealing for info to locate next-of-kin of unhoused man killed in unprovoked attack

A man who was attacked and killed while sleeping near City Hall on August 31 has now been identified; police are still unable to contact his next of kin.

Toronto police are appealing for information as they work to identify the next-of-kin of an unhoused man who was attacked in Nathan Phillips Square in late August and died days later.

The incident happened just after 6 a.m. on Aug. 31.

Investigators have said that it was part of a series of violent robberies targeting vulnerable people.

Police previously said that a male was sleeping on a bench in that area when he was approached by an unknown number of suspects, and violently assaulted — unprovoked — by one of them who was armed with a hammer.

The victim managed to escape and flee the area. He attended a hospital with serious injuries and was released, they said.

Investigators said the suspects, meanwhile, fled the area.

The same male, who has now been identified by police as 62-year-old Joseph Eric Aubin, was found outside without vital signs on Sept. 4.

Life-saving measures were performed, but he succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

Aubin is Toronto’s 29th homicide victim of the year.

On Sept. 15, Isaiah Byers, 20, of Toronto, and a 12-year-old male youth, who cannot be identified under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, were arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Police said the two suspects were both on release orders at the time of their arrest.

Initially, investigators withheld Aubin’s identity as they efforted to find his closest living relative.

“After exhaustive efforts, police are still unable to locate (his) next-of-kin to notify them of his passing. Police are seeking assistance from the public to locate next-of-kin for Mr. Aubin,” police said, noting that he went by the name “Eric” and is believed to be from Quebec.

This investigation is ongoing and anyone with further information is asked to contact Toronto police at 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.