Canadian man arrested in Mexico after nearly 10 years on the run following 2 murders in Ontario

Daniel Mario Tomassetti is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant in connection with two high-profile murders in Hamilton and Vaughan. (Interpol)

A man wanted for nearly 10 years in connection with a pair of high-profile murders in Hamilton and Vaughan has been arrested in Mexico.

Hamilton police say Daniel Tomassetti—who has been the subject of a Canada-wide warrant since 2018—is now in custody, marking a major development in a case tied to organized crime that has spanned nearly a decade and crossed international borders.

In an email to CTV News Toronto, investigators confirmed Tomassetti was “arrested in Mexico and efforts are underway to facilitate his extradition back to Canada.”

Tomassetti is wanted in connection with the killings of Angelo Musitano and Mila Barberi, as well as the attempted murder of Barberi’s boyfriend, Saverio Serrano.

The case dates back to 2017.

Musitano, a member of a notorious Hamilton crime family, was shot dead while sitting in his pickup truck in the driveway of his Waterdown home in May of that year.

Months earlier, Barberi had been fatally shot in Vaughan while sitting in her car outside an industrial complex, where she had gone to pick up Serrano from work.

Investigators say she was not the intended target.

Serrano, meanwhile, survived after being shot twice in the arm.

Police later linked the two shootings as part of a broader investigation.

Years-long manhunt

In 2018, investigators charged Jabril Hassan Abdalla, with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder and three counts of conspiracy to commit murder.

• One charged, two wanted in alleged mob hits

At the same time, police issued arrest warrants for Tomassetti and another suspect, Michael Cudmore.

Investigators said they believed both men had fled to Mexico.

A $50,000 reward was offered for information leading to their arrests, and police warned that anyone helping them evade capture could face charges of accessory after the fact to murder.

An Interpol warrant was also issued for Tomassetti, and officials previously said Mexican authorities were aware he was wanted in Canada.

Developments in Mexico

The case later took another turn.

Police say Cudmore travelled to Mexico to join an associate described as a person of interest in the killings, Daniel Ranieri.

Ranieri was found dead in a ditch in Cancun in March 2018.

• Second person tied to Ontario mafia-linked murders found dead in Mexico

Cudmore was later found dead in an abandoned vehicle in Mexico in June 2020.

Tomassetti, who at one point was named to Canada’s BOLO (Be on the lookout) program, remained at large—until now.

Police have not shared details about the circumstances of his arrest, but noted they are working to return him to Canada.