Project Sugar Horse started in April 2013, as a result of the investigation and analysis of information from a number of homicides and shootings that occurred in 2008, 2011 and 2012.
On Thursday, September 26, 2013, six search warrants were executed in Toronto and eight arrests were made in relations to four homicides and two separate shootings.
It is alleged that:
- a number of homicides and shootings are associated with a group of people actively engaged in criminal activities, specifically in 32 and 11 Divisions
The Homicide Squad, with resources from Detective Services and Divisional Policing Command, continued to investigate these homicides and the group that was suspected of being involved.
To date, the following investigations have been linked to this group:
1) On September 2, 2008, Kenneth Mark, 29, of Toronto, was sitting on a planter at 2490 St. Clair Avenue West, speaking with a friend. It is alleged that the accused approached the victim from behind and shot him in the head. The victim survived his injuries.
A 19-year-old man, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with Attempt Murder. His name cannot be released as he was a young person at the time of the offence.
The victim in this investigation was shot and killed on December 29, 2009.
See previous release.
2) On August 27, 2011, at 9:57 p.m., officers responded to a shooting call at 4020 Dundas Street West and located the body of Jermaine Smith, 28, of Mississauga, in a parking lot. He had been shot numerous times. He had attended a back-to-school community BBQ at the complex, where approximately 50-100 people attended, a large percentage of whom were children.
See previous release.
It is alleged that:
- the victim was approached by two males wearing dark hoodies drawn over their faces
- one of the men pulled out a handgun and shot the victim numerous times
- this was a targeted homicide resulting from a prior altercation
Aiman Khiar, a.k.a. "Bigz", 24, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with
First-Degree Murder. The charge was laid while the accused was already in custody on another matter.
3) On May 10, 2012, at 2:54 p.m., police responded to a shooting call at 4020 Dundas Street West , where they found Delano Coombs, 27, of Brampton, on a footpath suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He died in hospital.
See previous release.
It is alleged that:
- three suspects originally approached the victim as he drove his vehicle in the area
- the accused fired a number of shots at the vehicle, striking the victim, prior to fleeing the scene
- this was a targeted homicide resulting from a prior altercation between these individuals
Jerome Bent, a.k.a. "Germz" and Dellan McMorris, a.k.a. "Young," 23, all of Toronto, have each been charged with First-Degree Murder.
Charges against Bent and McMorris were laid while they were already in custody on other matters.
4) On July 19, 2012, at 1:05 a.m., officers attended Flemington Park Public School at 10 Flemington Road, where they located the body of Daniel Davis, 27, of Toronto, suffering from a number of gunshot wounds.
See previous release.
It is alleged that:
- the victim was in the schoolyard with a number of his friends
- three vehicles came into the area and stopped
- a number of males exited the vehicles, approached the group and fired a number of rounds striking the victim
- the suspects then fled the scene
- this homicide was a random act of violence
On Thursday, September 26, 2013, the following were arrested and charged with First-Degree murder:
Shakeil Wheatle, 19; Dwayne Willis, a.k.a. "Mafia," 20; Amanda Rumbolt, a.k.a. "White Millie," 29; Jathursan Rajarubakumar, a.k.a. "Yadi," 22; and Bershon Roach-Ferguson, a.k.a."Bread," 20, all of Toronto.
Jerome Bent, 22, was already in custody at the time the charge was laid.
5) On September 11, 2012, at 5:30 p.m., an 18-year-old man was walking in the Dallner Road and Loney Avenue area.
It is alleged that:
- a vehicle drove up beside him and the occupants asked him a number of questions
- one of the occupants (Bent) fired a number of shots at the victim, striking him
- this attempt murder was a random act of violence
Jerome Bent, 22, and Amanda Rumbolt, 29, both of Toronto, have each been charged with Attempt Murder.
6) On October 29, 2012, at 11:55 p.m., police responded to a call for the sound of gunshots in the Flemington Road area. Officers located Marvin Engelbrecht, 24, of Toronto, in a prone position on the front steps of the address. He died in hospital.
See previous release.
It is alleged that:
- the victim was walking his dog when a vehicle with a number of occupants pulled alongside him
- one of the occupants exited the vehicle and chased the victim up the driveway of the residence, firing a number of rounds
- the accused approached the victim and fired one round into his head prior to fleeing
- this homicide was a random act of violence
On Thursday, September 26, 2013, Shakeil Wheatle, 19, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with First-Degree Murder.
All of the accused are presently in custody and will be appearing in court at 1000 Finch Avenue West.
Police will continue to investigate, analyze and correlate information and evidence to further these investigations and to identify other events that may have been committed at the hands of this group of individuals and their associates.
Your information is extremely valuable to us and we will do everything in our power to ensure your safety and security.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7400, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637), or Leave A Tip on Facebook. Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.
The Officers in Charge of Project Sugar Horse are Detective Sergeant Pauline Gray 416-808-7400 Ext. 7-7412 and Detective John Margetson416-808-7400 Ext. 7-7398.
On Thursday, September 26, 2013, six search warrants were executed in Toronto and eight arrests were made in relations to four homicides and two separate shootings.
It is alleged that:
- a number of homicides and shootings are associated with a group of people actively engaged in criminal activities, specifically in 32 and 11 Divisions
The Homicide Squad, with resources from Detective Services and Divisional Policing Command, continued to investigate these homicides and the group that was suspected of being involved.
To date, the following investigations have been linked to this group:
1) On September 2, 2008, Kenneth Mark, 29, of Toronto, was sitting on a planter at 2490 St. Clair Avenue West, speaking with a friend. It is alleged that the accused approached the victim from behind and shot him in the head. The victim survived his injuries.
A 19-year-old man, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with Attempt Murder. His name cannot be released as he was a young person at the time of the offence.
The victim in this investigation was shot and killed on December 29, 2009.
See previous release.
2) On August 27, 2011, at 9:57 p.m., officers responded to a shooting call at 4020 Dundas Street West and located the body of Jermaine Smith, 28, of Mississauga, in a parking lot. He had been shot numerous times. He had attended a back-to-school community BBQ at the complex, where approximately 50-100 people attended, a large percentage of whom were children.
See previous release.
It is alleged that:
- the victim was approached by two males wearing dark hoodies drawn over their faces
- one of the men pulled out a handgun and shot the victim numerous times
- this was a targeted homicide resulting from a prior altercation
Aiman Khiar, a.k.a. "Bigz", 24, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with
First-Degree Murder. The charge was laid while the accused was already in custody on another matter.
3) On May 10, 2012, at 2:54 p.m., police responded to a shooting call at 4020 Dundas Street West , where they found Delano Coombs, 27, of Brampton, on a footpath suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He died in hospital.
See previous release.
It is alleged that:
- three suspects originally approached the victim as he drove his vehicle in the area
- the accused fired a number of shots at the vehicle, striking the victim, prior to fleeing the scene
- this was a targeted homicide resulting from a prior altercation between these individuals
Jerome Bent, a.k.a. "Germz" and Dellan McMorris, a.k.a. "Young," 23, all of Toronto, have each been charged with First-Degree Murder.
Charges against Bent and McMorris were laid while they were already in custody on other matters.
4) On July 19, 2012, at 1:05 a.m., officers attended Flemington Park Public School at 10 Flemington Road, where they located the body of Daniel Davis, 27, of Toronto, suffering from a number of gunshot wounds.
See previous release.
It is alleged that:
- the victim was in the schoolyard with a number of his friends
- three vehicles came into the area and stopped
- a number of males exited the vehicles, approached the group and fired a number of rounds striking the victim
- the suspects then fled the scene
- this homicide was a random act of violence
On Thursday, September 26, 2013, the following were arrested and charged with First-Degree murder:
Shakeil Wheatle, 19; Dwayne Willis, a.k.a. "Mafia," 20; Amanda Rumbolt, a.k.a. "White Millie," 29; Jathursan Rajarubakumar, a.k.a. "Yadi," 22; and Bershon Roach-Ferguson, a.k.a."Bread," 20, all of Toronto.
Jerome Bent, 22, was already in custody at the time the charge was laid.
5) On September 11, 2012, at 5:30 p.m., an 18-year-old man was walking in the Dallner Road and Loney Avenue area.
It is alleged that:
- a vehicle drove up beside him and the occupants asked him a number of questions
- one of the occupants (Bent) fired a number of shots at the victim, striking him
- this attempt murder was a random act of violence
Jerome Bent, 22, and Amanda Rumbolt, 29, both of Toronto, have each been charged with Attempt Murder.
6) On October 29, 2012, at 11:55 p.m., police responded to a call for the sound of gunshots in the Flemington Road area. Officers located Marvin Engelbrecht, 24, of Toronto, in a prone position on the front steps of the address. He died in hospital.
See previous release.
It is alleged that:
- the victim was walking his dog when a vehicle with a number of occupants pulled alongside him
- one of the occupants exited the vehicle and chased the victim up the driveway of the residence, firing a number of rounds
- the accused approached the victim and fired one round into his head prior to fleeing
- this homicide was a random act of violence
On Thursday, September 26, 2013, Shakeil Wheatle, 19, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with First-Degree Murder.
All of the accused are presently in custody and will be appearing in court at 1000 Finch Avenue West.
Police will continue to investigate, analyze and correlate information and evidence to further these investigations and to identify other events that may have been committed at the hands of this group of individuals and their associates.
Your information is extremely valuable to us and we will do everything in our power to ensure your safety and security.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7400, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637), or Leave A Tip on Facebook. Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.
The Officers in Charge of Project Sugar Horse are Detective Sergeant Pauline Gray 416-808-7400 Ext. 7-7412 and Detective John Margetson416-808-7400 Ext. 7-7398.