Homicide near Toronto’s gay village

Updated at 3:45, Jan 13: On Jan 13, Toronto police charged Roderick McIntosh, 67, with second-degree murder in connection to the homicide of Brent Gartner.

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An alleged homicide that occurred just outside the Church-Wellesley Village is Toronto’s first of 2015.

Brent Gartner, 51, was found in his apartment at 330 Jarvis St, at Carlton and Jarvis, in the early evening of Jan 10 by Toronto police. Police say he was suffering from what appeared to be multiple stab wounds. He was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The suspect was reportedly found a short distance away with injuries and was taken to hospital, where he remains in police custody. Detective Sergeant Gary Giroux tells Xtra that police are waiting until the suspect is medically able to be interviewed before pressing charges, which are expected to be second-degree murder. Police will not release the suspect’s name until a formal arrest is made.

Initial reports said that a samurai sword was involved in the incident, which Giroux now denies. “It’s a sharp instrument but not a sword of any kind,” he says, adding that it is his sense at this stage of the investigation that the suspect and victim may have known each other and were involved in an altercation.

Sara Goldvine, a spokesperson for the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC), which owns 330 Jarvis, tells Xtra that officers from their community safety unit are on-site at the building.

“They will remain on-site, maintaining a visible presence, as long as is required,” Goldvine says, adding that the community safety unit also provides 24-hour coverage to all TCHC buildings. Additional staff are offering support to residents. She could not comment further on details of the case.

A resident of the building, who declined to be identified, tells Xtra that while he did not know Gartner well, he considered him a good neighbour. He says that in the 18 years he has lived in the building, he has considered it a safe place to live.

The investigation is ongoing. Toronto police ask anyone with information to contact them at 416-808-7400 or anonymously at Crime Stoppers, at 416-222-TIPS (8477).

HG Watson can be reached at hg.watson@dailyxtra.com or @hg_watson on Twitter.