Toronto police say two people whose bodies were discovered inside separate burning vehicles in Scarborough and Etobicoke earlier this week were shot and killed before the fires were set, as homicide investigators probe the deaths.
Det. Sgt. Henri Marsman of the Homicide and Missing Persons Unit confirmed on Friday that both victims were fatally shot before the two burnt-out vehicles were discovered.
“I don’t want to speculate on series of events, but I can tell you that both victims were dead before they were burnt,” said Marsman. “We are exploring all links, but we do believe they were targeted.”
Emergency crews were first called to the area of Reesor Road and Steeles Avenue East in Scarborough at around 11 p.m. on Sept. 21 after reports of a vehicle fire. After firefighters extinguished the blaze, a deceased person was discovered inside the vehicle.
The victim was identified as 32-year-old Marcus Charles.
“He was identified using fingerprints,” said Marsman, who was asked if both crimes were connected.
“Potentially. The two incidents were about an hour-and-a-half apart. On its face, obviously you can make your own determinations,” he said. “There are a lot of commonalities, but I have to rely on solid evidence to make that determination, and we are not at that stage yet.”
Second burned vehicle found in Etobicoke; victim not yet identified
Hours later, in the early morning of Sept. 22, first responders were called to James Gardens Park in Etobicoke for another vehicle fire. A second deceased person was subsequently located inside the burned vehicle. That victim has not yet been identified.
Marsman said one vehicle was a rental car, while the second burnt-out car was reported stolen from the GTA. Police also have not said whether the victims knew each other.
“Both bodies were badly burnt, and it’s causing some issues for us with the second victim, because we’re going to have to wait for some DNA analysis, which can take time, unfortunately.”
Police released a photograph of Charles on Friday and are appealing to the public for information as detectives continue to piece together his final movements.
The deaths have been designated Toronto’s 27th and 28th homicides of 2026.
“… The general public should feel secure that we are pursuing the persons responsible,” said Marsman. “We don’t feel that those people would randomly target the public.”
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