York Regional Police say a man has been arrested in Texas in connection with a high-profile case of an Ontario woman who has been missing since early 2022 after being attacked weeks before.
In an update on Friday, police said Sukhpreet Singh, 23, was arrested on Aug. 19 in Texas with the help of U.S. officials. Singh was extradited to Ontario on Sept. 30.
Elnaz Hajtamiri, a 37-year-old woman, was attacked in an underground parking garage with a frying pan on Dec. 20, 2021, police said. Officers had responded to the incident in Richmond Hill, Ont., near Yonge Street and Bantry Avenue, and found Hajtamiri suffering non-life-threatening injuries. She was taken to hospital, while the suspects had fled in a vehicle before police arrived.
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A few weeks later, on Jan. 12, 2022, investigators said Hajtamiri was reported to have been abducted at around 8:30 p.m. in Wasaga Beach by three suspects dressed in fake police gear, who fled in a white Lexus RX SUV.
Four suspects were identified and charged in connection with the attack, including her ex-boyfriend Mohamad Lilo, who was also charged in 2022 with attempted murder and kidnapping.
In 2023, three more suspects were arrested. Police said through their investigation, they identified Singh as a suspect connected to the underground parking garage attack and issued a Canada-wide warrant for his arrest.
He was found in Texas with the help of the United States Marshals Service, Homeland Security, the Austin Police Department and immigration enforcement.
Singh has been charged with aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. He remains in custody, police said.
Hajtamiri remains missing. There is a $100,000 reward for information that leads to her whereabouts.
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