The body of the victim, who police have identified as Riley Driver-Martin, was located by a passerby in a laneway backing onto Meadow Park near Truscott Drive and Southdown Road at around 8 a.m. on Friday.
In a news release issued late Saturday morning, police said that 20-year-old Nicholas Mahabir was arrested on Friday night and charged with one count of second-degree murder in the case.
He appeared before the Ontario Court of Justice on Saturday morning, where he was remanded into custody until another appearance scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
Later on Saturday, officers said they had secured a warrant for the arrest of Nicholas Mahabir’s brother, 20-year-old Mark Mahabir, in connection with the incident.
He is sought for second-degree murder.
Mark Mahabir is described as a South Asian male, standing five-feet-eight inches tall and weighing 97 pounds.
He has black hair and brown eyes. His image was released by investigators on Saturday.
Police have not released a cause of death at this time but have said that the victim had obvious signs of trauma.
A post-mortem examination is expected to be conducted today.
“The investigation is still ongoing, however investigators do believe this to be an isolated incident,” Const. Iryna Yashnyk told reporters at the scene on Saturday afternoon. “We are appealing for any witnesses or anyone with information to come forward and speak with our Homicide and Missing Person Bureau.”
Yashnyk refused to comment on the nature of the relationship between the suspect and victim or a possible motive for the murder, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
On Saturday morning there did continue to be a heavy police presence in the area, with numerous officers seen going in and out of a nearby home where Martin is believed to have lived. CP24’s cameras also captured police searching a number of backyards in the immediate area.
Yashnyk said that the immediate area will be cordoned off for “at least the rest of today.”
“It is an ongoing investigation and we are canvassing and searching the area for any evidence of the offence,” she told reporters.
Grief counsellors at nearby school
The murder of someone so young has sent shockwaves throughout the quite residential neighbourhood surrounding Meadow Park.
Earlier on Saturday, grief counsellors were on hand at nearby Clarkson Secondary School where Driver-Martin was enrolled a Grade 9 student.
Officials with the Peel District School Board have also said that they have posted information online to help parents who need advice on how to support their children through a difficult time.
“We are encouraging parents to offer a safe place for conversations and to grieve in whatever way they wish,” Peel District School Board spokesperson Carla Pereira told CP24 on Saturday morning. “Some students are expressive in their emotions and others prefer not to be and to deal internally. Both of those things are OK. So we ask parents to talk to their children, perhaps make suggestions around self-care. Are you going for a walk today? What are you doing to normalize your experiences so you are not deep in your grief?”
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