Toronto police updates Canada’s most wanted fugitives, offer $250K reward for information on referee killed in Toronto
A 19-year-old Toronto man who's accused of shooting a soccer referee to death has been named as Canada's most wanted fugitive, with a $250,000 reward for information leading to his capture.
Christian Cuxum, 19, is wanted for second-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder for the fatal attack on referee Edwin Farley Alvarado Quintero, 49, of Woodbridge during a match at North York's La Liga Sports Complex on Oct. 9.
The reward was announced on Monday by the Bolo program, which stands for Be on the lookout."
Quintero's widow and two children wore black as they attended the announcement at Yonge-Dundas Square.
The square was filled with 25 full-sized cardboard cut-outs with images of the wanted individuals using their approximate weight and height.
Today would have been Edwin's 50th birthday," his widow Alexandra Barrera said.
Edwin was all things good," she said, describing him as the best dad and the best husband from beginning to end."
She noted that the family was happy to move recently to Canada from Colombia.
We thought we lived in the safest place in the world," she said. This is Canada."
To the man who took Edwin's life: You destroyed us. You destroyed our family. You destroyed our plans. Our dreams. Our sense of safety. Our everything. You cannot make that right. But if you turn yourself in, you will allow us to take our next step forward in this nightmare," Barrera said.
Toronto police chief Myron Demkiw announced the $250,000 reward, pointing out it will only be available until Nov. 30, 2023 for information leading to the arrest of Cuxum. Make arrangements to turn yourself in because, with Bolo, police are not the only ones on the lookout for you. Everybody is."
Canada's second most wanted fugitive also has a GTA connection.
Rabih (Robby) Alkhalil is a twice-convicted murderer who planned gangland murders at cafes on College Street and in downtown Vancouver.
Alkhalil is considered a leader of the Wolfpack Alliance, a multi-ethnic association of organized criminals and has been on the run since escaping custody in British Columbia last summer.
Alkhalil had previously topped the list of Canada's Most Wanted fugitives.
There is a $100,000 reward for information leading to his capture.
Before he broke out of custody, Alkhalil was convicted of arranging for hitman Dean Wiwchar of Stouffville to murder Johnny Raposo of Toronto at the Sicilian Sidewalk Cafe on College Street in 2012 in a dispute over cocaine importing.
In August, Alkhalil was convicted in absentia of first-degree murder for planning and supervising the murder of United Nations gang leader Sandip Duhre on Jan. 17, 2012. Wiwchar of Stouffville was also convicted in both murders. Wiwchar remains in custody.
Court heard that Alkhalil texted praise to Wiwchar immediately after the Raposo murder.
Time we put you in sniper school I think," Alkhalil texted. This seems too easy for u."
Two of Alkhalil's brothers have been killed in gangland murders.
Other GTA suspects on the list include Kiarash Parzham, wanted for the 2022 murder of Kian Hoseyni (reward up to $50,000), Jabreel Elmi, wanted for the 2021 murder of Regent Park mentor Thane Murray (reward up to $50,000), Rajahden Angus Campbell, also wanted for the 2021 murder of Thane Murray, Kensworth Francis, facing two charges of first-degree murder, Kamar Cunningham, wanted for firearms trafficking, Phuong Tan Nguyen, wanted for the murder of a Markham couple in 2021, and Phillip Grant, wanted for the 2022 murders of Minyali Wur and Chudier Reat.
Daniel Tomassetti of Hamilton makes the list as a suspect in the 2017 murders of Hamilton mobster Angelo Musitano and Mila Barberi. Musitano was shot dead in his Waterdown driveway while Barbieri was shot alongside her boyfriend in Vaughan. Her boyfriend, believed to be the intended target, survived the attack.
The conference was live streamed on Bolo's YouTube channel.
With files from The Canadian Press
Ana Pereira is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @anabpereiraa
Peter Edwards is a Toronto-based reporter primarily covering crime for the Star. Reach him via email: pedwards@thestar.ca