Hamilton man charged in well-known winemaker’s murder

A 31-year-old Hamilton man has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a well-known Niagara Region winemaker, who was killed at a residence in Selkirk last week.

Emergency services were called to the home on Smelsers Cove Lane - a short street dotted with just over a dozen homes on the shore of Lake Erie - Feb. 3. They found Paul Pender, 54, of Grimsby unresponsive; he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Pender was head winemaker for Tawse Winery in Vineland.

On Monday, Haldimand County Ontario Provincial Police announced they have charged 31-year-old Bradley House, of Hamilton, with second-degree murder.

He remains in custody and is expected to appear in court in Cayuga at a later date.

It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we inform you of the death of our colleague and friend Paul Pender," reads a statement from Tawse posted online Feb. 4.

We will all miss him more than words can express. He was not just our manager but our good friend as well."

Pender, a former carpenter, joined the team in 2005 and became head winemaker the following year. Under his leadership, the winery moved to organic and biodynamic production and was named Canadian Winery of the Year four times. Pender was named Winemaker of the Year at the 2011 Ontario Wine Awards.

The winery asked for the privacy of his family to be respected.

OPP said the incident remains under investigation by the Haldimand OPP crime unit, OPP forensics unit, OPP criminal investigations branch and the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario.

Anyone with information is asked to call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or helpsolvecrime.com.

Nicole O'Reilly is a crime and justice reporter at The Spectator. noreilly@thespec.com