Two men are facing more than a dozen charges combined, including first-degree murder, after a woman and a dog were shot dead at a Markham home last month.
York Regional Police were called to a home on Solace Road near Castlemore Avenue around 6:30 a.m. on March 7 following reports of a shooting. When police arrived, they found a man and a woman suffering from gunshot wounds. Both were taken to a trauma centre where the woman was pronounced dead.
The woman was later identified as 20-year-old Nilakshi Raguthas.
Police said a 26-year-old man suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigators said a German Shepherd dog was also shot in the home and died of its injuries.
On March 21, police executed a search warrant at a Toronto residence and arrested 28-year-old Aekwon Murray, who was charged with three counts of failing to comply with a judicial release order and two counts of operating a conveyance while prohibited.
While in custody, police charged Murray with four additional charges, including first-degree murder, attempted murder and killing or injuring animals.
On April 1, homicide investigators arrested 35-year-old Heshmat Rasouli-Kalantarzade and charged him with six offences, including first-degree murder, attempted murder and killing or injuring animals.
Investigators say at the time of the shooting, both Murray and Rasouli-Kalantarzade were out on bail for unrelated offences.
Police say they are treating the shooting as a targeted incident, but did not address reports that this is connected to recent violence within the towing industry.
Police previously confirmed to CityNews that officers have responded to this Markham address several times for reports of gunfire, most recently in 2024.
In March 2024, the home on Solace Road was repeatedly targeted in separate shootings. The same Markham residence was riddled with bullets in two similar incidents, both during the day, on Feb. 28, 2024, and March 8, 2024.
“It’s no secret. We’ve been on the news before,” the neighbour said. “We just want a safe street to live on. Nobody wants this on anyone’s street [or] in anyone’s neighbourhood. Of course, it’s frustrating.”
