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His name is Michael Briere. And police believe he?s the man behind one of the most diabolical crimes in the city?s history. Police have charged the 35-year-old with killing 10-year-old Holly Jones.
The dramatic announcement came from Police Chief Julian Fantino. ?After 40 days of relentless, traditional, methodical police work, members of the task force arrested Michael Briere ? and charged him with the first-degree murder of Holly Jones. The accused is a 35-year-old male who currently works in the Toronto area as a software developer.? The man was picked up outside a home in the west end early Friday, but police won?t confirm earlier reports that the man lived close to the youngster?s residence.
And while they won?t say won?t exactly what led investigators to their suspect, Fantino hinted it was ?good traditional police work.? ?Although investigators were greatly assisted by modern-day sciences and technology, old-fashioned techniques like knocking on doors, interviewing hundreds upon hundreds of people and conducting a thorough investigative canvass played a key role in the arrest of this suspect,? he reveals. The Chief indicates there doesn?t appear to be any prior relationship between the suspect and the victim, and refused to say if the suspect was known to police. But he doesn?t believe there?s any connection to a spate of recent attempted child abductions in the area.
And while everyone will want to get a look at him, it may be a while before you actually get to do that. Authorities have requested no pictures of the man be released, because they still have more witnesses to question, and they don?t want to taint any memories.
Homicide detectives had long insisted that whoever committed the murder was familiar with the area. They also noted the killer made a large number of mistakes, and they would eventually use that information to find him. The 10-year-old went missing May 12, after she left a friend's home around 6pm. Three hours later, her frantic mother called police, telling them her daughter hadn't returned. An all out search found nothing, until her dismembered body parts were discovered scattered around the lakeshore the next day.
Several men were described being seen on the Toronto Island Ferry that day, but police were never able to account for one of them. Homicide detectives went door-to-door in the neighbourhood, canvassing residents and taking controversial but voluntary D.N.A. samples from adult males. They also released descriptions of Holly's clothing and any evidence that might tweak the memory of a witness who saw Holly that fateful night.
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