$1 million bail granted to Ont. man facing first-degree murder in death of father of four
Warning: Some readers may find the details in this article disturbing.
An Ontario man accused of killing a father of four whose remains were later discovered across parts of Simcoe County and Muskoka has been granted bail.
Tony Lucia of Woodbridge, Ont., had been behind bars since his September arrest in connection with Morris Conte's death in 2010.
Conte went missing 12 years ago after telling his family he was meeting a friend for coffee.
The Bolton man was 45 at the time of his death.
Police said his dismembered body parts were found in the Sugarbush area of Oro-Medonte, on Maplehurst Road in Lake of Bays, and on Stoneleigh Road in Bracebridge.
Investigators noted Conte's remains were easily found, saying what was done with his body could have been a message or warning to others.
They did not expand on those remarks.
In 2011, Lucia's son was arrested and charged with accessory after death and committing an indignity to a human body. Those charges were later withdrawn.
The OPP continues to offer a $50,000 reward for any information on the case.
Outside the Orangeville courthouse on Monday, Lucia's defence lawyer, Cosmo Galluzzo, said getting his client bail was "just step one."
"I mean, the judge heard all the arguments that was made, what the evidence against Mr. Lucia was, and we think he came to the right decision in having a release order," said Galluzzo.
Lucia's bail was set to over $1 million. He will be fitted for an ankle bracelet upon his release.
A publication ban limits the details that can be reported from the bail hearing.
The allegations against Lucia have not been tested in court.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.