Charges stayed against woman accused in Elnaz Hajtamiri abduction case
Charges have been stayed against one of the suspects in the alleged abduction and disappearance of Elnaz Hajtamiri.
On Tuesday, the Crown stayed all charges against Krystal P. Lawrence, 31, of Brampton.
Lawrence was charged in early 2023 when Ontario Provincial Police released images of suspects believed to have been involved in the kidnapping of then 37-year-old Richmond Hill woman Elnaz Hajtamiri from a home in Wasaga Beach on January 12, 2022.
Released from custody with strict conditions that included a curfew, Lawrence made several virtual court appearances in the year following Hajtamiri's disappearance.
Charges against another woman, Dominique Ewan, also accused in connection with the alleged kidnapping, were stayed in October. Along with kidnapping, Ewan was initially also charged with fraud and possession of property obtained by crime.
According to Ontario police, the alleged mastermind in the case, Mohamad Lilo, who is Hajtamiri's former boyfriend, has been charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping.
Police say she is presumed dead after there has been no trace of her since she went missing more than two years ago.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
Police also continue their search for another suspect, Deshawn Davis of Toronto, in connection with the alleged kidnapping.
Several other men remain before the courts in relation to another alleged abduction attempt on Hajtamiri in an underground parking garage in Richmond Hill in December 2021, weeks before she disappeared.
Police say that attempt ultimately prompted her to go into hiding with loved ones in Wasaga Beach, where they say she was forcibly dragged from the home and put into a white Lexus SUV. It would be the last time Hajtamiri was seen by loved ones.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cisco reveals security breach, warns of state-sponsored spy campaign
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'oesn't get' the global phenomenom.
opinion RFK Jr.'s presidential candidacy and its potential threat to Biden and Trump
Although it's still unclear how much damage Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy can do to either Joe Biden or Donald Trump this election, Washington political columnist Eric Ham says what is clear is both sides recognize the potential threat.
Student anti-war protesters dig in as faculties condemn university leadership over calling police
Students protesting the Israel-Hamas war at at universities across U.S., some of whom have clashed with police in riot gear, dug in Saturday and vowed to keep their demonstrations going, while several school faculties condemned university presidents who have called in law enforcement to remove protesters.
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.
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.
Hamas is reviewing an Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, as possible Rafah offensive looms
Hamas said Saturday it was reviewing a new Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, as Egypt intensified efforts to broker a deal to end the months-long war and stave off a possible Israeli ground offensive into the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
'The world is too messy for bureaucratic hurdles': Canada still bars Afghanistan aid
Ottawa has plans to finally stop blocking Canadian development aid to Afghanistan this year.
Russia renews attacks on the Ukrainian energy sector as Kyiv launches drones at southern Russia
Russia launched a barrage of missiles against Ukraine overnight, in attacks that appeared to target the country's energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, Russia said its air defense systems had intercepted more than 60 Ukrainian drones over the southern Krasnodar region.