Ont. man accused of murder argues to be released from custody
Warning: Some readers may find the details in this article disturbing.
The Woodbridge, Ont. man accused of murdering a father of four who was found dismembered was in bail court Friday, hoping to be released from custody after spending 60 days behind bars.
Tony Lucia sat in the prisoner's box, appearing tired, with his hands cuffed and his head down during the hearing.
His family and friends packed into the Orangeville courtroom in support of the 62-year-old man while his renowned defence lawyers, Cosmo Galluzzo, Marco Sciarra, and Michael Lacy, argued to have him released.
Lucia was arrested in September and charged with first-degree murder in connection with Morris Conte's death 12 years ago.
Conte, who was 45 at the time of his death, disappeared in May 2010.
The Bolton man's family told police he was going to meet a friend for coffee. They never saw him alive again.
That same month, police said Conte's body parts were found scattered across several locations in Oro-Medonte and Muskoka.
At the time of the gruesome discovery, police noted his remains were left in locations where they would be easily found. Investigators said his murder and what was done with his body may have been a message or warning to others.
Morris Conte is pictured in this undated photo. (Supplied)
Lucia's son, Sam, was charged in 2011 with accessory after death and committing an indignity to a human body. The charges were later withdrawn.
The OPP offers a $50,000 reward for information while the Conte family continues to seek answers and justice.
A publication ban protects information presented at the bail hearing.
The hearing is scheduled to continue on Monday with more submissions, though it's unclear when Justice Leonard Ricchetti will make his decision.
The allegations against Lucia have not been tested in court.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
New one-and-done therapy can help curb severe COVID-19 infection: Canadian-led study
A Canadian-led study of a new potential antiviral therapy shows a single dose can help cut the risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19.

Are video games good for kids' brains or bad for them? New research suggests the answer is 'neither'
A small new study has found that neither the frequency of daily gaming reported by pre-teen children nor the specific video game genres they chose to play were linked with their performance on a standardized cognitive tests.
Canada deploys military assessment team to Turkiye after earthquake
Canada deployed a disaster assessment team to Turkey on Wednesday in the wake of a devastating earthquake that's killed thousands, as the federal government faced criticism that the window to help with rescue efforts was closing.
'It was a nightmare': 2 children dead, driver charged after city bus crashes into Laval daycare
A man has been arrested and two children are dead after a driver crashed a city bus into a daycare in Laval, Que. Wednesday morning. The deadly crash sent multiple children to area hospitals and parents scrambling to find their kids shortly after they dropped them off for the day at the Garderie éducative Sainte-Rose, north of Montreal.
Alphabet shares dive after Google AI chatbot Bard flubs answer in ad
Alphabet Inc. lost US$100 billion in market value on Wednesday after its new chatbot shared inaccurate information in a promotional video and a company event failed to dazzle, feeding worries that the Google parent is losing ground to rival Microsoft.
opinion | Before you do your taxes, take note of these tax credits and deductions you may not have known about
Many Canadians are experiencing strains caused by the increased cost of living and inflation. In his exclusive column for CTVNews.ca, contributor Christopher Liew shares some of the top credits and deductions that you may be able to claim on your income tax return to help you save money.
Indigo payment systems, online store down after 'cybersecurity incident'
Indigo's payment systems and online store are down after a 'cybersecurity incident,' the company announced on Wednesday evening.
Netflix Canada begins password sharing crackdown
Netflix Canada is rolling out its long-anticipated plans to crack down on password sharing, saying it will begin notifying Canadian users today by email about limitations.
Tyre Nichols documents: Officer never explained stop to him
The officer who pulled Tyre Nichols from his car before police fatally beat him never explained why he was being stopped, newly released documents show, and emerging reports from Memphis residents suggest that was common.