Orillia OPP lay first-degree murder charge in 'historic' case going back over 12 years
Orillia OPP has laid a charge of first-degree murder in the death of a man who was first reported missing more than 12 years ago.
On Monday, provincial police charged 62-year-old Antonino Lucia from Woodbridge, Ont., in connection to the death of Morris Conte.
Conte was last seen in Caledon in May 2010. He was 45 years old and a father of four at the time of his disappearance.
According to his family at the time, Conte was meeting up with Lucia before he died.
"Apparently, going for a coffee," said Beth Conte, Morris Conte's former wife.
Police say Conte's remains were discovered spread out in both the Sugarbush area of Oro-Medonte and on Maplehurst Road in Lake of Bays Township the following day, May 22, 2010. Then, on May 28, additional remains were found on Stoneleigh Road in Bracebridge.
The remains were confirmed to be Conte's through a post-mortem investigation.
Police had said 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.
In July 2011, police arrested Sam Lucia and charged him with accessory after death and committing an indignity to a human body.
The charges against Sam Lucia, Antonino Lucia's son, were later withdrawn.
Police say the case is far from closed.
"The investigation is still ongoing, and a $50,000 reward is still being offered," noted OPP Sgt. Brett Boniface.
Anyone with any details to share, big or small, is asked to contact OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
With files from CTV's Mike Arsalides
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.