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Police searching for Toronto murder suspect
Levi Aggek wanted for murder of 26-year-old mother in Wellesley Street high-rise apartment
Karen Howlett
Toronto — Globe and Mail UpdatePublished on Sunday, Dec. 06, 2009 1:13PM ESTLast updated on Sunday, Dec. 06, 2009 1:24PM EST
Toronto homicide detectives issued a Canada-wide warrant on Sunday for Levi Samuel Aggek, who is facing second-degree murder charges for the brutal killing of a young mother he met just days earlier.
Spring Phillips, 26, was found dead in her apartment on Saturday afternoon.
“There was obvious trauma to the body,” Detective Hank Idsinga of the Toronto Police Homicide Squad, said at a news conference on Sunday. “She was pronounced dead at the scene.”
Ms. Phillips, the mother of a three-year-old daughter, has become the city's 56th homicide victim this year.
It was her ex-boyfriend who made the gruesome discovery just after 12:30 on Saturday afternoon, when he arrived at her apartment in the city's east end so the two could go shopping. He was the one who called police.
However, the alleged murder happened several hours earlier. Neighbours in the high-rise apartment building heard fighting and screaming in the wee hours of the morning, but did not call police, Detective Idsinga said.
A video camera in the building shows Mr. Aggek waiting for the elevator on the 27th floor of the apartment building at 200 Wellesley Street East, known as The Montreal, just before 5 in the morning. The video shows him calmly walking out of building, before casually bending down to pick up what appears to be a cigarette.
An autopsy will be done on Monday to determine the cause of death.
“It appears some sort of instrument was used,” Detective Idsinga said, adding that there was “quite a bit of blood” throughout the one-bedroom apartment.
Detective Idsinga would not speculate on a motive for the murder. Ms. Phillips had agreed to let Mr. Aggek sleep in her apartment on Saturday night. He described the two as casual acquaintances. Her daughter was not there at the time – the child lives with her father's family.
Mr. Aggek, a 33-year-old native Indian, had been in Toronto for only two to three months and was living in shelters. He is originally from Atlantic Canada, where he is known to police, said Detective Idsinga, declining to elaborate.
Mr. Aggek is described as 5' 9” and 170 pounds with brown eyes, a moustache and short black hair. He was wearing a red hoodie, black track pants and a camouflage cap when he emerged from the apartment building.
Ms. Phillips is also native Indian and known to police – she has been charged with theft and shoplifting in the past.
Police have sealed off the 27th floor of the apartment building while they continue to investigate. They are searching bus stations and local shelters for Mr. Aggek.
Police photo of Levi Aggek, wanted on a Canada-wide warrant in death of Spring Phillips, 26.
Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] Whos Killing Families?.Permalink
