Courthney Facey, 18, and Michael James, 23.
One year after an unsolved double slaying on Toronto's west side, detectives are renewing their appeal for tips, a message to be repeated Thursday night by the leader of the homicide squad at a memorial service.
Courthney Facey, 18, and Michael James, 23, were fatally shot at 1798 Weston Rd. on the night of Sept. 29, 2010, raising the city's homicide toll for 2010 to 44. So far this year, there have been 35.
The memorial service will be held at the crime scene, near Lawrence Avenue, and begins at 7 p.m. Friends and relatives are expected to attend, along with Staff-Inspector Mark Saunders.
Both victims suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Mr. Facey died at the scene, while Mr. James was found nearby and rushed to hospital, where he died of his injuries.
The shooter was behind the wheel of a black BMW X5 sport utility vehicle, police believe, with at least one other person in the vehicle.
Surveillance cameras captured images of it heading south on Weston Road about 30 minutes before the shooting, and then speeding north on Weston Road immediately afterward.
The same car was also spotted travelling on Islington Avenue, north of Hwy 401. It has been identified as a 2000-2006 model with silver running boards, five-spoke rims, a roof rack and a sun roof.
The two men were killed just steps away from where 26-year-old Jahmelle Grant was gunned down in February, 2009, and the double homicide stirred concern in 12 Division because it punctuated a period of relative peace.
The Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy (TAVIS) – proactive squads of uniformed officers who flood trouble spots – had been brought to the area following a rash of shootings and homicides, many thought to be gang-related, and after its arrival local violence dropped dramatically.
In June 2009, TAVIS zeroed-in on a 1.2 square kilometre area near the intersection of Keele Street and Eglinton Avenue West, which had been a centre of much of the mayhem in 12 Division. There was only one homicide during the TAVIS blitz.
Neither Mr. Facey nor Mr. James had been in trouble with police, and there's no reason to believe they had any gang connections, Det. Sgt. Gray said, a few weeks after they were killed.
They were on the sidewalk "just hanging out" when they were shot, she said, and at least 15 people are believed to have witnessed the incident,.
Mr. Facey was a high school student, while Mr. James was an apprentice chef.
"It may be mistaken identity, I'm going to have to wait until we get somebody in custody," Det. Sgt. Gray said.
"But I will because this is not acceptable."
With a report from Carys Mills