Hunt on for killer after two found dead
Autopsies conducted on the bodies of Saed, 22, and Idiris Abess, 23, confirmed their deaths as homicides.
“It’s doesn’t come as a big surprise,” said Det. Sgt. Gary Giroux, a Toronto homicide investigator who helped arrest Adad.
“This was an individual who led an extremely high-risk lifestyle.”
Adad was charged with second-degree murder in September 2006 in connection with the death of Aaron Johnson, 33, in Toronto.
Police said Johnston had just walked outside his apartment building one evening when he was quickly confronted and shot in the face. There was no evidence the victim and killer knew each other.
The motive for the murder appeared to be a “disrespect of sorts,” Giroux said at the time.
When Adad was arrested two weeks after the killing, a loaded semi-automatic gun was found in his Toronto apartment.
Adad spent close to two years in custody awaiting a trial that never happened.
“We never got past the preliminary hearing stage,” Giroux said. “We had some trouble with the witnesses. As you can imagine, with people involved in this kind of lifestyle there can be some issues with truthfulness.”
Adad had previous convictions for firearms offences. His latest firearms charge in Ontario was in July 2009.
Giroux said Toronto police knew that Adad had recently come to Western Canada.
Wood Buffalo RCMP won’t say how Adad and Abess were killed. The men were found Wednesday morning on the third floor of the Hillside Manor apartment complex. The manager said he wasn’t sure if one or both men were tenants.
Abess was listed as a resident of Fort McMurray. A Toronto woman who identified herself as his sister said she didn’t know how long he had been in the town or what he was doing there. She said he and Adad were cousins.
“I hope he rests in peace,” she said, before declining further comment.
No one has been charged in the case.
kgerein@thejournal.canwest.com
