Very few details are being released about a homicide that occurred in a rural area of Ramara Township on Saturday.
Police say Fabian Crawford, 48, was located deceased inside a home on County Road 169, near Washago, at about 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
Responding officers located the suspect “a short distance away” and took the person into custody.
Christopher Scully, 54, of Orillia has been charged with second-degree murder.
Brett Boniface, the Orillia OPP’s media relations officer, said he could not reveal many details about the ongoing investigation.
He could not say if the two men knew each other. Nor could he say how Crawford was killed.
“A post-mortem is being done today at the Centre of Forensic Services in Toronto,” Boniface told OrilliaMatters, noting more information may be revealed following that.
He said the uniformed officers that responded to the initial call found the suspect, outside, not far from where the homicide occurred. He could provide no further details about the capture.
Boniface said the homicide occurred on a rural property that is home to several residences. “There are three or four houses on the one property,” he explained.
The homicide is considered an “isolated incident,” said Boniface, noting police are not looking for any further suspects.
As to the second-degree murder charge, Boniface was not able to shed any light on why that particular charge was laid.
He noted that, generally speaking, a first-degree murder charge is laid when there is pre-meditation. If the investigation into Saturday's homicide reveals pre-mediation, the charge could be upgraded, he said.
The investigation by the Orillia detachment, its crime unit and OPP forensic identification services continues, under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB), and in conjunction with the Office of the Chief Coroner and Ontario Forensic Pathology Service.
Anyone with information that may assist the investigation are asked to contact the Orillia OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-847.
