A Toronto man wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for his alleged involvement in the 2022 disappearance of Elnaz Hajtamiri has been arrested in connection with a “brutal murder” in the United States, police say.
Deshawn Davis was taken into custody Aug. 5 in Redway, Calif., in connection with the fatal shooting of a rapper at a Florida nightclub, the U.S. Marshal Service said in an Aug. 6 press release.
Davis, 36, was No. 11 on Canada’s 25 Most Wanted list for his alleged involvement in the abduction of Hajtamiri in January 2022 and No. 15 on the U.S. Marshals Service’s 15 Most Wanted Fugitive list.
Davis is accused of opening fire at a Miami Beach nightclub last May, killing rapper Lowell “Lo” Grissom and injuring two women.
The murder was believed to be “a targeted attack with a gang nexus,” the U.S. Marshals said.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is collaborating with U.S. law enforcement to further its investigation into the January 2022 kidnapping of Hajtamiri, the agency said in an Aug. 6 press release.
“We extend our gratitude to our law enforcement partners at the U.S. Marshals Service for apprehending a dangerous individual wanted in both Canada and the United States,” OPP Deputy Commissioner Marty Kearns said in the press release.
“While this arrest is a significant step forward, our primary goal remains uncovering the truth about Elnaz Hajtamiri’s disappearance and providing answers to her loved ones. Let this serve as a strong warning to those involved in Elnaz’s kidnapping: we will not rest until we find out what happened to her and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.”
The OPP and York Regional Police have arrested four suspects in Hajtamiri’s kidnapping case, including her ex-boyfriend Mohamad Lilo. Lilo has since been charged with first-degree murder. The apprehension of Davis in California is the fifth arrest connected to Hajtamiri’s disappearance.
Hajtamiri was abducted from a relative’s home in Wasaga Beach, Ont., on Jan. 12, 2022, by three men wearing fake police gear and was forced into a white Lexus SUV. She has not been seen since that night.
The OPP and York Regional Police issued a joint $100,000 reward last January for information related to her whereabouts.
Hajtamiri, 37, had been hiding in Wasaga Beach since being assaulted by a group of men in a Richmond Hill underground parkade the previous month. She suffered a head injury that required 40 stitches after being repeatedly beaten with a frying pan during the December 2021 attack.
Aysa Hajtamiri, who lives in Melbourne, Australia, said her sister was in hiding because her ex-boyfriend had allegedly begun making threats toward her.
Hajtamiri, who was also known by the last name Tamiri, was described as being five feet three inches tall, with a slim build, and shoulder-length black hair. Hajtamiri moved to Canada in 2018 following the death of her husband in Iran.
