The family of the security guard who was tragically killed while working at the Pickering casino in 2023 is reaching out once more for help from the public regarding any information about the suspect.
During a news conference on Monday, Det.-Sgt. Erik Mamers from Durham Regional Police Service announced that there’s a $25,000 reward for tips leading to the arrest of the 20-year-old suspect.
“Get counsel. Turn yourself in,” Mamers urged. “There’s a Canada-wide warrant out for his arrest on charges of second-degree murder, and he’s considered armed and dangerous.”
Michael Ferdinand, aged 34, was shot while on duty at the Pickering casino shortly after 5 a. m. on October 9, 2023.
The suspect has been evading capture since then. Authorities released an image of him, which could only be available for five days due to regulations in the Youth Criminal Justice Act as he was 17 years old at the time of the incident.
The suspect is believed to have no permanent residence but may have connections to communities like Driftwood, Jane and Finch, and Brampton in Ontario, according to Durham police.
Mara, Michael’s wife, stood with Durham police on Monday. She shared how she met Michael when they both worked at the same place when she was just 17 years old.
“I saw him. I thought he was really cute,” Mara recalled.
Det. Sgt. Erik Mamers mentioned that it’s their responsibility to seek justice for Ferdinand and his family. (Martin Trainor/CBC)
On her final day at work, Michael approached her.
“He didn’t want my contact information. He didn’t want to be weird or creepy. But he wanted to tell me that I was the most beautiful person that he had ever seen,” she explained. “Because I was super awkward, I asked if I could give him a hug.”
Mara expressed that since they grew up together, losing him left her feeling lost.
“He was part of me and as an adult I had not been a person without him there,” she said. “Figuring out how to live life without half of me has been daunting, to say the very least.”
Mara shared that Michael had a unique way of making others feel valued and comfortable.
“He was a fierce light in this world, making every person and every moment feel like something special,” she noted.
Murder ‘senseless and devastating,’ police say
Michael had just started his role as a security guard at the casino in March 2023.
“He was simply doing his job when his life was brutally taken from him,” Mamers stated. “Michael’s murder was senseless and devastating.”
Mamers emphasized that it’s their duty to pursue justice for Michael and his family.
“His death shattered his family. It left a permanent void in the lives of those who loved him, worked alongside him, and depended on him.”
If anyone has information related to this case they are encouraged to reach out to law enforcement.
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