A 73-year-old woman who was stabbed during a break-in at her home in south London last week has passed away in the hospital, police reported on Friday. A man is now facing charges of second-degree murder.
In a statement on Friday, London police confirmed that the elderly woman died after being attacked on August 22. Nelson Enrique Cornejo, 40, from London, is charged with second-degree murder along with other charges including aggravated assault, breaking and entering with intent, attacking a peace officer with a weapon, and obstructing a peace officer.
According to police, the victim and the suspect were strangers.
The court documents reveal that the incident occurred at 10 Raywood Ave., and the deceased woman has been identified as Lillian Leonard. The records also indicate that Cornejo does not have a fixed address.
Jerry Rozic, acting detective inspector of the London police criminal investigation division, stated that this incident appears to be isolated and there is no ongoing threat to the community.
“We know that this is a serious incident; it’s going to have an effect on the family and the community. Our thoughts are with them,” he said.
Investigators are urging anyone who might have information about Cornejo or who may have interacted with him to reach out to London police at 519-661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Cornejo remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court in London on Monday, according to police.
The attack occurred shortly after 6:10 a. m. last Saturday when officers say Leonard was awakened by loud noises and discovered a man entering her home near Wellington Road and Base Line Road East.
Police reported that she was assaulted and stabbed before she could call for help. Multiple officers responded quickly where they found the man “began throwing broken glass” at them.
One officer sustained minor injuries while entering the house to arrest the suspect. Leonard was taken to hospital but unfortunately succumbed to her injuries later.
Property records show Leonard had owned her home since 1998 and became its sole owner in May 2025.
Although police cleared the scene by Friday afternoon, shards of glass remained scattered across her property, and visible damage could be seen around the door’s deadbolt area. A knock at her door went unanswered.
Neighbor Steve Walker was not present during the break-in but learned about it later when he noticed police tape around his area as they knocked on his door asking for information.
“It’s really scary. I think she was an older woman living here by herself, and yeah, it’s horrible,” he expressed. “It’s a great neighborhood… (it was) freaky when we found out.”
Neighbour Steve Walker said the incident was “horrible” and that he only learned of what happened when police knocked on his door. Photo taken on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (Jack Moulton/)
Jeff Chapman has lived in this neighborhood for over three decades; he described how things feel “a little uneasy.” He mentioned having home security but expressed concern for some neighbors.
“There are quite a few single older women living in this neighborhood; we’ve spoken with one or two of them who mentioned feeling quite uncomfortable,” he noted. “Others around here seem wary right now; they’re worried about their safety.”
Longtime neighbourhood resident Jeff Chapman said his household felt “a little uneasy” after the incident. Photo taken on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (Jack Moulton/)
This marks London’s third homicide investigation of 2026.
The previous case involved a shooting on January 25 near Dundas Street close to Elizabeth Street that resulted in Ramone Thomas’s death at age 26 from Toronto while another man was injured. Matthew Yousufy, also aged 26 years old has been charged with second-degree murder related to that event.
jmoulton@postmedia. com
dcarruthers@postmedia. com
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