A man from Mississauga has been taken into custody in Texas and is now facing charges linked to an assault on Elnaz Hajtamiri, a Mississauga resident who has been missing since 2022. The 25-year-old man is charged with aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit a serious offense and is currently being held by York police.
The suspect was apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Service in Texas in August and subsequently brought back to Canada for prosecution. Authorities believe he was involved in an attack on Hajtamiri that took place prior to her disappearance. According to reports, Hajtamiri was assaulted in December 2021, sustaining injuries from being struck with a frying pan in a Richmond Hill underground parking lot. She was hospitalized for non-life-threatening injuries, including a head wound requiring 40 stitches, before the suspects fled the scene.
Several weeks later in January 2022, three individuals disguised as police officers forcibly abducted Hajtamiri from a relative’s residence in Wasaga Beach, where she had been seeking refuge following the initial attack. The abductors fled in a white Lexus SUV, and Hajtamiri has not been seen since, with authorities presuming her to be deceased.
A tip from the public led to the apprehension of the suspect in Texas, as mentioned by Const. Lisa Moskaluk of the York Regional Police in an interview with CBC Toronto. She emphasized the importance of any information, no matter how small, in assisting with the investigation.
To date, a total of eight individuals, including Hajtamiri’s ex-boyfriend, have been arrested in connection with the December assault. Authorities suspect that those involved in the assault may also have ties to the kidnapping or knowledge of the individuals responsible. The investigation remains ongoing, with the hope that the captured suspect may provide leads to other potential suspects.
Constable Moskaluk highlighted the possibility of new information surfacing and urged anyone with relevant details to come forward. A $100,000 reward is being offered for information leading to Hajtamiri’s whereabouts, with York police urging individuals to contact them or Crime Stoppers with any pertinent information.