Police found human remains in this home in Markham, that were later cofirmed to be those of abducted and missing real estate agent Tony Han. (July 14, 2011)
Henry Stancu/The Toronto Star
Police have identified human remains found in the basement of a Markham home this week as those of missing real estate agent Jianguo (Tony) Han.
Three men were charged in Han’s death even before police received the DNA tests to determine the identity of the remains.
But Peel police said they had enough evidence to proceed with manslaughter charges against three men arrested this week.
Han had been missing since he was abducted from Mississauga on Jan. 19.
Senthuran Sabesan, 23, and Sohiab Malick, 21, of Waterloo and Gobinath Shanthkumar, 23, of Newmarket, were remanded in custody Thursday after brief appearances in Brampton court.
They each face a manslaughter charge in Han’s death, two counts of kidnapping with intent to ransom and aggravated assault in the wounding of Xiu Jun (Johnny) Fei, who was also abducted in January.
Han, who worked for HomeLife Landmark Realty in Markham, was trying to sell a $2.4 million Mississauga mansion for Fei when the two men were snatched from the Featherston Dr. home. Fei, from North York, was found safely in Don Mills a few days later, but Han had been missing since.
An OPP cadaver dog led detectives to the basement of a home on Edward Jeffreys Ave. in the village of Markham where human remains were found.
Police had originally searched the interior and dug up the backyard of the two-storey brick home in May and found nothing beneath an outdoor shed.
Tenants of the home, near Hwy. 48 and 16th Ave., were ordered out by police on Monday and remains were uncovered the following day in the basement.
“We knew somebody was missing because the police told us they were looking for a man when they searched the house and backyard last May,” said a neighbour who didn’t want to be identified.
A beige metal garden shed has been shifted from the corner of the back yard and gravel was piled in a mound next to where forensic officers had dug a hole in their earlier search.
It was a confusing day at the Brampton courthouse Thursday where lawyers for two of the suspects told the Toronto Star they were told by police the previous day that their clients had been charged with first-degree murder in the case.
At the same time, police continued to say they had laid no charges against the men.
It wasn’t until mid-afternoon, when the handcuffed trio appeared in court, that it was confirmed they face manslaughter counts in Han’s death.
“Essentially, the circumstances that led the investigators to that residence and the evidence and circumstances found within that residence . . . the decision was made to lay the charge of manslaughter,” said Peel Sgt. Zahir Shah.
Police had been tight-lipped about the case for months, only revealing this week that they arrested Sabesan in January on two counts of kidnapping with intent to ransom. Those charges were re-laid Thursday.
On Friday, police released photos of another suspect involved in the case. The wanted man, who police describe as Asian, drove a red minivan from the kidnapping scene.
In the photos, the man is seen walking with Wei Guo Wu, 43, who is also sought in the kidnapping. Police say he may be hiding in Vancouver.
Police also revealed this week that two other people who were arrested over the past six months in the kidnappings couldn’t be identified because of a court-imposed publication ban. But Shah declined to explain how a publication ban prevents the naming of two adults charged with the kidnapping of Han and Fei.
Police found signs of a struggle in the Featherston Dr. home near the University of Toronto’s Mississauga campus on Jan. 20 after family members reported the North York men missing.
Malick is to appear next in court on Monday. Sabesan is to return to court on Tuesday. Shanthkumar will appear next on Aug. 2.
With files from Henry Stancu and Amanda Kwan
