There have been 10 homicides in Ottawa so far this year.
Ottawa police responded to three separate homicides in the past three days, and four so far this month.
Alta Vista Ward Coun. Marty Carr, vice-chair of the Ottawa Police Service Board, said the number of recent homicides is disconcerting.
“Certainly, I can understand that people are concerned,” she told Newstalk 580 CFRA’s The Morning Rush with Bill Carroll. “I think there’s concern for community safety overall, but… I don’t think we’re going to expect to see this rate of homicides continue.”
Here’s what we know about each of the cases so far.
Jan. 10
Wilson Sabarros, 58, of Ottawa was found dead inside a home on Pondhollow Way in Barrhaven on Friday, Jan. 10, in Ottawa’s first homicide of 2025. His cause of death was not immediately made public.
Two suspects, 28-year-old Mia Tejada and 26-year-old Omar Assaad, are jointly charged with first-degree murder.
Feb. 6
A 40-year-old man died on Feb. 9, three days after being assaulted while in custody at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre.
The victim was identified as 40-year-old Amr Zohair of Ottawa.
Police say Marc LeBrun-Fortin, 44, was originally charged with aggravated assault. He is now facing a charge of first-degree murder.
Feb. 15
Emergency crews responded to a call for a disturbance in the 500 block of St. Laurent Boulevard, between Brittany Drive and Montreal Road, at 9:25 p.m. Feb. 15.
A man was found at the scene with “penetrating injuries” and died in hospital, marking Ottawa’s third homicide of 2025. The Ottawa Police Service identified the victim as Omar Jonathan Grant, 25, of Ottawa.
Jacob Blanchard, 25, is facing a charge of second-degree murder and assault with a weapon. A second suspect, Samuel Laurin-Gauvreau, also 25, was arrested a month later and is also charged with second-degree murder.
Feb. 19
Ottawa’s fourth homicide of the year came following an incident in Overbrook.
A man was stabbed at around 4:45 a.m. Feb. 19, in the 200-block of Presland Road.
Police identified the victim as Robert Vides, 36.
Judith Brennan, 45, is facing a charge of second-degree murder.
Ottawa Police Chief Eric Stubbs told reporters intimate partner violence was a factor in the investigation.
March 14
Police say they received a call to an area on Longfields Drive around 8:10 p.m. March 14. When officers arrived at the scene, they found a person with life-threatening injuries. Police say he succumbed to his injuries shortly thereafter.
The victim was identified as 27-year-old Kole Warren Watanabe.
Ottawa police acting deputy inspector Bryan Samuel confirms Watanabe was stabbed following an altercation that “spilled into the street.”
Munyaradzi Gonouya, 29, of Ottawa, is charged with second-degree murder.
March 29
A deadly week in the capital began March 29, when a man was found dead inside an apartment building in Primrose Avenue, in the Chinatown area.
The victim has been identified as 63-year-old Paul Scott Landymore of Ottawa. Police have not confirmed the cause of death.
This case remains unsolved. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 613-236-1222 extension 5493, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 to remain anonymous.
April 1
Ottawa’s seventh homicide of the year is the first of the year to be declared a femicide.
Police identified the victim as 51-year-old Renée Descary. She was stabbed to death inside a home on Heney Street in Lowertown.
The suspect has been identified as Oliver Denia, 24. He is charged with second degree murder. Ottawa police tell CTV News the early investigation shows there is no connection between the victim and the suspect. The suspect was detained on scene by bystanders, some of whom received minor injuries.
Ottawa police define a femicide as “the misogynist killing of women and girls because of their gender, overwhelmingly committed by men.”
April 4
Ottawa’s eighth homicide of 2025 came last Friday, when a man was found dead in a home on Provender Avenue in Ottawa’s east end.
The victim has been identified as Trevor Howard Needham, 42, of Ottawa. He had been assaulted with an edged weapon, according to paramedics, and despite attempts by first responders to provide first aid, he died at the scene.
A woman suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
Jeremy Joseph Young, 38, is charged with second-degree murder in the case.
April 5
Late Saturday night, a 61-year-old woman was found dead inside a home on Bentbrook Crescent in Barrhaven. She has been identified as Brenda Rus.
Her husband, Robert Rus, 61, is facing a charge of first-degree murder.
This is the second death in Ottawa this year that police have labelled a femicide.
April 6
Ottawa’s 10th homicide of the year came just hours after the ninth, when a man was shot to death in Nepean.
Gunshots were heard on Craig Henry Drive at around 9:30 a.m. Sunday.
A 20-year-old man, identified as Mahad Elmi, died of his injuries. A 21-year-old man was also injured by gunshots but is expected to survive.
A suspect has yet to be identified in this case. Anyone with information about this homicide is asked to call the Homicide Unit at 613-236-1222, extension 5493, or leave a tip anonymously at crimestoppers.ca.
Ottawa police see upward trend in homicides
Ottawa police chief Eric Stubbs says he has seen an upward trend of homicides in the last few years, but emphasized the city remains safe.
“Ottawa is a very safe city, and it will continue to be safe despite this spike in homicides,” Stubbs said Monday.
“I can tell you that our team and our supporting units are working extremely hard to resolve all of these files.”
Ottawa saw the highest number of homicide deaths in its history in 2024, with 25 victims and 19 incidents.
Stubbs thanked the community and bystanders for assisting in the investigations, from bystanders at the scene assisting officers, to people providing evidence through testimony or videos.
Irvin Waller, a professor of criminology at the University of Ottawa, says reversing the rise in homicides will take targeted funding and leadership at all levels, including for police and violence prevention strategies.
“If the rate for the first three months of the year continues, it could go up a lot,” he said.
“We need the leaders of major organizations that can actually make a difference and we need to be prepared to have budgets that reflect what we need to be doing.”
With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Katelyn Wilson
