‘Perfect hype man’: Family and friends remember slain Windsor man

About 100 people gathered at a vigil in Harrow on Saturday to remember 37-year-old David Pavao.

Family and friends of David Pavao are remembering the 37-year-old as someone with a big heart and a love for music.

At a vigil Saturday night, more than 100 people gathered at the Harrow Fairgrounds to remember a life they say was taken far too soon.

Since going missing in August, four people have been charged in connection with Pavao’s death, and a fifth suspect is still being sought.

“David was someone who had his struggles, but he also had a good heart,” said a friend of Pavao’s.

Dressed in the gear of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Pavao’s favourite team, people shed tears and lit candles in remembrance of “Dave.”

Memories and pictures of Pavao were shared before memorial lanterns were lifted into the sky.

Meeting Pavao around 2006, Sean Flannery remembers his friend as a “light in the dark” with a smile that inspired those around him.

Under the now-defunct music group “Canada South Entertainment”, Flannery said Pavao found a way to express himself and be a part of something.

“So, we brought him in. We trained him to do some music, some hip hop music, some rap, and Dave turned out to be a shining star on stage,” Flannery said. “He was front stage, the perfect hype man for any group. He was very vibrant and happy, and he had no shame in conducting himself in front of a crowd.”

Outside of music, Flannery said Pavao was a selfless individual who never let others have a bad day.

Unfortunately, after the group split up, Flannery said he and Pavao lost touch over the years.

About two days before Pavao went missing, Flannery said he had learned about his old friend who was “hanging around the wrong people.”

“So we want justice for Dave. We’re going to get to the bottom of this, and people are going to be [prosecuted] for what they’ve done. It’s a terrible thing. He didn’t deserve to die,” Flannery said.

Investigation

As of Friday, Windsor police said four people had been arrested as suspects in the murder of Pavao.

So far, Shane Ladouceur, 54, and Colin Lusk, 27, face charges of first-degree murder and indecent interference with a deceased body.

Additionally, Christine Hannah, 49, and Ronald Holman, 61, both face the indecent interference charge as well as accessory after the fact to murder.

A fifth suspect, Jason Vincent Smith, is still being sought by police. He’s described as 40 years old, approximately 6’0” tall, and 180 lbs, with a light complexion, medium build, brown hair, and hazel eyes.

On Oct. 17, human remains in connection with the ongoing David Pavao murder investigation were discovered by OPP about an hour east of Timmins.

Earlier this week, a spokesperson for the Windsor Police Service confirmed to AM800 News the remains had not been formally identified yet. They noted that a public statement will be issued after they receive confirmation.

-With files from Dustin Coffman.