Grieving Iavarone family asks to be ‘left in peace’
The family of an Ancaster man shot dead as he walked into his home last week is not speaking with police and is asking to be left in peace.
Albert (Al) Iavarone was killed by a gunman who waited in the bushes outside his Sunflower Crescent home around 9:55 p.m. on Sept. 13. His wife and two of his children were inside and called police, drawing officers who found the 50-year-old in the entrance to his home with a gunshot to the upper body.
“Albert was a kind-hearted family man who spent his time with his family and specifically with his special needs son,” reads the statement to the Spectator.
“The Iavarone family would like to be left in peace at this time, and will not be speaking with media or police in relation to this or any other matters.”
The family also shared photos of Iavarone, many of him smiling with his son.
Hamilton police say Iavarone, a real estate agent and entrepreneur, was known to police before his murder due to his association with people involved in traditional organized crime. Iavarone did not have a criminal record.
The “organized crime angle” continues to be part of the investigation, said Det. Sgt. Peter Thom. “But it’s way too early to draw any conclusions.”
This includes investigating the “possibility” of a connection to the murder of 39-year-old Angelo (Ang) Musitano, who was similarly gunned down in the driveway of his Waterdown home in May 2, 2017, also with his wife and children inside.
The home of his older brother Pasquale (Pat) Musitano — the reputed family boss — was sprayed with bullets less than two months later.
There has been a resurgence of mafia-related crime in the greater Toronto and Hamilton areas in the last couple of years, leading police to believe there may be a “power struggle.”
According to his obituary, Iavarone was a husband, father of three and came from a large family of nine children. His funeral is Wednesday.
Thom said the family’s lack of co-operation, which also was the case with the Musitanos, makes the investigation more difficult. Detectives are trying to piece together what was happening in Iavarone’s life before his murder.
“Since the initial interviews, they have made it clear they don’t want to co-operate further,” Thom said.
In Ancaster, police have searched the Iavarone family’s home, canvassed the quiet and affluent Scenic Woods neighbourhood and gathered “a couple of weeks’ worth” of surveillance video from the Iavarone’s and neighbouring houses.
So far, police know that the killer drove a silver car and hid in the bushes for “an extended period of time” waiting for the victim to come home.
But police are hoping to see in the surveillance video whether anyone was watching or planning before the murder.
In Musitano’s murder, of which Thom is also the case manager, police were able to figure out that four vehicles were involved in stalking him before he was killed. That shooter is believed to be a hit man also captured on surveillance in a March 14, 2017, murder in York Region.
Since Iavarone’s murder, Thom said he’s been in touch with police in York Region and Toronto.
Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Jason Cattle at 905-546-4167. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or crimestoppershamilton.com.