Police arrest first suspect in West Lincoln homicide investigation
A suspect has been arrested months after the body of Johnathan Bailey was found in West Lincoln.
Niagara Regional Police, however, believe more people may have played a role in the death of the 45-year-old Hamilton man.
Police began their investigation Nov. 8 after the body of a man — described at the time as having obvious “traumatic injuries” — was found at North Chippawa and South Chippawa roads in Caistorville.
The body was later identified as Bailey — a Hamilton resident who was commended by police in 2009 for rescuing a 17-month-old boy who had been snatched by a man in a grocery store parking lot.
Kyle Firlotte, 20, of Hamilton, was arrested Wednesday without incident, and charged with first-degree murder — described by police as “one of the suspects involved in the murder.”
Firlotte was held in police custody pending a bail hearing scheduled for Thursday at the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse in St. Catharines.
Police said detectives are continuing to actively investigate other suspects related to the homicide.
Although police initially appealed to the community for information about a black 2005 Ford Escape SUV that was believed to be associated with the homicide, the vehicle was eventually located abandoned and un-plated in a field near the intersection of Dickenson Road East and Nebo Road in Hamilton.