Barrie boy, 14, charged with murder

Accused, victim lived in same home

A 14-year-old boy is facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of a teen with whom he shared a home, police in Barrie, Ont., said Wednesday.

Peter Leon, spokesman with the city police force, revealed few details about the case that began unfolding early Tuesday or about the young victim.

“There was a series of events that did transpire,” Leon said, adding the investigation is still very active and officers are expected to remain at the scene of the boy’s death for the next few days.

Leon said Barrie police were called to the home shortly before 6 a.m. on Tuesday, where they found the teenage victim suffering from undisclosed serious injuries.

He was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Leon said both the victim and the accused lived at the home but were not related. He declined to elaborate on the nature of either the connection between the boys or the home in which they lived.

The boy’s cause of death will be determined at an autopsy on Thursday, Leon said.

The 14-year-old accused, meanwhile, stands charged with one count each of first-degree murder, aggravated assault with a weapon and failure to comply with a sentence.

Leon declined to offer details on the aggravated assault charge, but said officers currently do not believe there were any additional victims in the case.

“There’s reasonable grounds to believe strongly that there was another incident that did occur,” Leon said.

“At this point, it does not appear as if it involved another person. It involved our victim, who is now deceased.”

The 14-year-old, whose name cannot be released under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, is due to appear in court for a bail hearing on Friday.

There’s reasonable grounds to believe strongly that there was another incident that did occur . ... It involved our victim, who is now deceased.