Police offer reward in murder of former Falls woman
Toronto police are hoping a composite sketch of a suspect and a $50,000 reward will turn up information that will help them solve the twoyear-old murder of former Niagara Falls resident Jelena Loncar.
Police say Loncar, 32, was an innocent bystander when she was shot to death outside of a nightclub near Wellington Street and Spadina Avenue shortly after 3 a.m. on Aug. 26, 2014.
On Friday morning, on the twoyear anniversary of her death, police in Toronto held a press conference at which time Det. Andy Singh released some new details of their ongoing investigation. Lana Loncar, sister of the victim, made a plea for anyone who may have information regarding the shooting to call police.
“I could stand here all day and talk about how wonderful my sister was and that she had a beautiful smile, that she was literally always happy and that she gave the best hugs ever, but none of that will change what happened. None of that will bring her back,” said Loncar. “If anyone knows anything at all, the smallest thing could help. Please, I beg you, come forward.”
She noted the shooter not only took her sister’s life, but he ruined their family forever.
J elena Lon car, who lived two blocks from C Lounge on Wellington Street, had just finished work at Hunter’s Landing and had dropped by to wish a friend happy birthday when she was shot near the downtown bar.
A second person, who police believe was the intended target of the shooting, was shot multiple times. He was transported to hospital and survived.
Security video released from the scene showed three vehicles circling the area prior to the shooting.
Police said a group of males exited the vehicles, approached a crowd outside the nightclub and attempted to rob two males of their gold chains. When one of the males refused, police said a suspect pulled out a gun and started firing.
The robbery of the gold chain was not the motive, said Singh. The suspects were targetting the male victim, police said.
Police said the person of interest is a black male between 18-to-25 years of age, 5’10” to 6’ tall, thin build, gold grills on either both upper or lower teeth and short hair with cornrows.
Singh said police will not stop until the shooter is identified and arrested.
Jelena Loncar attended Oak Park Public School and Westlane Secondary School and worked as a waitress and bartender in Toronto. She immigrated to Canada with her parents Anka and Dmitar and younger sister, Lana, in 1993. They fled the war in the former Yugoslavia and they were Serbians living in Croatia.