Sixth arrest made in double homicide
Investigators believe the 2023 shootings were targeted
Durham police have made a sixth arrest and have charged a Toronto man in the double homicide of a Bowmanville couple last year.
Three arrests were announced on March 8 and another two on March 13 in the fatal shooting.
Shortly before 1 a.m. on Feb. 4, 2023, three armed and masked suspects entered a residence on Crombie Street and shot both victims multiple times at a close range, police reported. The victims — identified as Rafad Alzubaidy, 26, and Aram Kamel, 28 — died instantly, police said. Alzubaidy was six months pregnant at the time of her murder, police later determined.
Just over a year after the murders, on March 8, police said they had arrested three men in their early 20s. Illia Ayo, 22, of no fixed address, Abinasir Aden, 22, of Toronto and Emmanuel Ezbon, 21, of Toronto were all charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
Less than a week later, on March 13, police announced two more arrests in the investigation. Demouy Blair, 22, of Oshawa and Rocky Steve Stevenson, 37, of Ajax were both charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
A sixth arrest was announced in a Friday press release. Yancy William, 24, of Toronto has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder. Police said they executed a search warrant on Friday at a residence in Toronto and arrested the suspect without incident.
At the March 8 press conference, Durham police Det. Brad Corner said police “believe other people may be criminally responsible.” After the sixth arrest on Friday, police said they are not looking for any further suspects.
Corner said on March 8 that investigators believe the shootings were targeted. No further updates on the motive have been released.
Police are urging anyone with new information to contact Det. Graham of Durham police’s Major Crime Homicide Unit at 1-888-5791520 ext. 5418, or Durham Regional Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1800-222-TIPS (8477).