Police identify body in barrel

Police have identified the body found encased in concrete and stuffed in a barrel off Toronto’s downtown waterfront as that of 47-year-old Quang Lu, who had been reported missing from his Markham home since October, 2007.

Toronto Homicide Detective Justin Vander Heyden told a press conference Tuesday that because Lu’s remains were cast in concrete before they were dumped into Lake Ontario, they were well preserved and were identified using fingerprint analysis.

Marine police and divers recovered Lu’s body on Sunday, using a crane to hoist the barrel from the waters of Lake Ontario at the bottom of Jarvis Street, near the Redpath Sugar refinery.

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According to police, Lu had travelled frequently between China and Canada; his friends and family reported him missing soon after arriving on a trip from China in late 2007.

“He was known to police … and had ties with Asian organized crime… he lived a high risk lifestyle,” Vander Heyden said.

Police still have not found Lu’s car, a 2004 BMW Z4 convertible with license plate number AVBC 138.

“We will re-interview people from 2007 and 2008,” Vander Heyden said. “We will start the investigation from scratch …The BMW is a major focus of the investigation moving forward.”

Police are asking anyone with information about Mr. Lu or his car to contact Det. Hank Idsinga at 416−808−7392, Det. Justin Vander Heyden at 416−808−7397, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416−222−TIPS (8477).

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By: Reuben Sokol
Posted: May 25 2010 4:23 pm
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