THUNDER BAY — Investigators say the accused and victim of the city's most recent homicide were known to each other, and that they do not believe it is tied to the illicit drug trade or gang activity.
Thunder Bay police confirmed that the victim, who was found injured after officers responded to a residential address on the 200 block of Robertson Street on Sept. 20, died a week later on Wednesday.
Police said the victim was a 63-year-old man, but have not publicly released his identity.
A suspect, 24-year-old Randy Andrews, was found near the scene by officers and was arrested. Andrews had been initially charged with aggravated assault, but he has now been charged with second-degree murder.
The charge has yet to be tested in court.
Thunder Bay Police Service Det.-Insp. Jeremy Pearson on Thursday said investigators are confident the accused and the victim were known to each other, but did not elaborate on the nature of their relationship.
Investigators don't suspect the case is connected to the illegal drug trade in Thunder Bay or gang activity, he added.
Pearson said investigators aren't pursuing additional suspects.
"At this point in time, we're confident we have the sole responsible person in custody," Pearson said.
Pearson wouldn't answer whether a weapon was involved, but characterized the situation as "an extremely violent incident," and that the injuries were the result of a "very serious assault."
"I'm very confident in the status of the investigation and where it has led and the resulting charges," he said. "Of course, we're always interested to know anything the public is aware of, anything they may have heard or any potential evidence they may be in possession of — dash cam footage, home surveillance that may have captured this incident."
An autopsy is still pending, Pearson said.
