Elnaz Hajtamiri: One year later, family still lacks answers, police offer new reward
A year after watching her be forcibly taken from a relative’s home, the family of missing woman Elnaz Hajtamiri still seeks answers as to her whereabouts, and Ontario police are now offering a $100,000 reward to anyone with information about her case, according to a CBC report.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the York Regional Police have teamed up to offer the reward, appealing to anyone who may know who is behind a disappearance that has so far baffled cops, CBC says.
Thirty-seven-year-old Hajtamiri was last seen in Wasaga Beach, Ontario, at around 8:30 p.m. on January 12, 2022, when she was abducted by three black men in a white SUV. The men were dressed in police gear, but not uniforms, and forced their way into the home. Police believe they were driving a white, 2016 to 2022-model Lexus RX 350 SUV.
“Her family is grieving her absence and has lived through a year with limited answers. We cannot imagine the pain they are experiencing,” Ontario Provincial Police Det.-Insp. Martin Graham said at a Jan. 12, 2023 news conference.
Hajtamiri had been staying with family members out of fear for her life after an attack in her garage in December 2021, when two men ambushed her with frying pans in a another kidnapping attempt, CBC says.
Riyasat Singh was arrested back in April 2022 in Brampton, charged with attempted murder and attempted kidnapping in connection with the garage attack, and Harshdeep Binner was arrested in Oct. 2022, CBC reported previously.
Hajtamiri’s ex-boyfriend, Mohamed Lilo, was arrested in August 2022 after police learned he had hired a private investigator to perform surveillance on his ex, though Lilo allegedly told the PI that Hajtamiri owed him money and accused her of being involved in criminal activity, which the police say she was not.
All three men face charges of attempted kidnapping and attempted murder. Singh pleaded guilty to the charges and was deported from Canada last month, the York Police told CBC. Lilo and Binner remain in the country and are facing court for their charges.
Graham noted at the press conference that the case is complicated by the fact that Lilo previously owned a shipping container business that transported containers throughout Canada and the world, CBC reports. Graham added that this case is a first in his 32-year career as a cop.
“A female, not involved in crime, is literally plucked out of her house, with violence, and nothing has been seen or heard of from her in one calendar year. That is incredibly rare and disturbing,” he said.
Hajtamiri came to Canada from Iran in 2018, first working in the import-export shipping industry before focusing on her cake-making business, CBC says.
Police have now also released composite sketches of the suspects, though Graham admits they are “limited due to the suspects wearing masks.”
“Please look closely at their eyes and their features. Someone knows these men,” he said.
He explained the suspects at the time of the kidnapping wore dark jackets over fake police vests, with balaclavas with white trim covering their noses and mouths, along with fake police badges on chains around their necks.
He also read a new statement from Elnaz’s mother, Fariba Hajtamiri:
“Nothing weighs more heavily on our souls than the idea that we may never know what happened to Elnaz. We know there are people out there who have information and who may be contemplating coming forward. We pray that you will do the right thing and help us out of this suffering, and bring justice for Elnaz.”
Elnaz Hajtamiri is a 37-year-old Iranian immigrant, who is 5’3” (160 cm) tall with a slim build. She has shoulder-length black hair, and was last seen wearing grey and black leggings and a long sleeve top. She was last seen on the day of the abduction. Anyone with information can call the designated tip line at 1–866–876–5423, extension 7250, or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1–800–222-TIPS. Online tips can also be left anonymously at www.1800222tips.com.
More details on this case here:
Linktree
Sources
Family’s Twitter account
https://twitter.com/BringElnazHome
CBC
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/elnaz-hajtamiri-case-update-opp-1.6711483
