Elnaz Hajtamiri: Five months after abduction, Ontario woman still missing
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The family of Elnaz Hajtamiri have been searching for her since January and remain without answers, or a trace of her whereabouts.
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.
There is no detailed description available of the suspects. The family’s Go Fund Me page states that the men arrived at her home and claimed to be there to arrest her. Police consider the suspects to be armed and dangerous and are concerned for Hajtamiri’s safety.
A previous assault happened in Hajtamiri’s garage on December 20 when two men attacked her with a frying pan. A witness intervened and the men fled, according to CBC. Police later located the vehicle in which they fled. It had been stolen.
Twenty-three-year-old Harshdeep Binner from Brampton, Ontario, is wanted in connection with this assault.
In April, CBC reported the discovery that Elnaz’s ex-boyfriend, Mohamad Lilo, 34-years-old, hired a private investigator via Investigations Plus Ltd in Brampton to follow Hajtamiri. CBC’s sources remained anonymous.
Hajtamiri and Lilo broke up in October 2021, according to CBC. Nine days after she vanished, Lilo was charged with harassing her. His attorney wouldn’t speak to CBC, nor could reporters get a hold of Lilo himself.
One source told CBC that on January 10 and 11, while Hajtamiri was staying with relatives, the firm had conducted surveillance outside the home. According to the source, the investigator was called off on January 12, the day Hajtamiri was abducted. The private investigator watched the home on the day of the abduction, but ended his shift at around 6 p.m. to get food and take his insulin for his diabetes, CBC reports.
The abduction happened at about 8:30 p.m.
The owner of Investigations Plus Ltd, Gabriel Cojocaru, told CBC that it was a coincidence and no one specifically told him to end surveillance at that time.
Cojocaru, did confirm to CBC that Mohamad Lilo hired the firm in early December, requesting they monitor Hajtamiri, even providing addresses of her and her family. CBC confirmed via sources that Lilo was familiar with the residences from when he and Hajtamiri dated.
CBC also learned Lilo told Cojocaru that Hajtamiri allegedly robbed him of $100,000, and wanted to serve her court papers. He allegedly also initially gave the PI a fake name, and then changed his story after, claiming Hajtamiri may have been involved in a shooting of his brother and claimed she was dangerous. It’s important to note that none of Lilo’s story has been confirmed.
Police have stated they don’t believe Elnaz Hajtamiri to be associated or guilty of any criminal activity, and believe she is innocent of any wrongdoing.
Cojocaru said he was blindsided by the abduction but he is cooperating with police.
“When I heard the story, like, I didn’t feel good at all. Like, I was very depressed and very upset about the whole thing, because we don’t associate criminals. I don’t support criminals. I hope and I wish and I pray that this girl, she’s alive,” he told CBC.
As for the harassment charges, Lilo was released on bail, and forbidden from contacted Cojocaru. He is to pay $5000 for each time he breaches bail conditions. I found no updates regarding a court date for this charge.
After the December 20 assault in her garage, Hajtamiri went to stay with relatives, fearing for her safety. One man has been arrested in relation to this: 23-year-old Riyaset Singh from Mississuaga, ON, was arrested April 14.
Harshdeep Binner is still on the loose with a nation wide warrant out for his arrest. In March, Edmonton police arrested him and two other men from Ontario for the thefts of multiple trucks, CBC reports. He was released pending a court date, but is now wanted by police in Ontario for the assault on Hajtamiri.
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) believe Hajtamiri’s abductors were driving a white Lexus RX SUV. No suspects have been named yet. OPP wouldn’t comment about the private investigator matter to CBC, since the police investigation is still ongoing. No ransom has been received, either.
OPP believes the December 20 assault and the abduction are likely linked.
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: January 12, at 8:30 p.m. when three men dragged her into the white SUV and left. Hajtamiri also uses the surname Tamiri.
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.
For any sightings of Binner, people are being asked to contact the York Regional Police, who are working with the OPP.
In April, Hajtamiri’s mother spoke to OPP in a video statement from Iran:
“I beg of you as a mother to guide us and tell us anything you know. Please, I beg of you to help us. We are living a desperate life. Please help us find Elnaz.”
Let’s bring her home
This is a heartbreaking case. Her family deserves answers, and Elnaz deserves to come home. Please, if you know anything, call one of the numbers or visit the tip site.
Binner could be anywhere in the country. He clearly has ties to Alberta, and we have no way of knowing where else he could have connections to. But he could be the key to naming the other suspects involved and if in fact Lilo had anything to do with this. Each one of these people needs to be brought to justice for this horrible crime.
If you see Binner, call it in. If you know something, call it in. Help the family share this information on social media. Any little detail could matter. It’s been five months. Let’s bring her home.
For updates, visit my list dedicated to Elnaz:
Linktree:
Sources
Family’s Twitter account
https://twitter.com/BringElnazHome
Go Fund Me page
https://www.gofundme.com/f/bring-elnaz-home
CBC — ex-boyfriend
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ex-boyfriend-elnaz-hajtamiri-private-investigator-1.6427398
CBC — arrest made in relation to assault
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/elnaz-hajtamiri-arrest-1.6420360
