Man, 23, faces murder charge in Christopher Skinner death
Posted November 7, 2013 6:19 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Toronto police have charged an Etobicoke man and are searching for at least two other suspects in the murder of Christopher Skinner four years ago.
Skinner, 27, was trying to hail a cab in the downtown entertainment district on Oct. 18, 2009, and may have accidentally touched another car.
There were six people in that SUV, Det. Sgt. Stacy Gallant said at a police news conference on Thursday, and the men got out and knocked Skinner to the ground. He was punched and kicked while on the ground, Gallant said.
“The men then got back into the car and the driver ran over Chris, causing his death.”
The driver of the vehicle was arrested Wednesday and charged with second-degree murder. Gallant said police are looking for at least two more suspects and more arrests are expected. Two women were in the car, Gallant said, and they did not participate in the beating.
“I’m disappointed to say that in the four years of the investigation that none of the individuals who did not participate in the death of Chris Skinner chose not to come forward,” Gallant said.
“They had to live with it for four years…I feel for the family that had to live without answers for four years.”
Christopher’s parents, Warren and Ellen Skinner, were at the news conference. They said they and their daughter were told about the arrest on Wednesday and Ellen said it was “bittersweet.”
“It doesn’t do anything to bring Christopher back,” she said.
“It starts a whole new chapter of agony and pain that we have to go through.”
Ellen Skinner added for the people who did not come forward, “it’s horrible and they have to live with this through the rest of their lives.”
Last month, police said they had identified the make and model of the vehicle. Gallant said Thursday that a black 2004 Ford Explorer believed to be the murder weapon had been seized. The accused was not operating it at the time, but Gallant would not say how police obtained the vehicle.
Police also said that two rewards are still in place for information leading to arrests and convictions in the case. Police have offered $50,000, and the Skinner family has separately offered a $100,000 reward. So far, Gallant said, no one has made any claims to a reward.
Augustin Alexander Caruso, 23, was charged with second-degree murder and was scheduled to appear in a College Park court Thursday. He is not known to police.
