Man charged with 1st-degree murder after 85-year-old Georgina woman found in burning home
Posted November 16, 2022 12:44 pm.
Last Updated November 16, 2022 12:46 pm.
A 21-year-old man has been charged with first-degree murder, sexual assault and arson after an 85-year-old woman was found dead inside a burning Georgina home earlier in the year, York Regional Police officers say.
Emergency crews were called to a home on Miami Drive, west of Leslie Street, shortly after 5 a.m. on Jan. 15 with reports it was on fire.
Officers said a post-mortem investigation ruled Georgina resident Sandy Gauthier’s death was a homicide.
RELATED: Woman, 85, found dead in Georgina house fire was murdered, York Regional Police officers say
Investigators haven’t released further information, but a statement released on Wednesday said the accused was identified after a “lengthy and thorough investigation.”
It said the suspect was taken into custody on Oct. 25 and is now facing charges. The circumstances surrounding the arrest and the delay in releasing information on the charges weren’t immediately clear as of Wednesday afternoon.
Officers said Georgina resident Bradley Stricker will be appearing in a Newmarket court on Dec. 6. The allegations haven’t been proven in court.
Meanwhile, investigators released a photo of the accused and appealed for further tips as part of the investigation.
