A man wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping of Elnaz Hajtamiri in 2022 has been apprehended on an unrelated warrant in the United States, Ontario Provincial Police say.
On Monday, Deshawn Davis was apprehended in Redway, Calif., by the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), police said.
Police say Davis was involved in the abduction of 37-year-old Hajtamiri, who was forcibly taken from a relative’s house in Wasaga Beach, Ont., by three masked men dressed in fake police uniforms in January 2022.
The men allegedly drove away with Hajtamiri in what investigators believe was a white, 2016 to 2022-model Lexus RX 350 SUV. She has not been seen or heard from since.
“While this arrest is a significant step forward, our primary goal remains uncovering the truth about Elnaz Hajtamiri’s disappearance and providing answers to her loved ones,” OPP Deputy Commissioner Marty Kearns said in the release.
“Let this serve as a strong warning to those involved in Elnaz’s kidnapping: we will not rest until we find out what happened to her and ensure that those responsible are held accountable,” he said.
Davis had been added to a list of the Canada’s 25 most wanted this year, along with the USMS’s 15 most wanted.
Davis was also wanted for murder in the U.S., where he is accused of opening fire in a Florida nightclub in May of 2023, killing one person, according to a USMS release Thursday. Davis was already a fugitive in Canada when the Florida murder took place, the release says.
The OPP’s criminal investigation branch is continuing to collaborate with U.S. law enforcement on Hajtamiri’s kidnapping, the OPP said.
Hajtamiri is described as five feet, three inches, with a slim build and shoulder-length black hair.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the OPP immediately.