The Toronto Police Service (TPS) has laid additional charges against a wanted man and convicted sex offender who allegedly took “deliberate steps” to hide the body of a person who died of natural causes inside an apartment.
TPS officers were called to an apartment in the Broadview Avenue and Dundas Street East area on May 27 by a community support worker. After they arrived, they found a deceased person inside.
Authorities have said the victim was a member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. A coroner determined the person died of natural causes.
The suspect, identified as 52-year-old Rejean Hermel Perron, allegedly knew the deceased victim was inside an apartment, didn’t call police, and tried to hide the body. The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear, but investigators have said forensic evidence was found inside the unit.
“We believe [Perron] may be exploiting vulnerable and marginalized people in Toronto, including sex workers, the under-housed and members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community,” said Superintendent Kim O’Toole at a news conference on June 26.
Police have said the victim and the suspect were often seen together by other building residents. The suspect also had the victim’s door fob for their unit.
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Perron has been wanted on a Canada-wide arrest warrant since 2021 for violating parole conditions after serving a three-year sentence in connection with a 2015 investigation. That warrant was for the alleged offences of forcible confinement, sexual assault with a weapon, and use of an imitation firearm during the commission of an indictable offence.
TPS officers have since received additional information concerning the wanted man and have laid further charges against Perron, including sexual assault, assault, uttering threats and forcible confinement.
“We suspect [Perron] is preying on vulnerable individuals to make his way through life while he is wanted on this Canada-wide warrant,” added Supt. O’Toole. “Despite extensive efforts to find Perron, he remained undetected until recently when he was identified by 55 Division officers as part of an indignity to a human body investigation.”
Perron is described as around five feet two inches tall, with dark hair, blue eyes, a thin build, and possibly a pock-marked face. Police said he may be using the aliases Daniel Joseph Christie, Kristy, or Krysty.
“Until this disturbing incident, there has been no sign of Perron for a number of years,” Supt. O’Toole noted. “If someone looks like him, call us.”