A suspect in the kidnapping of Elnaz Hajtamiri has been arrested by police in the United States on an unrelated warrant, Ontario Provincial Police investigators said in a release on Tuesday.
Deshawn Davis was arrested in Redway, Calif. by U.S. Marshals on Aug. 5. The community is more than 330 kilometres north of San Francisco.
It’s not clear what charges he’s facing in the U.S. or if he might be extradited to Canada at some point to appear in relation to a Canada-wide warrant.
OPP investigators said they are collaborating with authorities in the U.S. regarding Davis’ arrest, adding they “won’t rest” until Hajtamiri’s case is solved.
“We extend our gratitude to our law enforcement partners at the U.S. Marshals Service for apprehending a dangerous individual wanted in both Canada and the United States,” OPP Deputy Commissioner Marty Kearns said in a release.
“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. 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.”
Davis was the 11th most wanted suspect on Canada’s Bolo list and was the subject of a Canada-wide warrant.
Hajtamiri was forcibly removed from a home in Wasaga Beach by three suspects dressed in police gear on Jan. 12, 2022.
She was 37 at the time of the abduction.
The suspects fled with Hajtamiri in what is believed to be a white Lexus RX SUV.
A few weeks before her abduction, on Dec. 20, 2021, Hajtamiri was attacked at an underground parking garage on King Wiliam Crescent in the Yonge Street and Bantry Avenue area
Investigators alleged she was assaulted with a frying pan by a group of men, one allegedly her ex-boyfriend, Mohammad Lilo.
Though investigators haven’t located Hajtamiri, Lilo was later charged with first-degree murder on an indictment by Ontario’s Attorney General in relation to her disappearance.