Toronto Police have arrested a 43-year-old man from Hamilton for the murder of 21-year-old Patrick Santos, which occurred on September 17, 2006.

Watch the media conference here.

On Sunday, September 17, 2006, at approximately 7:30 a.m., police responded to a call at a residence in the Ellesmere Road and Bellamy Road area. Upon arrival, they located a man lying on the ground with obvious signs of trauma. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim was identified as Patrick Santos, 21, of Toronto. This was Toronto’s 49th homicide of 2006. 

Since that time, the Toronto Police Homicide and Missing Persons Unit, Cold Case Section, has actively investigated this case.

DNA was collected at the scene, and a DNA profile was developed. However, no suspect was identified at the time and there was no match in the National DNA databank.  

In 2020, investigators submitted the offender DNA profile for Investigative Genetic Genealogy with the assistance of OTHRAM Inc. While the forensic process did not lead to a suspect, it opened further investigative leads.

Using investigative process, investigators from the Cold Case unit were able to identify a person of interest in 2025. DNA was collected from the suspect and confirmed a match to the DNA evidence left at the scene of the homicide in 2006.

On Wednesday, July 29, 2026, Pierre O’Connor, 43, of Hamilton, was arrested and charged with:

1. First Degree Murder

He was scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, July 30, 2026, at the Toronto Regional Bail Centre, at 9:30 a.m. in room 103. 

An image of the accused has been released.

“Patrick was a young man. He had a job, a future ahead of him, and plans to move into his own place with his girlfriend,” said Detective Sergeant Stephen Smith of the Homicide and Missing Persons Unit - Cold Case Section. “While nothing will ever bring Patrick back to his family, today we can say that the person alleged to be responsible for taking his life has been identified, arrested, and will now have to answer for this crime before the courts.”

Toronto Police would like to thank the members of our Homicide and Missing Persons Unit, particularly our Cold Case team, past and present, as well as our Forensic Identification team. We would also like to thank our partners at the Hamilton Police Service, Mobile Support, the Centre of Forensic Sciences, and OTHRAM Inc.

Investigators believe that more than one individual may have been involved in this homicide. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7400.