Toronto police and York Regional Police believe the daytime shooting of Chandan Kumar Raja Nandakumar, in Toronto is linked to another midday murder, and investigators are searching for two suspects.
At a joint news conference at Toronto police headquarters, Toronto homicide Det.-Sgt. Sandra Arruda said, “Through ongoing information sharing and collaboration between law enforcement agencies, investigators have determined that the individual we allege is responsible for the homicide of Mr. Raja Nanda Kumar may also be responsible for a homicide in York region.”
Nandakumar, 37, was killed on Feb. 7 in the parking lot of Woodbine Shopping Centre near Rexdale Boulevard and Highway 27.
On Jan. 26, York Regional Police responded to reports of shots fired in the middle of the afternoon at a commercial plaza in Vaughan. Officers found 65-year-old Sergio Lopes suffering from gunshot wounds; the Richmond Hill man died later in hospital.
A Canada-wide warrant has been issued for Isaiah Thomas Badger, 19, of Edmonton, who is wanted on charges of first-degree murder, Sgt Arruda said. Jacob Wallace, 19, of Mississauga is also wanted for first-degree murder. Both men also face charges of arson causing damage to property, police say.
Police have described the pair as armed and dangerous and urged the public not to approach them.
Arruda told reporters investigators still don’t know the motive for the murders. “So, at this point in time, for our investigations, or at least for mine, we don’t have a motive. Our connection to both homicides seems to only be that we share the same suspect.
“I’ll say this: I do believe that my investigation was a targeted shooting, but that Mr. Raja Nandu Kumar was not engaged in any criminal activity at the time of his death.”
In a previous New Canadian Media story, friends and community members described Nandakumar as a familiar volunteer presence in the Kannada-speaking community in Greater Toronto.
Investigators said both cases involved stolen vehicles, and York Regional Police Service Detective Sergeant Jonathan Nauman said the suspect’s vehicle in the Vaughan case was set on fire after the shooting. Police are asking anyone who may have seen either suspect, or who has video or dash-cam footage, to contact investigators.
Arruda also appealed for information about Nandakumar’s movements before the Toronto shooting: “Even information that may seem minor could help us establish critical timelines.”
Shilpashree Jagannathan is a Toronto-based freelance journalist, copywriter, and content strategist whose work has appeared in CBC News, New Canadian Media, Business Insider, TRT World, and Mint, among others. She has reported on immigration, labour, elections, housing, climate impacts, and social justice across Canadian and international contexts. With roots in business journalism in India and a strong investigative and research background, she approaches her reporting with investigative depth and empathy, tracing how policy and power shape lived experience.
