A plea deal in the disappearance of Elnaz Hajtamiri highlights how the case began with a violent attack in Richmond Hill before her 2022 abduction.
By Staff Writer
A major development in the long-running case of missing woman Elnaz Hajtamiri is drawing renewed attention to its roots in Richmond Hill.
Mohamad Lilo has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap Hajtamiri, avoiding a first-degree murder trial that had been scheduled to begin later this month. In exchange, prosecutors dropped the murder charge as part of a joint submission in court.
The case dates back to late 2021, when Hajtamiri was brutally attacked in the underground parking garage of her Richmond Hill condominium. She suffered serious head injuries after being struck with a frying pan in what investigators later described as a failed abduction attempt.
Weeks later, in January 2022, Hajtamiri was kidnapped from a home in Wasaga Beach by men posing as police officers. She has not been seen since, and investigators believe she is dead.
Court heard that Lilo played a role in coordinating the kidnapping, acting as an intermediary who helped locate Hajtamiri and communicate with those who carried out the abduction.
The Crown acknowledged challenges in proving a murder case, describing the plea agreement as a difficult but necessary decision. As part of the resolution, Lilo will serve additional prison time on top of an earlier sentence related to the Richmond Hill assault.
Prosecutors also told the court that Hajtamiri may have been targeted because she had knowledge of a stolen vehicle operation linked to the accused and his associates.
The case has involved multiple suspects across jurisdictions, with several individuals previously charged in connection to both the Richmond Hill attack and the subsequent kidnapping.
For many in York Region, the Richmond Hill assault remains a chilling starting point in a case that escalated into one of Ontario’s most high-profile disappearances.