On the afternoon of May 29, shortly after 3:05 p.m., Durham Region police responded to a report of a stabbing on Lynn Heights Drive in Pickering.
According to police, an elderly woman was approached outside her home by a boy who is believed to have been a stranger to her. A brief encounter between the two, captured on video, ended with the boy attacking and stabbing the woman.
She was quickly transported to a trauma centre in the Toronto area, but sadly, she did not survive her injuries.
The suspect fled the scene on foot. He is described as a brown male, wearing a surgical mask, a long, slim black jacket, and carrying a black bag.
At 5:30pm an emergency alert went out to Toronto-area cellphones Thursday evening, advising people to shelter in place. The City of Pickering has closed all public facilities, including community centres and library branches. All scheduled City programs and classes are also cancelled until further notice.
Update: Police announced at around 8:40pm that they have arrested a 14-year-old boy and lifted a shelter-in-place order. He has been charged with First Degree Murder and has been held for a bail hearing.
The victim has been identified as 83-year-old Eleanor Doney.
Please see the statement below issued by Eleanor’s family:
“We want to express our gratitude to the community for the outpouring of love and support during this difficult time. We especially want to thank the first responders for all of their efforts. We take comfort in the fact that she was a woman of strong Christian faith.”
Update: April 10th
The 14-year-old boy has pleaded guilty to 1st-degree murder of Eleanor Doney. According to Global News, in the weeks leading up to the unprovoked attack, he developed a strong and concerning fascination with topics such as sociopathy, psychopathy, serial killers, violent acts, stalking, and methods of evading detection.
In court, both the Crown and defence jointly recommended the maximum youth sentence of 10 years for first-degree murder. The defence also requested that the teen be considered for an Intensive Rehabilitative Custody and Supervision (IRCS) program, which supports young offenders with significant mental health needs.
A psychological assessment found the 14-year-old was dealing with a serious depressive disorder at the time of the offence and has autism spectrum disorder. The proposed sentence includes six years in custody under a rehabilitative supervision order, followed by four years in the community.
The only disagreement between the two sides is whether the teen should receive credit for time already spent in custody before sentencing. The Crown also confirmed it is no longer pursuing an adult sentence. Final sentencing arguments are scheduled for July.
Update July 15th: Justice Lisa Wannamaker acknowledged that no sentence could restore what Ms. Doney’s loved ones have lost, stating that “there is no sentence that will make Ms. Doney’s loved ones feel whole again.”
The boy was sentenced to the maximum youth penalty of 10 years for first-degree murder.
According to CBC, the judge noted that a psychiatric assessment found the boy has a low-to-moderate risk of reoffending if he receives appropriate mental health treatment, despite an ongoing fascination with violence and serial killers. She said he has responded well to treatment while in custody but continues to experience delusional and disordered thinking. The assessment also found he had previously undiagnosed autism and a learning disability.
Outside court, Doney’s son-in-law, Peter Kirwin, said he believes her death may have been preventable and questioned what measures were taken after the boy was suspended from school for carrying a knife the day before the attack. Despite the family’s loss, Kirwin said he hopes the boy continues his treatment and is ultimately able to make a positive contribution to the community.