Canada-Giovanna Balestrieri, 84, died after suspect attended the residence & set fire to house, Toronto,( Avenue Rd. / Boswell Ave.),15 Nov.,2025.

[dotr]

https://www.tps.ca/media-centre/news-releases/64591/

Unit:
Homicide and Missing Persons Unit
Case #: 2025-2399086
November 17, 2025, 3:44 PM
The Toronto Police Service is making the public aware of a homicide investigation.

On Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 11:08 p.m., police responded to a call for a Fire at a residential address in the Avenue Road and Boswell Avenue area.

It is alleged that:
a suspect attended the residence and set fire to the house

• an 84-year-old woman was inside her residence alone at the time
• the woman was located by firefighters and transported to hospital where she succumbed to her injuries

The victim has been identified as Giovanna Balestrieri, 84, of Toronto.
This is homicide #36 of 2025.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-5300, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com.''

 

[dotr]

Fire in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood ruled homicide, victim identified

Police are now treating the incident as a homicide, Det. Sgt. Trevor Grieve said Monday afternoon.

www.thestar.com

Death of 84-year old woman in fire being considered a homicide: Toronto police

The fire that killed an 84-year-old woman in Toronto on Saturday night is being treated as a homicide after Toronto police determined the blaze was deliberately set.

toronto.citynews.ca

''The two-alarm blaze broke out at home on Boswell Avenue in the Avenue Road and Davenport Road area around 11 p.m. Saturday.

Fire crews say they were met with heavy smoke and flames upon arrival.

A woman was found on the second floor of the home with no vital signs and taken to the hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. Her cause of death was determined to be from the fire.

The woman has been identified as Giovanna Balestrieri, 84, of Toronto. She lived in the home by herself and no one else was there at the time of the fire.

Police say they have obtained video footage which shows a lone suspect approaching the house before an explosion. The suspect is then seen fleeing the scene.

Det. Sgt. Trevor Grieve said they will not be releasing a suspect description or image due to the poor quality of the images. He added they could only make out that the suspect was wearing dark clothing.''

 

[dotr]

Toronto police treating ‘deplorable’ Yorkville fire as targeted homicide - Toronto | Globalnews.ca

Just after 8 p.m., police and fire responded to calls for an incident at a home in the area of Avenue Road and Boswell Avenue, just north of Bloor Street.

globalnews.ca

Giovanna Balestrieri, 84. Facebook
''Homicide detectives have taken over the investigation into a Toronto house fire that left an 84-year-old woman dead, saying they believe either the woman or her home was targeted.''

 

[dotr]

December 5, 2025 rbbm

Man charged with murder in death of 84-year-old woman in Annex fire

A 34-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the death of an 84-year-old woman in a house fire in the Annex last month. The two-alarm blaze broke out at home on Boswell Avenue in the Avenue Road and Davenport Road area around 11 p.m. on November 15. Firefighters found a woman on the...

toronto.citynews.ca

''A 34-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the death of an 84-year-old woman in a house fire in the Annex last month.''

''Following an investigation, police arrested Curtis Leander McLeod, 34, of Toronto and charged him with first-degree murder.

It’s unknown at this time if the victim and the suspect are known to each other or if this was a random act.

Rabbi Meir Dubrawsky with the Yorkville Jewish Centre, which is on the same street as the victim’s home, said he often saw Balestrieri while walking in the area, adding she was bubbly and full of life.''

https://www.tps.ca/media-centre/news-releases/homicide-investigation-avenue-road-and-boswell-1/

''Case #: 2025-2399086
Curtis Leander McLeod, 34, of Toronto, has been arrested and charged with:

1. First Degree Murder

He was scheduled to appear in court at the Toronto Regional Bail Court, 2201 Finch Avenue West, on Friday, December 5, 2025, at 2 p.m., in room 103.''