Greater Sudbury Police don't have any suspects early into a homicide investigation after a family member found a man described as a friendly, quiet neighbour inside his Azilda apartment Sunday afternoon (Aug. 20).
Staff Sgt. Todd Zimmerman confirmed Greater Sudbury Police are investigating their first homicide of 2006 after a family member found the body of Bernard Jonasson Sr., 59, inside his apartment located at 78 Ellen St. in Azilda.
Ellen St. is a quiet residential street with numerous modern houses mixed in with older homes. Neighbours say the area is very quiet and peaceful.
Police were called to the eight-unit apartment block where Jonasson resided alone Sunday around 2 pm. An autopsy performed Monday established Jonasson died as a result of multiple injuries, but he was unwilling to give out more information "that could compromise the investigation", said Zimmerman.
Police are asking anyone who knew Jonasson or saw him in the preceding days to contact them immediately."There's not a lot I can say right now," said Zimmerman, acknowledging police don't have any suspects early in their investigation.
Police are confident the person or persons responsible aren't a threat to anyone else in the community, said Zimmerman.
Police have received a few tips and are hoping many more will come pouring in, he said.
Next door neighbour Alex Major described Jonasson as a gregarious and friendly guy.
"I knew him to see him and called him by his first name because I honestly didn't know his last name...he came across to me as a very friendly, nice guy," said Major, who moved with his wife onto Ellen Street two months ago.
A woman who lives in the same apartment block described the scene inside Jonasson's unit as "very bloody", which made neighbours believe foul play was involved, said Major.
"She told me there was blood all over the place and it wasn't a pretty site," he said. "Nobody really knows what happened, but the general feeling seems to be something really bad happened and that's unfortunate because Bernie was a guy everyone around here really liked."
This is obviously a difficult time for Jonasson's family and friends and people should respect their privacy, said Major.
"We're all pretty upset...apparently members of his family hadn't heard from him for a few days and they were concerned."
After Jonasson's body was found, numerous police cruisers, paramedics and an ambulance arrived within minutes, said Major.
Police questioned neighbours, including himself, over several hours Sunday, said Major, a supervisor with CP Rail.
Major said he and his wife really only moved into their new home in June, but have quickly grown to enjoy the neighbourhood and quiet lifestyle, and everyone gets along well.
During one final brief conversation with Jonasson, Major remembers him talking proudly about his daughter's wedding plans and intentions to help her out.
"He was telling me about his daughter getting married soon and how he was planning on buying a new vehicle and giving his daughter his truck," he said. "He was very proud of his kids...like I said before, he was a really good guy."
Another neighbour who lives in another unit at 78 Ellen said he was too upset to talk to the media.
"I'm not talking and no one else in the building is either," he said politely. "It's just a real shame."
Members of the forensic unit were on the scene Sunday and all day Monday and members of the tactical team conducted grid searches Monday of the area around the crime scene. They searched front lawns and back yards over several blocks looking for clues.
Anyone with information in relation to Jonasson's death is asked to contact police at 675-9171 or Crime Stoppers at 675-8477.
There hasn't been a homicide in Greater Sudbury since last winter, when the body of Daphne Kochar, 42, was found wrapped in a carpet in a bush area near Estaire shortly after Christmas.
Kochar was reported missing last Nov. 6 after telling her three daughters she was going to run some chores.
Foul play was suspected, but police didn't confirm they were conducting a murder investigation until they found some of Kochar's personal belongings in another bush area near Lively this spring.
No arrests have yet been made in the Kochar murder investigation.
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