Home News Local News Two men charged in double homicide at Keswick’s Bayview Park

Two men charged in double homicide at Keswick’s Bayview Park

September 19, 2024

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By Mike Anderson

Two men from Barrie have been charged with first-degree murder by York Regional Police following a double homicide last week at Keswick’s Bayview Park.

The two men charged are John McKay, 19, and Ethan Pashak-McNiel, 21, both from Barrie.

Police say they are not looking for any additional subjects and that residents who live near the park are not at risk.

“We have arrested and charged two individuals we believe are responsible for the first-degree murder of the victims. Therefore, there is no risk to the residents in that area in relation to this investigation,” Det. Sgt. Dave Gill, the investigation’s lead detective, said in an email to the Post.

On Tuesday, September 18, at 7:28 a.m., police responded to reports of gunshots in the area of Bayview Avenue and Lowndes Avenue in Keswick. When officers arrived, they located two adult victims with gunshot wounds in Bayview Park. Both victims were pronounced deceased at the scene.

The two deceased were Reilly MacDonald, 21, from Keswick, and Mark Sutcliffe, 39, from Stouffville.

According to Det. Sgt. Gill, all four men knew each other, and the double homicide was a targeted shooting. However, he would not confirm if the homicides were drug-related. Gill says the motive is still being investigated and will form part of the evidence. Gill also confirmed that both accused were not out on bail and had no previous criminal records.

According to Gill, evidence collected at the scene led investigators to both suspects, who were taken into custody the following day in Barrie without incident. The Post asked police if the victim’s cell phones, possibly recovered at the scene, were used to track down the shooters. However, YRP will not release that information.

While police say there is no further risk to public safety, some residents near the park are concerned that drug-related crime may be on the increase in South Keswick and would like to see more of a police presence in the neighbourhood.

“I believe it was drug-related,” said Tiina, who lives next to the park and heard the gunshots. “I feel there’s a lot of drug problems in town that I’m not aware of.”

Ben, a neighbour, was also concerned that a stray bullet hit a pickup truck near the park. “You like to think these things are targeted; it’s not like a random attack. But at the same time, somebody’s truck in the neighbourhood got hit by a bullet. Innocent bystanders could have been killed.”

While Ben would like to see more police patrols in the short term to give residents a sense of security, he doesn’t believe the neighbourhood has a crime problem.

“It just seems some unsavoury characters decided to take care of things in a location where good things usually happen. It’s a safe park, safe street and safe neighbourhood. It’s just very shocking that it happened here,” he said.

Investigators are asking anyone who was in the area at the time, or lives in the neighbourhood, to please check their security cameras and dashcam footage and come forward with any information.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Homicide Unit at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7865, or email at homicide@yrp.ca, or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, or leave an anonymous tip online at www.1800222tips.com.