TORONTO — A national list of the country's most wanted suspects was updated Monday, topped by a man sought for the alleged murder of a Toronto soccer referee.
Toronto police and the Bolo Program said a reward of $250,000 is available for information leading to the arrest of Cristian Adolfo Cuxum, who is accused of killing 49-year-old Edwin Farley Alvarado Quintero and injuring two others during a Toronto soccer game in October.
The Bolo Program, which stands for "be on the lookout", is intended to enlist public help in arresting those accused of major crimes.
Alexandra Barrera, Edwin Alvarado's wife, said in a statement that she would be arranging a Colombian vallenato band for her husband had he still been alive on Monday, which would have been his 50th birthday.
"Edwin loved vallenato music. It represented a little piece of our country, Colombia -- the country he left three years ago because we believed Canada would be safer for our family." In Colombia, Alvarado had been a teacher and psychologist.
Addressing Alvarado's murderer, Barrera said "you destroyed us."
"You destroyed our family. You destroyed our plans. You cannot make that right. But if you turned yourself in, you will allow us to take our next step forward in this nightmare."
Bolo program director Max Langlois said Cuxum topped the new most wanted list because of the gravity of the offence he's accused in.
The program's new list includes 25 men from across Canada who were depicted throughout Toronto's Yonge and Dundas Square on May 1 in life sized photo cutouts and in photos on every one of the squares large screens. Their alleged crimes include rape, gun offences, pimping, manslaughter and, chiefly, recent murders.
Rewards for others on the list range from $50,000 to $100,000 and total $750,000. They'll be paid for information leading to an arrest, regardless of whether there's an eventual conviction, Langlois said. Information can be given directly to the Bolo program without going through police. The rewards expire, with Cuxum's $250,000 expiring on Nov. 30, 2023.
"To all the suspects featured in today's top 25 list: Today, your world gets smaller," said Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw. "Today is a good day to turn yourself in," Langlois said of those on Bolo's list. "The loyalty of your friends and associates will get tested today."
Since 2018, the non-profit Bolo Program has built its most wanted list from the voluntarily submissions of police departments across Canada. It employs a six police investigator committee to determine suspect rankings and uses social media to help spread the word about wanted individuals. Forty per cent of the 46 suspects featured by Bolo have been apprehended, said Langlois.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 1, 2023.
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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
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