Dozens of killings in Toronto’s record-tying year remain unsolved — so why do some killers avoid justice?

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/an...o-why-do-some-killers-avoid-justice.html
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From Peter Edwards's article:

Killings by strangers who didn’t have a relationship with their victims are particularly challenging. There’s often a fear factor in gang-related cases, meaning officers need trust to gather information, Rossmo said.

In hardcore organized crime cases, a hired killer might not know his victim or even the motive for a killing.

In Toronto, recent unsolved murders with sharp organized crime overtones include the slayings of Simon Giannini and Antonio (Tony Large) Sergi in 2017, and the fatal shootings of John Ignagni, Sukhvir Deo, and Alfredo Patriarca in 2016.

In York region, recent unsolved murders with a professional edge include Cosimo Ernesto Commisso in 2018, Domenic Triumbari in 2017, Carmine Verduci in 2014, Salvatore (Sam) Calautti, 40, and his associate James Tusek in 2013.

A retired veteran organized crime investigator in the GTA said that police often feel they know who committed gangland murders, but they can’t make arrests because they don’t have co-operating witnesses. Sometimes the victims are suspected hit men, who evaded murder charges themselves.

“It was utter frustration,” the officer said. “You knew who did it but you could rarely prove it unless you got someone to completely roll over.”

Organized crime cases often require a sizable budget, police say.

“They require a lot of surveillance and it’s expensive,” said Paul Bailey, a retired York Regional Police detective said.

Investigating organized crime cases often requires “spin teams” of several officers who follow suspects’ cars discreetly, Bailey said.

Police forces have a restricted number of spin teams, and numerous investigations compete for their services, Bailey said.

“We would have to make a pitch to get a spin team to work on that,” Bailey said.