SIU terminates investigation into Hamilton man’s death at Tews Falls

Ontario’s police watchdog has terminated its investigation into the death of a 28-year-old man in Hamilton last year.

The Special Investigations Unit says the man was identified as a person of interest in a suspicious death investigation by Guelph police in the days before his death.

On Sept. 20, 2018, officers made contact with the man and asked him to attend the Guelph police headquarters for an interview.

The SIU says the man did not show up at the police station the following day as he agreed to do. A friend of the man became concerned for his mental health and safety and contacted police.

The man’s vehicle was found near Tews Falls in Hamilton around 9 p.m. on Sept. 21, 2018. “With the assistance of Hamilton Police Service officers, a search was commenced but called off at 11:37 p.m. due to the darkness,” said the SIU in a news release.

The man’s body was found the following morning at the bottom of Tews Falls. The forensic pathologist determined the cause of death was “multiple blunt force trauma – descent from height.”

“The evidence establishes that the man’s death happened without police being anywhere in his presence and did not involve police actions or omissions,” said SIU Director Tony Loparco. “Accordingly, I have terminated the investigation into this incident.”

The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.