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Investigators said the attack on 71-year-old Shahnaz Pestonji appears to have started out as a robbery at a North York parking lot on Thursday morning. 

“We now believe that this was a robbery that escalated into a deadly attack,” Det. Matthew Pinfold told reporters Friday. 

Pestonji was found with stab wounds around 9:30 a.m. Thursday in the Parkway Forest Drive and Sheppard Avenue East area and taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Police said they’ve received judicial authorization to release images of the suspect, who is a minor, as the search for him continues. 

They urged the teen to turn himself in and are asking anyone who sees him to call 911 immediately. 

“Since the homicide took place, police have conducted an extensive search – canvassing door-to-door, using canine units and drones, and reviewing surveillance footage from the area – and we continue to follow every investigative lead,” police said in a statement earlier Friday.

“Given what we know, we want to be absolutely clear: we believe this individual is dangerous, and the public should not approach him.”

Shelley Carroll, the city councillor who represents the area, said she was “heartbroken” to learn about the attack. 

“This is a devastating and senseless act of violence, and my thoughts are with her family, friends, and everyone in the community who has been shaken by this tragedy,” she said in a statement shared on social media. 

Carroll said support was available for local residents and businesses impacted by the “violent” and “traumatic” incident. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2025.