Police offer cash reward as family pleads for answers in 7-year-old Kitchener homicide case

Waterloo regional police have issued a $50,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in the murder of 23-year-old Gavin Daley.

Daley, who was originally from Ajax, Ont., was found dead inside a Westwood Drive apartment in Kitchener on Dec. 17, 2015. Emergency crews were initially called to the building for a fire. Police say Daley's body had obvious signs of trauma and a post-mortem later determined he had been shot. Police believe the death was targeted.

The killing happened one week before Christmas and one month before Daley’s 24th birthday.

“As his mom, thinking about the day he was born and the life we now live without him shatters me every single day,” Veronica Daley said at a news conference Friday where police issued the cash reward.

Describing her son as generous, funny and someone who loved unconditionally, Daley said she missed him “like air.”

“Parents are not suppose to bury their children and as painful as this has been it is compounded by the fact that someone did this on purpose, they consciously decided to pull the trigger and end my child’s life.”

Daley said in the seven years since her son’s death police have “worked tirelessly.”

“But unfortunately the ‘snitches get stitches’ culture scares people and stops them from coming forward,” she continued, acknowledging her son made “poor life choices” before his death.

“My family begs you to please find a way to share what you know, we need to know. It is our hope that someone will want to clear their conscience. Holding onto information like that is like cancer, it will eat you up if you don’t let it go.”

Police investigation a homicide on Westwood Drive in Kitchener on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015.

Waterloo Regional Police Service Deputy Chief Shirley Hilton said 23 full-time investigators have worked on the case over the years and interviewed and received statements from over 300 people.

Despite making numerous appeals to the public, the investigation is now at a standstill.

“Those appeals have not led to the information we need to move this investigation forward,” Hilton said.

Back in 2016, police identified Sarah Poole and Devon Victor as persons of interest in the case.

Poole was formerly wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for human trafficking and fraud. Victor was arrested in Toronto last year on unrelated charges.

“Our unit believes firmly that they have information that would progress this investigation forward,” said Staff Sgt. Kyle Lambert.

Daley said her only wish is to get justice for her son.

“The fact that somebody will go to jail for the rest of their life, and hopefully die in there. Yeah, that’s what I want,” Daley said.

Waterloo regional police say it’s uncommon to offer a cash reward of this size and it’s only the second time the service has posted a $50,000 reward in the past decade.

Anyone who may have information is asked to call police at 519-570-9777 ext. 8191 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Anonymous tips can also be submitted online at www.waterloocrimestoppers.com.