Police release names in Leaside murder

[attach]5300[/attach]Toronto Police have officially named both the victim and the accused in the New Year’s Day murder [url=http://www.mytowncrier.ca/woman-murdered-in-leaside.html]that has shaken Leaside.[/url]

Early Wednesday evening, police said 45-year-old Lisa Lebitka of Toronto was found dead inside the home at 211 Airdrie Rd. and 46-year-old Paul William Hindle of Toronto was arrested the same day and charged with second-degree murder. Police have not said how Lebitka died.

Hindle had already been widely reported as the alleged killer over the past couple days, and it was also widely believed Lebitka was the victim.

Constable Wendy Drummond could not say if there were any signs of trauma to Lebitka’s body, but she did say Lebitka was pronounced dead at the scene.

Lebitka’s body was found after police were investigating a missing person report. Drummond could not say if Hindle was arrested at the scene or elsewhere.

Meanwhile, people in the community are remembering Lebitka as a very friendly and kind person.

Kris Fulton, owner of Dog Dynamics one street over from Airdrie Road on McRae Drive, said Lebitka was a client and on occasion brought her golden retriever, Bella, to her store.

[attach]5301[/attach]“We boarded her dog when it was just a puppy and then she’s been in once or twice for grooming,” she said, adding that she didn’t know Lebitka well, but enough to say hi to her on the street. “She’s always been a really friendly lady, it’s unfortunate and really sad that this happened.”

Fulton said she also met Hindle once when he came with Lebitka to pick up Bella, and he seemed like “an amazing guy”.

“It’s still quite a shock,” she said. “To see this couple, the way they were, you would assume that nothing like that would ever happen. They were just so friendly, outgoing, bubbly.

“Especially her — I’ve never heard anyone speak a bad word about her. She was just a really, really nice lady.”

Police said Hindle made his first court appearance Jan. 3.