(ORO-MEDONTE TOWNSHIP, ON) – On Friday, July 4, 2014 at approximately 1:30am, Samuel MASIH and his two children were reported missing to Peel Regional Police by family members and an investigation was commenced. At 5:41am, officers with the Barrie Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a report of a vehicle fire on Holick Road north of the 4th Line of Oro-Medonte Township.
The fire was extinguished by responding firefighters. Upon inspection, responding officers observed three separate possible human remains inside the vehicle. Further investigation utilizing law enforcement databases led OPP investigators to contact Peel Regional Police at 6:00am on July 4, 2014. Both police services have been working co-operatively since that time. The possible connection between the two investigations was not released to the media at the request of the OPP in order to maintain the integrity of the investigation and allow the family members some privacy under these tragic circumstances.
On July 8, 2014, post mortem examinations of the three deceased were completed. As a result, one of the deceased was identified as Samuel MASIH, age 36, of Mississauga, Ontario. The identities of the other two deceased, both male children aged 10 and 4 years, are not being released. With respect to the cause of death as identified through the post mortem examinations, police will not be releasing that information at this time.
The deceased’s family is asking for privacy and does not wish to participate in media interviews at this difficult time.
The circumstances surrounding this tragic incident continue to be the subject of an investigation under the direction of Detective Inspector Jim Smyth of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) with the assistance of other members of the Barrie OPP Major Crime Unit.
The OPP is asking anyone who observed any type of unusual activity in the area of Holick Road on July 3 or 4, 2014 or has any information regarding Mr. MASIH to contact the Barrie OPP Detachment at 1-888-310-1122.