A 31-year-old Nigerian man, Adimabua Chukwuka, is facing a possible life sentence after being charged with the first-degree murder of a 60-year-old homeless man, Mario Ferreira, in Toronto, Canada.
Toronto police say they arrested Chukwuka late Friday afternoon, 21 March 2025, a few hours after 60-year-old Mario Ferreira was found dead near the University of Toronto campus.
Investigators say they have video of Chukwuka allegedly using debris, possibly from a dumpster or construction site, to repeatedly attack Ferreira while he lay on a bench around 5:20 a.m. on Thursday morning.
“Police have arrested a man alleged to have attacked and killed an unhoused man, without warning or provocation thanks to a tip from the public,” the Toronto Police disclosed in a statement.
“On Friday, 21 March 2025, Homicide investigators released a photo of a suspect, and shortly afterwards, Adimabua Chukwuka, 31, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with First Degree Murder.
“On 20 March, police responded to a call from University of Toronto Campus Safety Special Constables regarding a man lying on the ground near 144 College St. on the university grounds. He had visible injuries and was unconscious and not breathing. Mario Ferreira, 60, of Toronto, was pronounced deceased after police, fire and paramedics attended the scene.”
“We are committed to bringing justice to Mr. Ferreira and his loved ones,” added Det.-Sgt. Trevor Grieve. “We are asking anyone who may have seen something, no matter how small, to call immediately.”
Grieve said investigators have been working around the clock to gather evidence and review security footage from the surrounding area.
“We are continuing to canvas for additional video and information,” he said, asking anyone with more footage to contact police.
Based on video footage reviewed so far, the victim was lying on a bench near 6 Queen’s Park Crescent around 5:20 a.m. when the suspect armed himself with debris, possibly from a construction site or nearby dumpster.
“Without warning or provocation, the suspect approaches Mr Ferreira, who is lying on the bench and uses that debris to assault him repeatedly and violently. He then fled the area holding the debris he used to commit the assault.”
Meanwhile, it was gathered that Chukwuka has a history of violent criminal charges, including attempted murder and assault with a weapon.
Past news releases from Toronto Police show Chukwuka was charged with multiple offences in separate incidents in 2014 and 2022.
He was accused of multiple stabbings in August of 2014 and charged with 10 counts, including attempted murder, aggravated assault and failing to comply with probation.
Police laid 10 more charges in April 2022 after two more incidents in which Chukwuka allegedly pulled a knife on a man, stole his cell phone, and stabbed another man twice in the chest during a dispute.
The charges he faced in those cases included possessing a dangerous weapon, assault with a firearm and robbery with a weapon.
Meanwhile, according to Section 235 (1) of the Canadian Criminal Code, anyone convicted of first-degree or second-degree murder faces a mandatory life sentence.
The law states, “Everyone who commits first-degree murder or second-degree murder is guilty of an indictable offence and shall be sentenced to imprisonment for life.”
It further clarifies that “the sentence of imprisonment for life prescribed by this section is a minimum punishment.”
If convicted, Chukwuka will face life imprisonment with no possibility of parole for at least 25 years.
Eighteen-Eleven Media