Suspect arrested in Peterborough in connection to a murder in Windsor

A suspect wanted in connection to a murder in Windsor has been arrested in Peterborough.

During a news conference Thursday, police announced that a suspect, Muhamad Taupan, was arrested Tuesday, Feb. 4, after the investigation led officers to Peterborough, where what's being called a coordinated operation between Windsor Police and Peterborough Police was initiated.

Just after 7 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 27, 53-year-old Sean Shuart was shot and killed following a verbal altercation outside the former Water World in the 400 block of Wyandotte Street East-now home to the city's Homelessness and Housing Help Hub, or H4.

During the arrest of the suspect and another teen, police seized a replica pellet gun, a large, sheathed machete, bear spray, 21.5 grams of fentanyl, pills, Canadian currency, digital scales, and multiple cell phones.

The 19-year-old Taupan is charged with first-degree murder in connection to the case in Windsor and is also facing three drug trafficking-related charges and four weapons-related charges in connection to the arrest in Peterborough.

A 16-year-old male, whose identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, has been charged with accessory to the Windsor murder case and is also facing five other charges in connection to the arrest in Peterborough.

Staff Sgt. Ted Novak says a lot of police work went into making this arrest.

"Tips to an area, and then we spent two full days interacting with Peterborough, and Peterborough did a wonderful job. They canvassed their downtown and had video and tracked down the suspects. Then they had their emergency services unit arrest the two at the time," he says.

The suspect is not from Windsor-Essex and is believed to have ties to the Kitchener-Waterloo region.

Staff Sgt. Ted Novak says the firearm used in the murder has not been recovered.

"Firearms are pretty valuable for the criminal element. To just dispose of them, it's not usually what happens. I imagine it's somewhere, and that's why we're still investigating, looking for locations, both here, in Peterborough, and somewhere in between. If there's a location we can attempt to write a warrant to, we will do that," he says.

Police are asking anyone with any additional information on the homicide investigation, including how the suspects left the city, to contact the Major Crimes Unit at 519-255-6700, ext. 4830.

The public can also contact Windsor and Essex County Crime Stoppers anonymously at 519-258-8477 (TIPS) or online at www.catchcrooks.com.