Vancouver – A two-year investigation by Vancouver Police and IHIT has led to the arrest of a suspect for two murders in Vancouver and Surrey.
“Our teams worked diligently and in close partnership to solve these crimes and provide closure to the victims’ families and our communities,” says Constable Tania Visintin, VPD. “While these homicides were not connected, the cooperation between our agencies led to the evidence we needed to make this arrest.”
Maanav Kinkar, 18, was found deceased at Hazelnut Meadows Park near 140 Street and 68 Avenue in Surrey on May 26, 2022. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) initiated an investigation and began the search for a suspect.
Ten months later, on March 3, 2023, 22-year-old Caleb Morin, was stabbed and killed at a residence near Boundary Road and East 45th Avenue in Vancouver.
Although the two murder victims had no connection, Vancouver Police worked collaboratively with IHIT to gather evidence that eventually linked a single suspect to both cases.
The suspect was arrested near East 29th Avenue and Rupert Street on May 8 by VPD homicide detectives.
Nahom Gizaw, 21, is now charged with two counts of second-degree murder, and remains in custody.
“The charge approval stage is a significant milestone,” says Sergeant Freda Fong, IHIT. “Our success was due to the collaboration between the VPD and IHIT whose investigators worked tirelessly to maintain the integrity of the joint investigation.”
