Two Hamilton men arrested in Shane Grenier homicide

Police cite drugs as a motivating factor in death of 39-year-old

Hamilton police say drugs were a motivating factor in the death of Shane Grenier, the city’s first homicide victim of the year who was shot in the head and dumped on the street in early March.

Det. Sgt. Steve Bereziuk of the homicide department was tightlipped at a news conference Wednesday afternoon when asked about the specifics leading to the 39-year-old’s death, only revealing “drugs were involved.”

Police arrested one suspect late Tuesday night and another Wednesday morning in connection to the targeted shooting, a breakthrough in their three-month murder probe.

Owen Nathaniel Silverthorne and Janeil Gordon, both 21 years old and of Hamilton, have each been charged with one count of seconddegree murder.

Bereziuk said the young men were “simply acquaintances” with Grenier, a father who had a lifelong struggle with addiction.

He said Silverthorne is known to police, albeit for minor incidents.

“I don’t have anything to suggest they were friends,” he told reporters outside police headquarters downtown.

Grenier was shot in the head and left for dead on Tisdale Street South, near Erie Avenue, around 6 p.m. March 6. Police previously said the suspects fled the area in a black, four-door BMW with silver rims. It’s believed Grenier was shot in the sedan before being dumped on the street.

Grenier had some friends in the area of Erie and Tisdale and spent time there. The BMW was seen on Erie around 5 p.m. and then again an hour later, when Grenier’s body was dumped.

It remains unclear how many people were in the BMW. Bereziuk said police are not seeking any further suspects tied to the murder itself, but continue to probe whether some people assisted the accused.

“That’s something we’re looking into,” he said. “People could face accessory after the fact charges depending on their level of involvement.”

Bereziuk couldn’t pinpoint what led investigators to this week’s arrests, but gave credit to residents living in the Stinson neighbourhood where Grenier was found.

“The residents in the area were extremely helpful for us, willingly giving us video and trying to assist because the nature of the crime was so horrific.”

Grenier’s grieving family, who have asked for privacy, were “grateful” for the developments in the investigation, Bereziuk said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Michael Ebert at 905-546-4167.