Journal Staff
Sarnia Police have arrested a suspect in the murder of Sue Elin Lumsden following a five-month investigation.
Joshua Tomlinson, 35, of Sarnia, faces a first-degree murder charge and will appear in court on Sept. 13, city police said Wednesday.
Tomlinson was already in custody after being charged with the murder of Allen Schairer, 62, in January.
Schairer was found dead in his home on Devine Street on Jan. 26, just three days after Lumsden, 66, was found dead in her Essex Street home.
Sarnia had an unprecedented four homicides over a three-week span in January. The last unresolved investigation into the death of Lumsden, a cancer survivor and Bluewater Health Foundation volunteer, caused considerable unease in the community.
“Tomlinson is now facing two first-degree murder charges for both of these homicides and will remain in custody pending a bail hearing,” Staff Sgt. Mike Kahnert, of the criminal investigation division, said in a video statement.
He added police hope the charges bring some closure to the family members of the victims and community as a whole.
“Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to both the Lumsden and Schairer family and friends,” Kahnert said.
The other January homicides led to quick arrests.
Timothy Noj, 32, was charged with murder in the Jan. 9 death of Luis Hernandez, 26, on Confederation Street.
And Joseph Dominic Dicarlo, 45, was charged with the first-degree murder of Natalie Bartlett, 39, who was seriously injured at a Lee Court home and later died in hospital.