June 16, 2021 7:56pm
Police in the Niagara Region continue to look for information leading to a suspect in the murder of two women in January, one from Windsor.
Niagara Regional Police have offered a reward of up to $50,000 for information to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in the shooting deaths of Juliana Pannunzio, 20, of Windsor, and Christine Crooks, 18, of Toronto, on January 19.
Police say officers were called shortly after 4 a.m. to a home in Fort Erie, just south of Niagara Falls, for a disturbance involving gunshots. When police arrived, they found Pannunzio and Crooks dead.
The investigation showed that the two women were part of a group that had rented a short-term rental in Fort Erie for a planned gathering. After the two women were shot, the other people in the house fled before police arrived.
In a video appeal, Niagara Regional Police Staff Sergeant Steve Magistrale said the families of both slain women are still trying to cope with what happened.
“The Crooks and Pannunzio families are grieving the loss of their loved ones and looking to police for answers,” said Magistrale. “Who did this, and why did it happen? We know there are people out there who can help answer these questions. Do the right thing, provide the right information to investigators, help us solve this heinous crime, and help us bring closure to two grieving families.”
In the same video, members of both families begged those who were at the home on the night of the murders to come forward.
A GoFundMe page set up to help the Pannunzio family with funeral expenses raised over $15,420.
The Niagara Police have set up a dedicated tip line for information on this case, at (289) 248-1058.
