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Escaped Sudbury murder suspect back behind bars

After a manhunt that stretched over multiple days, Greater Sudbury Police say a man suspected in three murders taken back into police custody early Monday evening
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Joel Roy escaped custody from Sudbury Jail on June 17, 2023. He faces charges for three homicides

Joel Roy is no longer at large. The man suspected in three murders who escaped Sudbury Jail sometime in the past few days was taken into custody by Greater Sudbury Police shortly after 6 p.m. today.

Officials have not yet said when exactly Joel Roy slipped away. A press release about his escape was issued during the evening of June 17. 

Meanwhile, the solicitor general's office told Sudbury.com on Monday that they have launched an internal investigation into how Roy managed to get away. 

At the time of his escape, Roy was in custody in relation to three homicides, none of which have yet gone to trial. 

He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder in December for a shooting at the Travelodge Hotel in December. Two men, 27-year-old Javon Bryce and 38-year-old Matthew Saroka were killed in that shooting.

Roy also faced weapons charges and possession for the purpose of trafficking charges as it is believed that he was trafficking illicit drugs out of the hotel at the time of the incident. 

In April, Greater Sudbury police arrested and charged four people for the murder of a 31-year-old Emad Ali, one of whom was Roy. Police said they found the body of Ali in a wooded area off Dryden Road in Wahnapitae. Investigators believe he was killed in November, 2022 and his body dumped in the wooded area. He was last seen in Toronto on Oct. 7, 2022.

In connection to Ali's death, Roy was charged with murder, indignity to a body and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

Details on how Roy was able to escape the jail haven’t been made public.

None of the allegations against Roy have been tested in court and the accused is considered innocent unless proven guilty.



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Jenny Lamothe

About the Author: Jenny Lamothe

Jenny Lamothe is a reporter with Sudbury.com. She covers the diverse communities of Sudbury, especially the vulnerable or marginalized.
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