Police believed millionaire loan shark Quang Lu was murdered shortly after he disappeared in October 2007. The discovery of a body in a barrel last week on Sunday proved the prediction by police specializing in Asian organized crime was correct.
Homicide detectives said Tuesday the well-preserved body of Quang Lu known on the streets as “Black Ghost” was found entombed in concrete inside a rusting 45-gallon drum on the bottom of Lake Ontario, off Sherbourne St. No one is in custody and the cause of death has yet to be determined, pending further post-mortem tests.
Toronto homicide Det. Hank Idsinga believes Quang Lu (47), a divorced father of one child, was dead before the concrete was poured over his body. He said the barrel was right beside the breakwall in about seven metres of water. Idsinga said it was “quite a surprise and shock” to see the barrel being lifted by a crane. His partner Det. Justin Vander Heyden said Lu, who lived in the Hwy.7-Bayview Ave. area, was known to be involved in Asian organized crime but refused to elaborate. Forensic experts were able to lift fingerprints to confirm his identity.
Quang Lu was reported missing by his family to York Regional Police in December 2007 after he returned home from a trip to China in October, Vander Heyden said. Lu was last seen alive on Oct. 30, 2007. At the time, police said that that due to Lu’s “private nature,” his family wasn’t immediately worried by his absence. However, family members became worried when Lu missed important functions. Police also said his bank accounts were dormant.
He said police notified Quang Lu ‘s family members about the find. “I can tell you the remains were well preserved,” Vander Heyden added. He said the good state of the remains allowed pathologists and forensic experts to quickly identify the victim.
Vander Heyden said while Lu’s involvement in organized crime is likely behind his murder, detectives intend to keep an “open mind” to other possibilities. He said Lu’s silver 2004, two-door BMW Z4 convertible with Ontario plates AVBC 138 is still missing. The post is here with more information.
[…] the body found encrusted in cement, inside a barrel that was pulled from Lake Ontario, as that of Quang Lu. The 47-year-old man went missing from Markham in October 2007 after retuning from a trip to […]