TORONTO — Hamilton police are investigating a possible link between a suspect charged in a recent assault and the city’s latest homicide.
On Nov. 9, police responded to reports of a disturbance in the area of York Boulevard and Queen Street North at around 6:30 p.m.
Upon arrival, police found a 46-year-old woman with serious injuries.
The victim was violently attacked with a large stick without provocation, according to police.
Investigators say the victim did not know who attacked her and there was no known connection between them.
Police were able to obtain video surveillance of the area and gathered a description of the suspect.
Later that evening, police responded to numerous disturbance calls about a man who was randomly attacking people in the city.
The suspect was eventually located that evening and arrested by patrol units in the area of Jackson and MacNab streets.
On Wednesday, police said they charged a suspect in connection with the assault.
Thirty-eight year old Keith Allan Overholt, of no fixed address, has been charged with attempted murder.
A day after the woman was assaulted, 29-year-old Andrew Ainscow, of Hamilton, was found dead in an alleyway just west of James Street S. between Duke and Bold streets at around 7:00 a.m. Police say Ainscow was stabbed to death in the alleyway.
The Major Crime Unit said Wednesday that they are looking into a possible connection between the assault and the murder.
Police are asking residents in the area to check their surveillance systems for any video or information that could help with the investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Lisa Chambers at 905-546-3843 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
