Post by Sher on Sept 23, 2005 12:04:04 GMT -5
THORNHILL -- Two families blown apart and bound together by a single stunning act of violence both asked for the chance to deal privately with their grief yesterday, as police confirmed remains found northeast of the city are Alicia Ross.
"The family are deeply moved by all the support and sympathy they have received from numerous individuals," Desiree Lessard, a lawyer for Ross's family said.
"However at this time, the family desires privacy to grieve the loss of their daughter."
Lessard said it was "awful, it's an awful thing" to have to represent a family so shattered but otherwise declined to comment on how they were holding up.
Meanwhile, relatives of Daniel Sylvester, the next-door neighbour now charged with second-degree murder in the case also issued a statement through their lawyers, expressing sympathy to Alicia's relatives and asking for privacy.
"We are shocked and deeply saddened by the news of the charge against Daniel Sylvester," the statement said. "Our family is devastated and struggling to understand how this could happen."
Ross, 25, vanished Aug. 17, sparking a massive search by police and volunteers. Her mother, Sharon Fortis, continued to hold out hope she would return safely but as the search dragged on the updates from police grew darker and darker.
With public suspicions firmly focused on Sean Hine, Alicia's boyfriend and the last known person to have seen her before she disappeared, the news that her next-door neighbour, an enigmatic and little-known character on his own street, had been arrested shocked the city.
Sonia Einstoss, a long-time friend of Sharon Fortis's spoke briefly with reporters after spending a few minutes inside the house with her.
"I've been speaking to them all the time since Alicia's been missing," Einstoss said.
"She's a shattered woman. She's shattered. She's lost her daughter, in the most horrific way possible."
Einstoss declined to go into detail but said she lost her son five years ago and mourns his death every day.
"Unless you've lost a child, you just don't know. You can't feel the pain. There's nothing worse," she said.
Meanwhile, a tired and weary looking Sylvester, 31, made his second appearance in Newmarket court.
Both his hands and feet were shackled and he twice dabbed at the corner of his eye before tilting his head back against the wall and looking at the ceiling.
He nodded and mouthed "thank you" to the judge after being ordered held in custody until his next appearance on Oct. 26.
"The family are deeply moved by all the support and sympathy they have received from numerous individuals," Desiree Lessard, a lawyer for Ross's family said.
"However at this time, the family desires privacy to grieve the loss of their daughter."
Lessard said it was "awful, it's an awful thing" to have to represent a family so shattered but otherwise declined to comment on how they were holding up.
Meanwhile, relatives of Daniel Sylvester, the next-door neighbour now charged with second-degree murder in the case also issued a statement through their lawyers, expressing sympathy to Alicia's relatives and asking for privacy.
"We are shocked and deeply saddened by the news of the charge against Daniel Sylvester," the statement said. "Our family is devastated and struggling to understand how this could happen."
Ross, 25, vanished Aug. 17, sparking a massive search by police and volunteers. Her mother, Sharon Fortis, continued to hold out hope she would return safely but as the search dragged on the updates from police grew darker and darker.
With public suspicions firmly focused on Sean Hine, Alicia's boyfriend and the last known person to have seen her before she disappeared, the news that her next-door neighbour, an enigmatic and little-known character on his own street, had been arrested shocked the city.
Sonia Einstoss, a long-time friend of Sharon Fortis's spoke briefly with reporters after spending a few minutes inside the house with her.
"I've been speaking to them all the time since Alicia's been missing," Einstoss said.
"She's a shattered woman. She's shattered. She's lost her daughter, in the most horrific way possible."
Einstoss declined to go into detail but said she lost her son five years ago and mourns his death every day.
"Unless you've lost a child, you just don't know. You can't feel the pain. There's nothing worse," she said.
Meanwhile, a tired and weary looking Sylvester, 31, made his second appearance in Newmarket court.
Both his hands and feet were shackled and he twice dabbed at the corner of his eye before tilting his head back against the wall and looking at the ceiling.
He nodded and mouthed "thank you" to the judge after being ordered held in custody until his next appearance on Oct. 26.