Man, 51, accused of killing senior in Roncesvalles on Boxing Day

The city’s 72nd homicide victim of the year has been identified as Vinko Skoko, 68, of Toronto

Article content

A 51-year-old man now faces manslaughter for the mysterious Boxing Day death of a 68-year-old man in Roncesvalles.

Advertisement 2

Article content

Toronto Police say officers responded to a “medical” call in the area of Boustead Ave. and Roncesvalles Ave. – just south of Dundas St. – shortly after 9 a.m. on Tuesday.

Article content

“A man was located in a residence in medical distress,” Homicide De.-Sgt. Jeff Allington said in a statement released Saturday.

He said emergency responders “provided life-saving measures” but the man was later pronounced dead in hospital.

Recommended from Editorial

The victim has now been identified as Vinko Skoko, 68, of Toronto.

Police have released few details but Insp. Peter Wehby spoke to media at the scene on Boxing Day saying it’s believed there had been an interaction between the senior citizen and another man.

Article content

Advertisement 3

Article content

“We believe that the male had an interaction with a second male and at that time there was some sort of an altercation that happened,” he said at the time.

Toronto Police are investigating a death on Boustead Ave. on Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023.
Toronto Police are investigating a death on Boustead Ave. on Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023. Photo by Joe Warmington /Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network

Toronto Sun columnist Joe Warmington reported seeing a large rock on the driveway of the victim’s home and the rear window of a nearby SUV smashed out.

Neighbours said they believed the victim was a drywaller who was married with at least three kids.

Advertisement 4

Article content

Some media reports suggest Skoko was hit in the head by an object and a man was seen riding away from the scene on a bike.

With help from witnesses, police said a suspect was subsequently identified and he was taken into custody on Friday.

Vangeil Keskinov, 51, of Toronto, is charged with manslaughter and assault with a weapon in the city’s 72nd homicide of the year.

Advertisement 5

Article content

Investigators are still looking for additional witnesses and are asking anyone who was in the area Roncesvalles Ave., between Boustead Ave. and Howard Park Ave., and saw “any type of argument or altercation” on Tuesday between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. to come forward.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to call the Homicide Unit at 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

cdoucette@postmedia.com

@sundoucette

Article content