On Feb. 14, 2018, members from the East Algoma Detachment of the OPP located human remains in a wooded area within the city of Elliot Lake.
The human remains were that of 31-year-old missing person Joseph Topping of Elliot Lake.
On Feb. 26, a post mortem examination was concluded by the Office of the Chief Coroner-Ontario Forensic Pathology Service in Sault Ste. Marie. As a result, investigators had classified the death of Joseph Topping, as a homicide.
The East Algoma OPP Crime Unit continued their investigation under the direction of OPP Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) Detective Inspector Mark Zulinski and Detective Inspector Matt Watson.
On Aug. 20, police arrested a male in relation to this case.
Brad Fabian Southwind, a 23-year-old man from Elliot Lake was charged with first degree murder.
The accused appeared before the Ontario Court of Justice Bail Court in Blind River, Ontario on Aug. 21.