Toronto Cop and Son Charged In Connection to Murder of Alleged War Criminal

London, Ontario police have charged a Toronto police officer and his son in connection to the murder of a Liberian warlord who was living in Canada.

In the morning on June 21, four men wearing dark clothing and masks entered the home of Bill Horace, an alleged general in the National Patriotic Front of Liberia who had been living in Canada for nearly two decades, according to police. Once inside the four men shot the 44-year-old and fled the building. According to the Globe and Mail, Horace survived the initial shooting and made it to the front door of his neighbours' house but was dead when first responders arrived.

Stephen Williams, London's Chief of Police, previously told the Toronto Star that he believed the attack was targeted.

London Police say they arrested Toronto cop Trevor Gregory, 46, on Tuesday and charged him with breach of trust in connection to the killing of Horace. Previously to this, on June 25, London Police charged 22-year-old Keiron Gregory, Trevor Gregory’s son, with one count of second-degree murder. The younger Gregory is still on the run, the elder has been released and set to make a court appearance on September 29.

Police did not elaborate on what the breach of trust charge was for. Trevor Gregory was a detective constable who had been on the job for over 20 years, and according to Ontario's sunshine list he made $153,972 in 2019.

Police also confirmed that Horace was a member of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), the Liberian rebel group led by Chuck Taylor that wreaked devastation on the country during its bloody civil war in the early to mid 90s. Horace served directly under Taylor as a general during his time in the Patriotic Front and became known as “General Bill.” In May 2012, Taylor was convicted of war crimes for the actions of the NPFL and sentenced to 50 years. When he was sentenced the judge said he was “responsible for aiding and abetting as well as planning some of the most heinous and brutal crimes recorded in human history.”

According to the Globe and Mail, Horace came to Canada in 2002 and made a refugee claim. For a good portion of the almost two decades he was in the country, authorities were aware there was a warlord in its mix. The CBC has reported that Canada—despite being given evidence by investigators—didn’t pursue the case against Horace, most likely because of budgetary issues. FrontPage Africa, a newspaper in Liberia, spoke to Massa Washington, a former commissioner of Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, who told them that Horace was involved in a multitude of atrocities.

“He murdered whole families, shot people to death, behead(ed) people; he and his men were involved in the rape of women, opening pregnant women’s stomach; he was allegedly involved with the massacre of people,” she told the paper. Other human rights activists told the Globe and Mail Horace conducted crucifixions.

Washington, speaking to the Globe and Mail, said Horace’s death isn’t a victory for victims.

“The passing away of rebel general Bill Horace is a sad day for the quest for justice for war victims,” she said. “We would rather that alleged perpetrators were alive to face justice and account for their crimes, and the unimaginable horrors inflicted upon their hapless victims.”

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