The mother of a 41-year-old man shot dead nearly three years ago in Eastern Ontario has made an emotional plea for witnesses to come forward, as provincial police continue to investigate the unsolved homicide.
Catherine Logan released a video appeal on Thursday, urging anyone with information to help solve the murder of her son, Jonathan Logan. He was fatally shot on May 19, 2023, in Renfrew, a town about an hour's drive west of Ottawa.
In the video published on the Ontario Provincial Police's YouTube channel, Catherine described the moment officers informed her of Jonathan's death as life-altering. "One of the officers started talking about an incident ... and said there had been a shooting and there had been a victim and that Jonathan, my son, was the victim," she recalled. "And that's how I found out my son had died at the hands of a gunman. I was changed. Well, Jonathan was my only child. I wonder sometimes, am I still a mom?"
Police Seek Public Assistance
The OPP reported that Jonathan was shot around 10:30 p.m. on May 19, 2023, inside a residence on Vimy Boulevard in the west side of Renfrew. The suspect fled the scene before police arrived and remains at large. Investigators believe Jonathan was deliberately targeted and are confident that someone in the community has information that could break the case.
"There were several other people in the house that fled when the incident happened," said Detective Sergeant Joe Limlaw. "We believe someone knows something that can help us solve this case and provide answers to Jonathan's loved ones."
Neighborhood Concerns
Witnesses told the Ottawa Citizen the day after the shooting that the area often saw heavy vehicle traffic and was known for intoxicated individuals and drug paraphernalia on the streets. Catherine acknowledged that Jonathan, a father to a daughter, had struggled with substance abuse for years. However, she described him as a protector who would have defended his friends in similar situations.
"If something like this had happened to one of his friends, he would have done the right thing," Catherine said. "I know a lot of them know something and I understand they're scared. I would be, too, but it's my son and I need answers. And how you guys can live with yourself right now, I don't know. But you need to step up."
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Renfrew OPP crime unit at 1-888-310-1122. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
