"I was there": Vaughan condo shooting victims identified, survivor's husband speaks

Rita Camilleri, Vittorio Panza, Russell Manock, Helen Manock, Naveed Dada are the five deceased

Yorkregion.com
Dec. 21, 2022
Jeremy Grimaldi

Police have released the names of the five people killed in the mass shooting at a Vaughan condominium Sunday.

Three of the five were members of the condominium board where alleged shooter Francesco Villi lived at Bellaria Residences, located at 9325 Jane Street, just north of Rutherford Road, in Maple.

The victims include Rita Camilleri, 57, Vittorio Panza, 79, Russell Manock, 75, Helen Manock, 71 and Naveed Dada, 59.

A sixth victim, Doreen Di Nino, 66, remains in hospital with serious injuries and has undergone surgery, according to her husband, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) president John Di Nino.

Board member Camilleri and Panza were partners, Russell and Helen were husband and wife, while Dada was a local Vaughan real estate agent. Russell Manock and Dada were also on the board, according to a neighbour.

Villi himself was shot and killed by a York Regional Police sergeant following the incident on Dec. 18 at approximately 7:20 p.m. The incident came a day before a court date that could have seen him removed from tower two.

You can read more about Villi, who had ongoing complaints about the board and its lack of action in regards to his complaints about living above what he referred to as an 'electrical room', here.

Vaughan councillor Marilyn Iafrate was friends with Camilleri and Panza, who she called a 'lovely couple'.

"Rita was wonderful, a real spitfire, very intelligent," she told yorkregion.com. "She was very thorough, very rational. She was helping residents before she was on the board."

After the pair worked together on a nearby storm water pond, Camilleri reached out to Iafrate for advice on whether to join the condominium board.

She said little did she know at the time how fatal the move would be.

"I never would have expected this...you don't get money or accolades on a board, all you get is complaints," she added. "You get no benefits, you're just there to help your community. Every board will be looking over their shoulder now. She did not deserve this. Not Rita."

As for Panza, she said he admired Rita a great deal and treated her with 'so much respect'.

"It's so tragic and unnecessary," she said. The Toronto Maple Leafs have since confirmed that Panza was the maternal grandfather of defenceman and Vaughan native Victor Mete.

“The Toronto Maple Leafs are shocked and saddened by the tragic shooting that took place in Vaughan this past Sunday. Our hearts go out to Victor and his family, to all the families and friends of those affected, and to the local community," a statement from the team reads.

There was a minute silence prior to the beginning of the Leaf game on Dec. 20.

Neighbour Heidi Popara called Dada a 'lovely person' who she would often greet and share kind words with.

In an interview with CP24, Di Nino said the victims were his friends and colleagues who served on the board with him.

“To my partner, my wife, who was a victim of this senseless tragedy. To her children, my grandkids that are trying to process this, my wife’s sisters and all of our extended family. This is not supposed to happen," he said.

He added he will now act as an advocate for gun violence and mental health.

Di Nino also spoke about witnessing the incident.

“I don’t want to get into the details, [but] I was there when the gunman targeted my wife,” Di Nino said. “I just keep seeing everything over and over again. Last night I did get a couple hours of sleep, but I have to say that it was really nightmarish.”

He said the board are all volunteers working for the residents.

Police and the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) continue to investigate.

Any witnesses or anyone who may have video surveillance, cell phone video or dashcam footage of the shooting is urged to contact the SIU at 1-800-787-8529.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the York Regional Police Homicide Unit at 1-288-876-5423 ext. 7865, email the Homicide Unit at homicide@yrp.ca or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. You can also leave an anonymous tip online at www.1800222tips.com.