$50,000 reward offered in murder investigation

Two years have passed since Kristian Thanapalan was surrounded by dozens of young bat-wielding men and savagely beaten to death in a Scarborough park — and the 22-year-old’s family is still waiting for justice. However, his family members are hoping a $50,000 reward announced Monday by Toronto Police will lead to an arrest in their loved one’s killing. “It has been two difficult years since we lost our beloved brother Kristian and no one has come forward in this murder,” Krishanthy Thanapalan said at Glamorgan Park, just steps from where her big brother was slain.

“We’d once again like to beg to the friends and family of the people that were there that night, and also to the community in general,” the 21-year-old said, bursting into tears. “Someone must know something and we ask them to please come forward.

“Please give my family some closure,” she added.

Homicide Det. Doug Dunstan was in the Kennedy Rd.-Hwy. 401 area park Monday to announce the reward with Kristian’s sister and brother, their parents and other family members.

Kristian was playing volley ball and having drinks with five friends on July 10, 2009. Another group of Tamil youths was playing cricket in the park.

As day turned to night, Kristian and his friends moved under the lights of a parking lot and continued to play volleyball.

Meanwhile, the cricket players packed up their vehicles and “peeled out” of the lot, driving past Kristian and his pals, Dunstan said.

“As a result, there was a brief confrontation between the volleyball players and the occupants of one of the cars,” he said. “Things were said, there was a show of bravado on both sides, and then the car drove off.”

Just after midnight, a group of five to 10 young men returned and confronted Kristian and his friends. Soon after, a larger group of youths approached from another direction armed with baseball bats, cricket bats and bottles and “attacked.”

“During the melee, Kristian was struck in the back of the head and he fell to the ground,” Dunstan said.

Police have interviewed 25 witnesses who were involved, but none have identified the killer.

However, investigators say anonymous tips have provided them with a good idea of who dealt the deadly blow.

Anyone with information is urged to call 416-808-7400 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              416-808-7400      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, or Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS.