KAWARTHA LAKES-48-year-old Stephen Whiteway appeared virtually in court on Thursday charged with the second-degree murder of his mother.
Shortly after 7:30 p.m. on October 2, 2023, the City of Kawartha Lakes OPP responded to the death of 79-year-old Marilyn Whiteway at a residence on Kanata Trail. On October 11, 2023 at approximately 1:30 p.m. officers located and arrested the suspect outside a residence in the Town of Lindsay.
The case was remanded to October 17th and Whiteway was held in custody. However, Kawartha 411 News has learned Whiteway has a long criminal history going back as far as 2006. At the time of his arrest for second-degree murder, he was out on bail for charges stemming from a September 2022 drug investigation.
At that time Kawartha Lakes OPP officers were investigating possible drug trafficking in the City after several overdoses specifically in the village of Fenelon Falls. According to police investigators seized more than $56,000, quantities of suspected cocaine, fentanyl, carfentanil, crystal methamphetamine, percocet pills and Canadian currency. Nine people were charged including Whiteway. He was charged with five counts of drug trafficking and two counts of possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime.
Despite his long history of criminal charges Whiteway was given bail and was tapped for a diversion process which could have seen the charges dropped in exchange for some type of court-ordered counselling according to our sources. The latest charges may impact the diversion process.
In 2019 Whiteway was charged with break, enter dwelling house and two counts of mischief under $5,000 when police were called to a break-and-enter in progress.
“The officers attended a residence on Sugarbush Trail where two males were located inside the residence, which was unoccupied at the time,” said police.
In early 2020 our sources say Whiteway was charged with assault after a domestic choking incident. He was released on $1,000 bail, put on a peace bond and ordered to keep the peace and be of good behaviour. He was told not to communicate with the victim and also prohibited from having any weapons. A few months later he was charged with failing to comply with that peace bond but once again released.
Not long after that incident, Whiteway was charged once again after police seized 57.9 grams of cocaine, as well as prescription medication in May of 2020.
On Friday, May 8, 2020 a Kawartha Lakes Police Service officer observed two people who police say were “wanted” on the strength of outstanding arrest warrants. The individuals were arrested in the area of St. Paul Street in Lindsay.
Police say further investigation revealed the pair were in possession of cocaine as well as prescription medication according to police.
Whiteway was charged with possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, possession of a controlled substance and possession of proceeds of crime under $5000.
Natasha Ann Davey, 40, of Lindsay was charged with possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, possession of a controlled substance, possession of proceeds of crime under $5000 and theft under $5000.
The association representing Canada’s chiefs of police has been calling for urgent reforms to the country’s bail system and some premiers are calling for Ottawa to create a“reverse onus” for certain offences that would require a person seeking bail to prove why they should not stay behind bars.
In April the Ontario government announced it was investing $112 million to immediately strengthen the province’s bail system and ensure that high-risk and repeat violent offenders comply with their bail conditions.
Officials say the funding will be used to support new technology, establish violent crime bail teams, expand the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement Squad and provide prosecutors with the resources they need to conduct complex bail hearings.
“As the country and our province face rising crime rates and people are feeling increasingly unsafe in their communities, this funding will help ensure anyone out on bail is following the rules and high-risk, repeat offenders are kept in jail,” said Premier Doug Ford. “We can’t have a justice system where violent criminals are arrested one day and back out on the streets the next. We’re doing our part to fix a broken bail system and look forward to working with our federal partners to finish the job.”
