A 34-year-old Toronto man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of an elderly woman following a fire at her Toronto home last month.

Toronto Police say officers responded shortly after 11 p.m. on Nov. 15 to a residential blaze at Avenue Rd. and Boswell Ave.

Police allege the accused set fire to the house when the victim, Giovanna Balestrieri , 84, was inside and alone at the time.

Cops say she was located by firefighters and taken to hospital where she died of her injuries.

This is Toronto’s 36th homicide of 2025.

On Friday, police announced Curtis Leander McLeod was charged with first-degree murder.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-5300, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or online at 222tips.com .

Investigators from

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