Evan Rouse Tribute

The murder of a drifter found shot to death on a North York bike path has homicide detectives baffled.

Toronto cops called a news conference yesterday to ask for the public's help in determining the final movements of Evan Andrew Rouse, 22, of Toronto.

Rouse, whose body was not identified until Monday, was the city's 42nd murder victim of the year. His body was found by a cyclist on a creek behind the Bathurst Jewish Community Centre.

It's believed he was shot to death early Sunday morning.

Rouse was found on a mountain bike trail running parallel to the west branch of the Don River, north of Shepherd Ave. W., off Bathurst St., Det.-Sgt. Pauline Gray said.

She would not say how many times he had been shot or give details of his injuries.

Homicide detectives have "many theories" as to what led to Rouse's death, Gray said.

He does not have a criminal record and is known to have frequented the downtown core.

"We have no sense of what Evan was doing there," Gray said.

"He is not from that area and we are looking for anybody who knows him from Toronto to call us and tell us if they know where he was or what he was doing in the days preceding his death."

Rouse's parents are struggling to come to terms with their son's death, Gray said.

Det.-Sgt. Ian Briggs said Rouse "wasn't always at home" and had a group of friends he stayed with in the Yonge St. area.