A recently retired Toronto police officer has been charged with second-degree murder today after his wife, a real estate broker, was shot to death in their central Mississauga home.

Larry Ryan was under police guard in hospital last night with undisclosed injuries after his wife, Susan Ryan, was found dead by Peel police early yesterday. He was taken to Brampton court early this morning to face a formal charge.

Wearing a hooded grey sweatshirt and jeans, Larry Ryan was remanded in custody until a hearing next Monday. A justice of the peace imposed a publication ban on details of today's hearing.

It was Peel Region's 25th homicide this year, a record.

Const. Samantha Nulle said police were called to the home shortly before 8 a.m. to answer a disturbance call. Police revealed no more information about the shooting last night.

The couple, married for more than 30 years and close friends of Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion, have no children, friends said. They have two dogs, a German shepherd named Sable and a black poodle named Lance.

Susan, 57, was president of the Mississauga Real Estate Board in 2006.

An autopsy is planned for tomorrow. Many residents of the quiet neighbourhood, near Burnhamthorpe and Cawthra Rds., said they didn't know Susan or Larry well, but often saw them walking the dogs near their two—storey Carigar Court home.

"Oh my God, Susan is dead," longtime friend Vince Santoro said to his daughter Christina, as they stood behind police tape and Peel cruisers that sealed off the short street.

Santoro and his wife have been friends of the Ryans for more than three decades and had spent Friday evening with them at the red brick home where forensics officers gathered evidence yesterday.

"We had a few drinks, smoked a few cigars," Santoro told the Star. "They seemed happy. Everything was fine."

His daughter called Susan Ryan "the greatest teacher, greatest mentor, best friend."

Christina said she had recently started working as an assistant to Ryan at the real estate brokerage Ryan operated from her home.

"She was fabulous," said Christina, 23. "I've known her since I was born. I just got my real estate licence."

Vince Santoro said Larry Ryan, 58, had retired this summer from the Toronto police force where he'd worked at Etobicoke's 22 Division during a career spanning more than 30 years, spending the past few years on the front desk of the Bloor St. W. station.

He and his wife had become close with the Ryans when the couples lived in a townhouse complex near Dixie Rd. in the mid-1970s.

"We've been friends ever since," he said.

When the two couples got together on Friday, the conversation was light, apart from a discussion that Larry was to have surgery for a cancerous tumour on his gall bladder.

"They were a good couple," he said. "They had their arguments back and forth, but nothing serious.

"They seemed to be happy. Larry was in good spirits Friday night when I talked to him. This is totally a shock."

Santoro said Ryan had planned to go deer hunting yesterday.

McCallion, who was photographed in the clutch of burly Larry Ryan in a picture on Susan Ryan's Facebook site, echoed the feeling of "shock" at Susan Ryan's death.

Although the couple didn't attend the 30th anniversary mayoral gala for McCallion at the Living Arts Centre on Saturday night, Susan and the mayor both attended the Mississauga Board of Trade's Awards of Excellence gala on Thursday night.

McCallion said Ryan was "always taking pictures" and "bubbling over with enthusiasm."

McCallion called her a great asset to the community and praised Ryan's efforts to establish social housing in Peel. She called Ryan's death "a great loss.

"She did many great things for children," the mayor recalled. "She did a lot of things she didn't get recognized for."

McCallion declined to discuss Ryan's personal life.

"I don't want to talk about that. I just want to pay tribute to a great person," she said.

Friends said Susan Ryan has a sister and brother in London, Ont., and that her mother lives in British Columbia. Larry Ryan has 13 brothers, most of whom live near the GTA, they said.

Const. J.P. Valade said Larry Ryan was scheduled to reappear in court before 10 a.m.

Police say no other suspects are being sought.

- With files from Jaspreet Tambar