A man with a history of serious offenses and repeated escapes from a Toronto mental-health facility is once again at large, raising concerns for public safety. Tesfaye Asefa, 47, was last seen Thursday evening near the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, marking at least the eighth time he’s left the facility in the past eight years.
Police are urgently seeking the public’s help to locate Asefa, who was found not criminally responsible for two sexual assaults in 2011. He is currently bound by a Form 49 warrant, a legal instrument issued by the Ontario Review Board that dictates conditions for his care and supervision within the mental-health system.
Asefa is described as 5-foot-5, with a medium build, black hair, and brown eyes. He was last observed wearing a distinctive outfit: a blue zip-up sweater with a white stripe, a Blue Jays hat, black pants, and patterned white and black shoes. Prescription glasses were also part of his attire.
His history of disappearing acts began in August 2018, and has continued with alarming regularity. Subsequent absences occurred in May 2019, January 2020, June 2020, and January 2023, each time requiring police intervention to bring him back into custody.
Just last July, Asefa was reportedly seen in the Danforth and Jones Avenues area, representing what authorities believed was his seventh unauthorized departure. This latest escape underscores a pattern of behavior that has prompted a renewed public safety alert.
Law enforcement is advising the public to exercise extreme caution. If Asefa is spotted, under no circumstances should he be approached. Instead, individuals are urged to immediately contact 911 to report his location.
Anyone with information that could assist in locating Tesfaye Asefa is encouraged to contact the Toronto Police Service at 416-808-1400. Tips can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 416-222-8477.
