Widow of slain referee renews calls for capture of Canada’s most wanted

To learn more about the hunt for Cristian Cuxum -- and the $250,000 reward for help leading to his arrest -- tune into Global TV’s brand-new series Crime Beat: Most Wanted.

Thanksgiving is a holiday that will forever bring Alexandra Barrera pain and grief.

Over Thanksgiving weekend last year, Barrera’s husband and high-school sweetheart, Edwin Alvarado, was killed in a triple shooting at a Toronto sports facility. Alvarado was refereeing an indoor soccer match. Police say his alleged killer, 19-year-old Cristian Cuxum fled on foot and has been evading arrest ever since.

In her first-ever interview for Global TV’s new series Crime Beat Most Wanted launching Sept. 30, Barrera renewed her pleas for help in capturing the man police say ruined her life.

“To give us closure to this torture that we have every day,” Barrera told Global’s Tracy Tong. “I think that will give us peace. To his family also, because he cannot be hidden forever.”

Cuxum now tops a national list of most wanted released by the Bolo program, which stands for “Be On the Lookout.” Bolo has partnered with police services across the country to engage with Canadians, and encourage them to be vigilant and keep an eye out for wanted suspects.

Together, Bolo, Toronto Crime Stoppers and the Toronto Police Service are offering a $250,000 reward for information leading to Cuxum’s arrest.

At a press conference on May 1, Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw pledged to track him down.

“Mr. Cuxum rightly takes the new number one spot,” said Demkiw. “Today, your world gets smaller. We won’t give up, and we will find you.”