Candlewood Drive Double Murder Manhunt: Court Order Lifts YCJA Ban as Police Search for 15-Year-Old Rahziel Martin
HAMILTON — In an extraordinary judicial intervention, the Hamilton Police Service Homicide Unit has secured a emergency court order lifting Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) publication restrictions to unseal the identity and photograph of 15-year-old Rahziel Martin, wanted on six federal indictments in a pre-dawn double homicide.
The fugitive is wanted on two counts of Second-Degree Murder and four counts of Attempted Murder Using a Firearm following an intense retaliatory gunbattle outside a Stoney Creek residential complex. Major Crime detectives warn that Martin is actively evading law enforcement across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).
The Candlewood Drive Retaliatory Execution
The double homicide erupted at 2:25 a.m. on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, when an armed hit squad of at least six individuals converged on a home at 191 Candlewood Drive near Upper Centennial Parkway. An intense exchange of gunfire left 18-year-old Abdulmalek Shibli and 16-year-old Afef Binafif fatally wounded on the pavement.
Lead Investigator Det.-Sgt. Mike Ebert confirmed that Martin was a primary shooter involved in the firefight, which police believe was a retaliatory strike following a midnight bear-spray altercation near Barton Street East. Forensic teams recovered multiple ballistic casings indicating high-capacity firearms were deployed.
Fugitive & Indictment Dossier
- The Accused: Rahziel Martin, 15, of Hamilton (Wanted Canada-wide).
- The Charges: 2 counts of Second-Degree Murder, 4 counts of Attempted Murder Using a Firearm.
- The Slain Victims: Abdulmalek Shibli (18) and Afef Binafif (16).
- Judicial Status: YCJA publication order active until August 4 at 11:59 a.m. or upon arrest.
Hamilton Homicide Bureau Case Log
Judicial Deadline & Harbouring Warning
Under the terms of the court order, law enforcement is permitted to broadcast Martin’s identity until August 4, 2026, at 11:59 a.m., or until his capture. Major Crime detectives issued a stark directive that anyone knowingly harbouring Martin or aiding his flight will be hit with Accessory After the Fact to Murder charges.
Primary Wire Sources
- Hamilton Police Service Official Media Release (Published July 31, 2026).
- CP24 Breaking News: “15-year-old boy wanted on second-degree murder charges in fatal Hamilton shooting” (Published July 31, 2026).
- InSauga Regional Crime Bureau: “Boy, 15, wanted for double-murder shooting that left 2 teens dead in Hamilton” (Published July 31, 2026).