Arrest follows lengthy OPP investigation into Elizabethtown-Kitley homicide
Ontario Provincial Police have charged a Smiths Falls man with first degree murder following a death investigation that began more than two years ago.
Officers from the Leeds County detachment were called to a home in the Toledo area on July 31, 2023, just after 7 a.m. When they arrived, they found 66-year-old Giles Dagenais dead inside the residence.
After what police described as an extensive and lengthy investigation, Ronald Gough, 58, of Smiths Falls, was arrested on Nov. 6, 2025. He is charged with first degree murder under section 231 of the Criminal Code.
Gough was remanded into custody following a bail hearing. He is scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Brockville on Nov. 25.
Detective Inspector Jocelyn Sauve of the Criminal Investigation Branch said investigators pursued every lead.
“The investigative team showed outstanding dedication and determination in pursuing every lead to bring clarity to a case that has deeply affected the community,” she said. “The tireless efforts of the team, including our OPP support units and the Smiths Falls Police Service, led to identifying and arresting an individual in connection with this tragic crime.
The case is being handled by the Leeds County OPP Crime Unit, under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch. The Smiths Falls Police Service assisted with the investigation, along with the Office of the Chief Coroner, the Forensic Pathology Service and OPP Forensic Identification Services.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Anonymous tips can be made through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or at ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
Sauve added, “We are sincerely grateful for the public’s support and the valuable information they provided throughout the investigation.”
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