Newmarket table tennis coach Jianfei Sun, who was charged with sexual assault last week, has died.
York Regional Police learned from Durham Regional Police that he is deceased, Const. Maniva Armstrong confirmed.
When a suspect or accused person dies when a case is still before the court, the charges are stayed, she said. This means they cannot move forward as there is no way to have a fair trial and the charges against him cannot be proven in court.
"As a police service, when we have somebody before the court that dies, we have to close the investigation and it is marked off that the individual was deceased," she said.
This means police also cannot move forward with charges stemming from any potential additional victims that come forward, as investigators had originally appealed for when the charges were announced Feb. 14.
Durham Regional Police would not provide any information about Jianfei Sun's death.
However, on Feb. 16, Durham Regional Police reported that the body of a male had been located in the water near Pier Street and Centre Street in Scugog. No foul play is suspected.
Durham Police said it would not release any identifying information about the deceased.
The 38-year-old man was a Newmarket resident and table tennis coach. York Regional Police began investigating him on Feb. 11 after one of his students, a 13-year-old female, reported she had been assaulted.
He was charged with sexual assault, sexual interference under 16, and invitation to sexual touching, however as Armstrong said, the charges cannot proceed or be proven.
