Homicide investigators have arrested a 70-year-old man in connection with the death of a woman who was found near a Toronto community centre.

Shou Quan Chen of Toronto was charged with second-degree murder in the death of 65-year-old Xian Xu Liu.

Liu was found dead, with severe injuries to her face, Wednesday morning, near Wallace Emerson Community Centre.

Police were in the neighbourhood on Thursday, waiting on a search warrant of Chen's home on Davenport Road, when Det. Paul Worden of the homicide squad ran into him by chance.

"I had a sore throat and I needed some cough drops," Worden told CBC News. "We happened to cross paths as I was walking ... so I arrested him."

"It all happened very quick," he added.

Police allege Chen approached Liu while she was walking near the community centre on Wednesday morning. They spoke for several minutes, after which he assaulted her and she fell to the ground, police say.

Her family came to the scene later, looking for her after she failed to return from her daily walk. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police had deemed Liu's death a homicide after watching surveillance-camera video from the community centre. They are still trying to establish a connection between the suspect and the victim.

Chen is due to appear in court at Old City Hall on Friday morning.