Police are trying to figure who killed a Toronto man and put his body in a blue plastic barrel by the roadside in rural Milton.

Friends say the victim, Garfield Steele, was a gentle giant who was nicknamed G*KATT after the orange cartoon feline of the same name.

The 32-year-old man was last seen in Scarborough the evening of Nov. 3 and was reported missing a week later.

Toronto police said last week they were concerned for Steele’s safety. His car was reportedly found in the Bellamy Rd.-Eglinton Ave. E. area with several parking tickets on the windshield.

On Monday, Halton Regional Police found what they called a “suspicious article” along 20 Sideroad in the north end of Milton.

It was a barrel, just a metre off the roadway, which held the remains of Steele. Police are calling it a case of homicide.

Officers sealed off the scene, several kilometres southwest of Acton, and forensic officers continued to search for clues Tuesday.

Gary Grasser, a 69-year-old farmer, said four bodies have been found in the area in the past year. He said the barrel might not have looked out of place among junk in roadside ditches.

Sgt. Brian Carr of Halton police said an autopsy was being performed Tuesday at Hamilton General Hospital. Results were not immediately available.

Jennifer, a friend who asked that her last name not be published, described Steele as “a good friend, father, son and brother.” Although he wasn’t married, Steele had a daughter and remained close with the girl’s mother, she said.

Jennifer said Steele would talk with her for hours.

“I am a single mom and if I ever needed help he was always there for me,” Jennifer said. “In the summer he would buy all the kids in the ’hood ice cream.”

With files from Torstar News Service and Gloria Er-Chua