A 54-year-old woman found dead inside a home in York’s Oakwood-Vaughan neighbourhood earlier this week has been identified as the victim of a homicide, Toronto police say.

Police found the woman dead inside the house on Atlas Avenue near St. Clair Avenue West after being called for a wellness check on Monday. A coroner later attended the scene and deemed her death to be suspicious, police said in a Thursday news release identifying the woman as Giulia Matthews, 54, who neighbours said lived at the two-storey red brick house.

Her death is Toronto’s fifth homicide of 2020, police said, announcing they had made an arrest in the case.

Thursday afternoon, a forensics van could be seen parked nearby as workers in hazmat suits and blue face masks carried out paper bags from the home, still blocked off with police tape.

Shocked neighbours were left wondering what had happened inside.

“I am so sorry,” said neighbour Carmen Sillato, who has lived on the quiet residential street for 23 years.

“They are very nice people, I am so moved.”

Sillato said she saw police tape around the house on Monday, but had just heard about the murder on the news. There had never been any trouble there, she said.

“I always stopped and talked to the lady,” she said, calling the family who lived at the home, “such good neighbours.”

Anthony Westenberg, who lives across the street, called them a “wonderful” and “quiet but friendly” family, who sat out on their porch all summer.

“The whole street is left in sadness,” he said.

Dannis Koromilas, another neighbour, said police had canvassed people nearby, including him, Monday evening.

The house had been very quiet since late last year, he said. “I weep for her mother, you’re not supposed to bury your children.”

On Thursday, Toronto police said a boy has been arrested in the case and charged with second-degree murder.

He cannot be identified under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Including Matthews, two men, two women and a boy have been killed in Toronto so far this year. They are:

Ahmed Yakot, 21, was shot near River and Oak streets in Regent Park at 10:30 p.m on Jan. 1. He died the next day in hospital.

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Paul Anthony DeSouza, 25, was shot in a residence at 367 Military Trail in Scarborough around 2 a.m. on Jan. 11 and was pronounced dead at hospital.

Maryna Kudzianiuk, 49, was found seriously injured in an apartment building at 25 Bay Mills Boulevard, near Sheppard Avenue East and Warden Avenue, after a fire at 3 a.m. on Jan. 13. She was pronounced dead at hospital.

Safiullah Khosrawi, a 15-year-old Woburn C.I. student, was shot at Markham and Ellesmere Roads on Jan. 20. He died in hospital. Police said he “was completely innocent.” Another 15-year-old Woburn student has been charged with second-degree murder.

Giulia Matthews, 54.