Two people have been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Masood Masjoody, a former instructor at Simon Fraser University and an outspoken critic of the Islamic Republic, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) said.
The charges were laid Friday against Mehdi Ahmadzadeh Razavi, 48, of Maple Ridge, and Arezou Soltani, 45, of North Vancouver. Both are accused in the killing of Masjoody, 45, who was reported missing last month.
Masjoody was first reported missing on February 2. According to the Canadian police, Burnaby Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) began investigating after neighbors raised concerns about his sudden disappearance. Officers soon determined that the circumstances were unusual and suggested possible criminal activity.
The case was later transferred to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT), which worked alongside Burnaby RCMP and several specialized units as the investigation expanded.
On March 6, investigators located Masjoody’s remains in Mission, British Columbia.
Authorities say the victim and the two accused were known to each other, though the motive for the killing has not yet been determined.
Social media posts indicate Masjoody had a history of activism related to events in Iran. IHIT spokesperson Sgt. Freda Fong said last month that investigators were examining whether his disappearance could be connected to that activism.
Masjoody was known for his online presence and commentary on Iranian politics. Members of the Iranian-Canadian community say he had spoken out against individuals he believed were linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Masjoody made allegations about individuals he believed had ties to Iranian security institutions. In online posts, he alleged that Colonel Alireza Soltani — the incumbent IRGC commander in the Maku Free Trade Zone in northwestern Iran — is the uncle of one of the accused, Arezou Soltani.
He also alleged that her father, Ataollah Soltani, is a retired member of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Committees and previously served as commander of a committee outpost in the village of Khalakhaleh in Maku County.
Those claims have not been independently verified by investigators, and police have not indicated whether they are connected to the homicide investigation.
Police say further details about the case will be provided during a media update scheduled for Saturday afternoon in British Columbia.
“We understand this case has impacted the Iranian community and has generated widespread concern and public interest,” Fong said in a news release.
“While the motive is still under investigation, we can say the victim and two accused were known to each other.”
Shortly after his disappearance, Iranian-Canadian activist Nazanin Afshin-Jam posted to X that Masjoody had been “under threat for months” after attempting to expose alleged IRGC affiliates in Canada.
Masjoody was also known in academic circles as a mathematician who had previously worked as an instructor.
Investigators say the approval of first-degree murder charges marks a significant milestone in the case.
