Remember the 8: Dean “Laser” Lisowick

Among the eight men whose lives were taken between 2010 and 2017, Dean “Laser” Lisowick stands as one of the most poignant reminders of how easily vulnerable lives can slip through the cracks of society. His story is not defined by tragedy alone, but by the humanity, resilience, and depth of a man whose life deserved far more recognition than he ever received.

“A life that mattered, even when the world didn’t always see him.”

A Life Too Often Overlooked

Dean was believed to be in his early forties when he was killed. He was also known affectionately and widely in the community as “Dean Laser Lisowick,” a nickname that captured his personality lively, unforgettable, sharp-witted, and full of presence even amid hardship.

Unlike the other victims, no missing-person report was ever filed when he disappeared. No alarms. No public alerts. No immediate search.

But Dean was not invisible not to those who truly knew him. He was human. He mattered. And he was a father, a part of his life that many never knew, but one that highlights the depth and complexity of the man behind the headlines.

A Survivor Navigating a Difficult World

Dean had experienced homelessness and often moved between shelters across Toronto. He had faced trauma, instability, and systems that repeatedly failed to give him the support he needed.

He had also worked as a sex worker, surviving in an environment where each day carries risk yet he pushed forward with a determination that many remember vividly.

Those who encountered him often recall:

• His humour

• His sharp energy

• His nickname “Laser,” which reflected his resilience and intensity

• His ability to keep going even when the world gave him little

His life was not one of ease, but of constant survival and that strength deserves recognition.

A Victim Who Should Never Have Been Forgotten

Investigators later determined that Dean was killed in April 2016. His remains were discovered at a Leaside property used by McArthur, revealing a tragedy made even more devastating by the silence surrounding his disappearance.

Dean did not vanish because no one cared he vanished because society didn’t look. He was a father, a friend, a community member, and a man with a nickname loved by many.

His absence went unnoticed not because he lacked value, but because the systems meant to protect him were never built with people like him in mind.

What Dean “Laser” Lisowick Represents

His story forces a difficult reflection on:

• The vulnerability of people experiencing homelessness

• The lack of protection for those working in survival industries

• How marginalised individuals can disappear without immediate alarm

• How every person regardless of circumstance deserves safety, dignity, and visibility

• How being a father or a loved one does not protect someone from systemic neglect

Dean’s legacy reaches far beyond his final moments.

It challenges us to do better.

To see people.

To value them.

To fight for those who are overlooked.

Honouring Him Today

By remembering Dean “Laser” Lisowick, we restore something that was taken from him in life recognition, dignity, and presence.

We honour:

• His strength

• His identity

• His nickname that carried so much meaning

• His role as a father

• His humanity

We say his name because he deserved to be seen not only in death, but in life.

In Memory of

Dean “Laser” Lisowick (c. 1972 – 2016)

A survivor. A father. A man known by a name that lit up rooms and streets Laser. A life of resilience, struggle, and spirit. A life that will not be forgotten.