Community mourns former firefighter as police search for killer

Niagara police have obtained a Canada-wide warrant for a man accused of second-degree murder in the death of 82-year-old Larry Pearce.

As the search for the suspect continues, St. Catharines fire services are remembering Pearce as a hard working former firefighter, and a loving friend.

“I don’t think this guy, whoever did this, actually knows how many people he hurt,” said Al Jones, a retired chief of St. Catharines Fire & Emergency Services.

Jones remembers his colleague and friend Larry Pearce saying, “he was an excellent firefighter, pump operator, aerial operator – all the rest.”

“And he wasn’t afraid to get into anything, if something was going on, he was there,” said Jones.

Even after retirement, Jones stayed close with Pearce – spending time with him at the park where he would eventually be killed.

“I used to go to Charles Daley Park and have a coffee with him every now and then,” said Jones. “He was down there pretty well every morning.”

It was at Charles Daley Park a week ago when police say Pearce was going about his usual routine.

“He parked there as he normally would just to take in some of the sights at the lake,” said Acting Insp. Andrew Knevel with Niagara Regional Police Services.

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Niagara police identified someone who was at the park during the time of the incident, and then announced Wednesday that that same person is wanted for second degree murder.

“We believe at the same time Mr. Davy Rocchetti, who we ultimately identified through our investigation, was also present at the park,” said Knevel.

Police say 50-year-old Rocchetti was asking people in the park for a ride.

When Pearce was leaving the park, police say he left his vehicle to throw out some trash.

That’s when they allege Rocchetti got behind the wheel of Pearce’s car.

“Mr. Pearce attempted to stop Mr. Rocchetti from leaving, at which time Mr. Rocchetti purposely struck Mr. Pearce,” said Knevel.

Pearce died later in hospital.

“We’re gonna miss him a lot – he has two daughters, they’re the same age as my kids, they grew up together,” said Jones, “they would like to just remember him as ‘Larry being a good guy, very calm, very peaceful’.”

“This incident has really touched and affected our community deeply and being part of emergency services, it touched us all to an even deeper level,” said Knevel.

Police say Rocchetti was last seen driving Pearce’s silver Honda CRV in the 1900 block Mississauga’s Dundas St. West.

The vehicle is distinctive with duct tape on the driver’s side front bumper and covering the entire back window.

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