Hamilton man charged with murder after man stabbed at Good Shepherd shelter dies, police say

A Hamilton man who was stabbed in the chest at the Good Shepherd men's shelter last week has died, police say, and the man arrested for his attack has now been charged with murder.

Police say they were called to the shelter on Mary Street in the evening of Jan. 2 where they found Venanzio (Vinny) Tirabassi, 47, with a stab wound in his chest. Fredeman Renderos, 53, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault.

They say he was taken to hospital where he was put on life support. On Wednesday, police say Tirabassi died on Jan. 7. The charge against Renderos is now second degree murder.

Police said, in a news release issued on Wednesday, that the two men were living in the same dorm "and there were no previously reported issues between them."

Officers are still investigating and continue to speak with witnesses.

Police say Tirabassi is the city's first homicide victim of 2025. There were 10 homicides in 2024, down from 11 in 2023 and up from just five in 2022. Homicides in the city continue to decline from a record high in 2021 of 20.