‘In the blink of an eye’: Family grieves killing of ‘unbelievably talented’ former child actor
Friends and family are grieving 25-year-old former child actor Gabriel del Castillo Mullally, who was killed earlier this month in a shocking East Danforth hit-and-run that police have described as an allegedly intentional murder.“There really are no words to describe our pain and grief — what it feels like to be empty, hollow and cold — a nightmare existence that will never end,” Gabriel’s parents, screenwriter Guy Mullally and “Street Legal” actress Maria del Mar, told the Star. The night Gabriel was killed, he was celebrating finishing up a few university courses with friends, they said.“He was on Cloud 9,” Mullally said, describing how his son had worked hard to turn his life around and get back to university.According to the police account, Gabriel was killed on a sidewalk near Danforth and Cedarvale avenues shortly before 4 a.m. on Feb. 5.Gabriel had been at a “drinking establishment” when a suspect who had been talking to a group of young adults outside left to get in a dark-coloured SUV, police said. The suspect then allegedly drove into Gabriel as he was walking along the sidewalk, before fleeing the area. Gabriel later died in hospital.Four days later on Feb. 9, Ryan Andrews, a 24-year-old Toronto man, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.Gabriel was a second-year business law student at Toronto Metropolitan University and bartended on the side at the Toronto Hunt Club — where his funeral was held last Friday.As a child actor, Gabriel starred in the short “Tati” and the feature-length coming-of-age film “Amy George,” which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2011. “Gabriel was an amazing young man with his whole life ahead of him,” his parents said. “He was very bright, he was musically talented, he was generous and kind and hugely protective of those he loved.”Gabriel enjoyed music and math. His passion was to be a lawyer and eventually attend law school.Filmmaker Gail Harvey, who has worked with del Mar on several films, described Gabriel as “unbelievably talented and very smart,” and “a virtuoso when he played piano.”His death has hit the Toronto arts community hard. “We were crying a lot around here,” Harvey said. “He was a lovely human being.A Go Fund Me set up to support the family has raised more than $65,000.Police have not yet detailed an alleged motive for the killing.Police are asking anyone who may have been in the area at the time, who witnessed the incident, or have dash cam footage of the incident, to contact investigators. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7400, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com.Roveena Jassal is a Toronto-based general assignment reporter for the Star. Reach her via email: rjassal@thestar.ca
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Friends and family are grieving 25-year-old former child actor Gabriel del Castillo Mullally, who was killed earlier this month in a shocking East Danforth hit-and-run that police have described as an allegedly intentional murder.
“There really are no words to describe our pain and grief — what it feels like to be empty, hollow and cold — a nightmare existence that will never end,” Gabriel’s parents, screenwriter Guy Mullally and “Street Legal” actress Maria del Mar, told the Star.
The night Gabriel was killed, he was celebrating finishing up a few university courses with friends, they said.
“He was on Cloud 9,” Mullally said, describing how his son had worked hard to turn his life around and get back to university.
According to the police account, Gabriel was killed on a sidewalk near Danforth and Cedarvale avenues shortly before 4 a.m. on Feb. 5.
Gabriel had been at a “drinking establishment” when a suspect who had been talking to a group of young adults outside left to get in a dark-coloured SUV, police said. The suspect then allegedly drove into Gabriel as he was walking along the sidewalk, before fleeing the area. Gabriel later died in hospital.
Four days later on Feb. 9, Ryan Andrews, a 24-year-old Toronto man, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
Gabriel was a second-year business law student at Toronto Metropolitan University and bartended on the side at the Toronto Hunt Club — where his funeral was held last Friday.
As a child actor, Gabriel starred in the short “Tati” and the feature-length coming-of-age film “Amy George,” which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2011.
“Gabriel was an amazing young man with his whole life ahead of him,” his parents said. “He was very bright, he was musically talented, he was generous and kind and hugely protective of those he loved.”
Gabriel enjoyed music and math. His passion was to be a lawyer and eventually attend law school.
Filmmaker Gail Harvey, who has worked with del Mar on several films, described Gabriel as “unbelievably talented and very smart,” and “a virtuoso when he played piano.”
His death has hit the Toronto arts community hard. “We were crying a lot around here,” Harvey said. “He was a lovely human being.
A Go Fund Me set up to support the family has raised more than $65,000.
Police have not yet detailed an alleged motive for the killing.
Police are asking anyone who may have been in the area at the time, who witnessed the incident, or have dash cam footage of the incident, to contact investigators.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7400, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com.
Roveena Jassal is a Toronto-based general assignment reporter for the Star. Reach her via email: rjassal@thestar.ca
