A New Brunswick family and a retired Toronto homicide detective breathed collective sighs of relief Friday after a would-be lawyer's arrest in the 19-month-old murder of his estranged husband.

Calling Allan Lanteigne's slaying "a domestic homicide," Det. Tam Bui announced that Demitry Papasitirou was arrested earlier in the day, with a warrant issued for "business associate" Mladen Ivezic, of Mississauga, Ont., who is believed to be in Europe.

"It's been a day of mixed emotions," Lanteigne's brother-in-law, Dan Sterritt, said. "When you lose someone to something so senseless and tragic as murder, it's difficult to comprehend."

Papasitirou, 32, and Ivezic, 52, face first-degree murder charges in the beating death of Lanteigne, 49.

The University of Toronto accounting clerk and much-heralded part-time caterer's body was found March 3, 2011 in an Ossington Ave.-Dupont St. area home that Papasitirou's aunt and uncle own.

The victim was there after splitting with his husband, who police believed was in Switzerland studying for a law doctorate, Bui told reporters.

Citing evidentiary issues, he declined to describe Ivezic's role in Lanteigne's death.

"Allan was a valued family member, who was the organizer of family reunions," Sterritt said. "He was also a favourite uncle to his nieces and nephews ... remembered by his older sisters as their baby brother."

Calling his death a "disgusting murder," he praised two-months-retired Det. Dan Nielsen for kindness and understanding given to the family.

The arrest "meant a lot to me," Nielsen said.
"This was a totally innocent guy. He was such a loss to the family, a very, very nice family," he said.

The wait for a major break in the case "was very frustrating to them."

"At least the family now has some sense of a positive director for the investigation," Nielsen said.

Papasitirou is to appear in court Saturday.