The search for a prominent Markham realtor has come to a tragic end after police confirmed Thursday that they had discovered the remains of 56-year-old Yuk-Ying (Anita) Mui — and that they are treating her death as a homicide.

Police also said they have identified three youths, two from Toronto who are 16 and 17 years old and one from Whitby who is 17 years old, as persons of interest in her disappearance earlier this month. Authorities say they are still investigating whether the teenagers were involved in the woman’s death.

“We believe Ms. Mui was targeted and our homicide unit will continue the investigation until we find the individuals responsible,” York Regional Police Chief Jim MacSween told a news conference.

Mui’s disappearance has sparked significant speculation and questions in the community, and authorities were able to answer a few of them publicly Thursday. Police say they are still investigating why Mui could have been targeted, as well as trying to determine the precise date she died. Mui’s cause of death has not yet been confirmed, pending a report from the coroner’s office, police said.

She left her home near Baycliffe Road and Warden Avenue in Markham Aug. 9 around 9:30 a.m. — when she would typically leave for work, according to longtime colleague and friend Stephen Chow, president of Century 21 Atria Realty Inc. He said one of Mui’s two adult sons spoke to her around 11 a.m., but that they had no success reaching her after that.

Police found Mui’s vehicle, a white 2024 Mercedes-Benz SUV in the area of Finch Avenue East and Warden Avenue in a Scarborough parking lot the afternoon of the day she went missing.

Three days later, York police say, Ontario Provincial Police officers found the burned human remains in the area of Avro Arrow Road and Highway 400, in McDougall Township near Parry Sound, more than 220 kilometres from where she lived. Police said a person had called police to the area after noticing something suspicious. The remains were found “out in the open,” they added.

The Office of the Chief Coroner confirmed the remains were Mui’s Wednesday, police said.

Police said investigators are looking for a “vehicle of interest” described as a white 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter cargo van, which is said to have been similar to a vehicle Mui may have been transported in. It is unclear if Mui was still alive when she was transported in the van.

York Regional Police say human remains found in Parry Sound on Monday have been identified as those of 56-year-old Yuk-Ying (Anita) Mui.

York Regional police say human remains found in Parry Sound on Monday have been identified as those of 56-year-old Yuk-Ying (Anita) Mui.

During their investigation, York police found that the three youths were in possession of property belonging to Mui.

Police allege the youths had obtained and used Mui’s credit cards, believed to be used after her disappearance, at multiple locations in the Toronto area. Two of the youth have been released on bail while the third is awaiting a bail hearing, police said.

A 17-year-old male youth from Whitby is facing a slew of charges, including two counts of possession of property obtained by crime, two counts of fraud under $5,000, and numerous weapon charges, including possession of a restricted weapon, possession for a dangerous purpose and careless storage of a prohibited firearm. A 17-year-old male from Toronto faces three charges of fraud under $5,000, while a 16-year-old male from Toronto is accused of one count of fraud and failing to comply with conditions.

Reached by the Star on Thursday, a family member of Mui declined to comment, saying her sons are grieving as they just received the news a day ago.

Mui was a high-profile realtor in the Toronto area — her listings included luxury homes in Markham and North York, commercial units in plazas and malls and large-scale industrial properties priced at nearly $17 million.

Mui’s company, Century 21 Canada, said in a Facebook post that colleagues were “heartbroken” to learn of her death and are extending their condolences to the family.

“As we’ve waited for news over the past few weeks, we’ve seen an outpouring of support from all who knew her, showing how loved she was by her friends, coworkers and community,” the post read.

“She was an exemplary member of our network, and we join her loved ones in grieving this terrible loss.”

She was also known as a mover and shaker in the Chinese-Canadian business community. She had been pictured at numerous fundraisers and galas over the years, at times standing shoulder to shoulder with MPs, Ontario ministers and mayors. She was identified in social media posts as president of the Toronto Paragon Lions Club in 2017.

On her Instagram page, she posted that she had been recognized as one of the top 10 Century 21 realtors in Canada and in the top one per cent at her firm, Century 21 Atria.

While Mui was a distinguished realtor and actively involved in the Chinese-Canadian community, several people who spoke to the Star said they had known Mui for more than a decade, but knew little about her family or personal life.

York Regional Police have provided an image of a ‘vehicle of interest’ that police believe 56-year-old Yuk-Ying Anita Mui from Markham was transported in.

Sunny Song, Mui’s colleague at Century 21 Atria, said on Thursday she was in complete shock when Mui went missing weeks ago.

The day before, she said the pair had attended a real estate event celebrating the top agents in Canada — Mui being among them. Now, as Song grapples with the news about her death, she said she was remembering Mui as a passionate and dedicated colleague.

Alan Ho, a regional councillor in Markham, recalled knocking on her door more than a decade ago when he was campaigning for office. A male who answered the intercom system at the same address declined to speak to the Star on Thursday but thanked a person as they dropped off flowers.

Ho said he has known Mui since around 2006, having seen her at various community functions, and watched as her public profile grew over the years. He said Mui came across as a kind, compassionate person based on her making time to participate in community fundraisers in her role as a local Lions Club president, despite her busy career.

“It’s volunteer work, it’s time consuming. I respect her for all these kinds of things she had done for the community,” Ho said. “It’s very sad to everyone.”

Police believe Mui was at a large rural property on Vandorf Sideroad for a real-estate transaction on the day she went missing. It is presumed she disappeared from that property. York police previously searched the property with dogs, air support and members of its forensics team.

Police don’t believe Mui’s disappearance is linked to the abduction of Ying Zhang, another missing Markham woman whose remains were located about a week before Mui went missing. Both women were in their 50s and operated businesses in the area. Police have said they believe both women were transported in white cargo vans, but “there’s no evidence to suggest those two cases are linked.”

The investigation is ongoing and police urged any witnesses who may have seen or have footage of the vehicle of interest in the area of 3821 Vandorf Sideroad in Whitchurch-Stouffville or in Parry Sound between Aug. 9 to Aug. 12, to reach out. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Homicide Unit at 1-866-876-5423 ext. 7865.

Omar Mosleh is an Toronto-based reporter for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @OmarMosleh.

Asma Sahebzada is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star’s radio room in Toronto. Reach her via email: [email protected]

Calvi Leon is a Toronto-based general assignment reporter for the Star. Reach her via email: [email protected]