'I truly and deeply apologize' says Hamilton man guilty of stabbing Kitchener woman 47 times
CBC
The Hamilton, Ont., man found guilty of stabbing his former girlfriend to death in her Kitchener apartment in April 2017 apologized for his actions during his sentencing hearing Thursday.
Melinda Vasilije, 22, died after she was stabbed 47 times by Ager Hasan, including 27 times to the neck and six to her chest.
After he stabbed Vasilije, Hasan did not call for help. Instead he left her apartment and crossed the border into the U.S. within hours. He remained in the U.S. for more than two months before he was arrested in Texas.
In court on Thursday, the 30-year-old Hasan wore a black hoodie, black pants and leg shackles as he stood before Justice Gerry Taylor.
"I genuinely, from the bottom of my heart, apologize," Hasan said in a clear voice, reading from a prepared statement. "There are zero excuses for taking one's life."
Hasan never denied during the trial that he stabbed Vasilije, but he claimed it happened after the two had argued. Hasan testified he blacked out during the argument and only when he came back to his senses did he realize he had stabbed Vasilije.
A jury found Hasan guilty of second-degree murder, which carries an automatic life sentence with parole eligibility of between 10 to 25 years.
The Crown asked for Hasan to not be eligible for parole for 18 years.
Defence lawyer Scott Reid asked the judge to allow Hasan to apply for parole after 14 to 15 years.
Hasan has been in custody since his arrest in July 2017.
On Wednesday, the court heard victim impact statements from Vasilije's family and friends. Her mother, Anna Todorovic, said Vasilije wanted to marry and have a family.
"I'll never get to hold her babies," Todorovic said. "The day she died, I was destroyed."
On Thursday, Hasan said Vasilije "should be alive right now and "she should be having kids of her own."
He added he knows it makes "little sense" to ask for forgiveness.
This First Person column is the experience of Shannon Flaman, who lives in Red Deer, Alta. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ.
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