Date: Wednesday, 15 August 2018
Adonay Zekarias was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison with no chance of parole for 20 years after being convicted in April of the second-degree murder of Rigat Ghirmay.
But before Zekarias can apply for parole in that case, Justice Michael Brown told him he must finish serving at least 25 years for the first-degree murder of Nighisti Semret, a mother of three who he fatally stabbed in a Cabbagetown laneway in October 2012 as she walked home from work.
"I didn't imagine that I would be here today seeing the accused getting a sentence of 45 years," said retired Toronto Det. Const. Sue Cieslik.
She wept and hugged the Crown after the hearing adjourned.
"At that time, my biggest concern was am I going be able to identify this victim cause I had no head, no hands, and the usual course of action is fingerprints," Cieslik said.
"I never thought we'd be able to move forward and see this day."
Zekarias sat with his head down in the prisoners box as he learned his fate. He did not address the court before being led away in handcuffs.
This is a very tragic case," said Crown Attorney Mary Humphrey.
"Two innocent, hard working women who came from Eritrea to Canada for a better life were both murdered by a fellow countryman," she said.
"After they both helped Adonay Zekarias, he brutally murdered both of them within a seven-month period. This was the ultimate betrayal ... We hope that this substantial sentence gives the family of the victims some comfort to know that justice was served today."
Justice Brown reviewed the gruesome details of Ghirmay's murder during the hearing,
The court heard Zekarias killed Ghirmay in her Shuter Street apartment in May 2013, and then dismembered her body in a bathtub leaving her remains in various locations across the city. Some of her body parts were found in a duffel bag in Toronto's west end. Other parts were never found.
Brown said ending the life of a human being and disposing of the body the way Zekarias did, is "horrifying."
The judge reread the victim impact statement sent by Ghirmay's brother Tesfay Ghirmai in Eritrea. Brown told the court it was a "poignant reminder" of the family's loss.
The crown believes Zekarias's motive for Ghirmay's murder was to prevent her from going to police after she found out he had murdered Semret just months before..
Brown said the aggravating factors in the case include Zekarias's attempt to cover up his crime by dismembering and disposing of Ghirmay's body, and trying to "subvert the course of justice for his own self preservation."
The judge also said Zekarias killed the 28-year-old woman in the sanctity of her own home and has yet to express remorse.
"The system works … This man will never be able to take an innocent life again," said Cieslik.
"We were all impacted by it. It was such a horrific case and it's something that you would see in horror stories, not something that you would actually think you would be a part of in real life."
Zekarias is a refugee who grew up in Eritrea. He has a history of post traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety. His defence lawyer Craig Zeeh submitted this written statement to CBC Toronto:
"We are disappointed with the result of today's sentencing hearing. By setting his parole ineligibility at 20 years to be served consecutively, Mr. Zekarias will be 86 years old when he is first eligible for parole. We will carefully review His Honour's ruling to determine how to proceed."
Cieslik said the sentence was absolutely warranted.
"Not only was this man capable of taking the lives of two innocent women," she said, "but he had the mindset to be able to dismember someone who he knew personally, and had done nothing but help him.
