The trial takes place at the Superior Court of Justice, 361 University Ave. (Courtesy Creative Commons)
In the weeks leading up to the death of Ryerson student Carina Petrache, her boyfriend Farshad Badakhshan seemed “depressed and lonely,” a jury heard today.
The second week of the first-degree murder trial of 31-year-old Badakhshan began today. He is accused of murdering Petrache, 23, in July 2010 at a housing complex in Toronto’s Annex district.
Another tenant at 502 Huron St., Volodymyr Selivanov, took the stand for the final time today. Selivanov said that Badakhshan, known by the tenants as “Shawn,” was distant to others throughout 2010.
“I never met anyone who said they were Shawn’s friend,” he said.
Unmarked pill bottles were among the evidence Const. Det. John Smissen found in Badakhshan’s room in July 2010. Smissen took the stand yesterday because he investigated the housing complex on Huron street after most of it burned on July 2, 2010. He said an analysis showed that the bottle contained clonazepam, which is usually prescribed for epilepsy or panic disorders.
Smissen said he also found a kitchen knife covered in blood, a camera pointed at the bedroom door, and a separate, melted pill bottle.
The melted pill container contained traces of “volatile ignitable fluid,” Const. Det. Smissen said.
Badakhshan has pleaded not guilty and the defence contends that he is not criminally responsible due to a mental disorder.
The trial continues.
Ryersonian reporter. BJourn Graduate in 2014.
