Man charged with murder in 2020 Toronto mosque stabbing found not criminally responsible
Guilherme “William” Von Neutegem, 34, is shown in this Facebook photo. (Facebook)
A man accused of killing a 58-year-old Muslim man outside a Toronto mosque has been found not criminally responsible in the case.
Guilherme (William) Von Neutegem had been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Mohamed-Aslim Zafis, who was stabbed outside the International Muslim Organization in west Toronto on Sept. 12, 2020.
The Ministry of the Attorney General said Von Neutegem was found not criminally responsible by an Ontario court on Friday.
Bebi Zafis, Mohamed-Aslim Zafis' only daughter, wrote in a victim impact statement that she's been profoundly affected by her father's death.
"I know that no punishment will ever be enough for what this man has done to my father," she wrote.
"There is no room in Canada for people who commit such violent acts and then questionably use mental health as their defence for what they have done."
Von Neutegem's case has been referred to the Ontario Review Board. The board decides if and how not criminally responsible patients should be detained.
Bebi Zafis described her father as a caring and loving parent who checked in on her daily.
"I am here today without the love and support of my father because he was murdered," she wrote. "He came forward to give me the love and support I desperately needed."
Zafis, who also lost her mother in a car accident months before her father's death, said she lives in constant fear and has been left "broken" by what happened.
Psychiatric reports filed with the court said Von Neutegem was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
One of the reports said he was suffering from schizophrenia when he carried out the attack, and up to two years prior, but he was not diagnosed or treated for the mental illness at the time.
Von Neutegem said he started hearing male voices around five months before his arrest giving him instructions from "higher dimensions" that it was time for him "to find someone to kill," one psychiatric report said.
Von Neutegem said he thought it was not generally fine to kill a person but felt he had to comply with the command because it was coming from "higher planes," the report said.
"It's not up to a person to decide who lives and dies ... it's up to the higher guiding of things, God or the universe," he was quoted saying in a report by Dr Alina Iosif, a forensic psychiatrist.
The Canadian Anti-Hate Network had alleged that Von Neutegem was linked with a neo-Nazi group after reviewing his social media accounts following the attack. But he rejected any hate toward Muslims, according to the report.
"He indicated that he had 'basic knowledge' regarding Islam but no feelings of animosity against it," Iosif wrote.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 29, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Special rapporteur Johnston rejects call to 'step aside' after majority of MPs vote for him to resign
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's efforts to assure Canadians that his government is adequately addressing the threat of foreign interference took a hit on Wednesday, when the majority of MPs in the House of Commons voted for special rapporteur David Johnston to 'step aside,' a call Johnston quickly rejected.
UPDATED
UPDATED | 'I heard a cracking noise': 16 children, 1 adult injured in platform collapse at Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar
Seventeen people – most of whom are young students – were hospitalized after a falling from a height during a field trip at Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar. However, many of the children are now being discharged and sent home, according to an update from the hospital.
Engaged couple shot dead days before moving out of house near Hamilton
An engaged couple was shot dead while fleeing their landlord near Hamilton just days before they were scheduled to move out of their apartment.
Federal Court of Appeal: Canada not constitutionally obligated to bring home suspected ISIS fighters
The Government of Canada has won its appeal and will not be legally forced to repatriate four Canadian men from prisons in Northeast Syria.
Canadian consumer debt hits all-time high, reaching $2.32 trillion in Q1 2023: TransUnion
Amid interest rate hikes and high inflation, more Canadians are turning to credit for relief, with consumer debt hitting a new record in the first quarter of 2023.
House moving to midnight sittings as Liberals blame Conservatives for stalling agenda
It's that time of year again where MPs will be sitting until midnight until the House rises in late June, as the federal government pushes to pass as many bills as it can before the summer legislative hiatus. On Wednesday, Government House Leader Mark Holland announced that the Commons will be working late 'every single night … from here until the finish.'
Medication shortage in Canada led to increased dosing errors in children, new study shows
A new study has found that dosing errors in children increased during the Canada-wide shortage of paediatric fever and pain medication last year.
What you may not have known about bladder cancer
Although bladder cancer is the fifth most common cancer in Canada, experts say there’s a significant lack of awareness surrounding whom it affects the most — statistically, men — and that the most common risk factor is smoking.
Canada is first to require health warnings printed on individual cigarettes
Canada will soon require health warnings to be printed directly on individual cigarettes, making it the first country to implement this kind of measure aimed at reducing tobacco usage.
Montreal
-
'It doesn't feel human': Six Quebecers file legal challenge against Bill 96
One year less a day after Quebec's Bill 96 came into force, a new legal challenge was filed Wednesday at the Montreal courthouse on behalf of six people.
-
HEAT WAVE
HEAT WAVE | Here's how you can identify heat stroke and prevent serious symptoms
Some communities in Quebec are expected to get record-high temperatures and Environment Canada has issued several weather warnings and watches for heat. Dr. Christopher Labos spoke to CTV News anchor Mutsumi Takahashi about heat and sunstroke and tips for preventing serious consequences in the sun.
-
Quebec judge calls out 'shocking' state failure after man slays spouse in psychotic delirium
Louise Avon, brutally murdered on March 31, 2022 in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts by her husband in the throes of a crack-induced psychotic delirium, might still be alive if Quebec hadn't "failed miserably in its role of protecting the public."
London
-
Minivan careens through entrance of florist shop in west London, Ont.
No injuries were reported after a minivan careened through the front entrance of a florist shop in the west end of the city early Wednesday afternoon.
-
‘Everything is going up but your wages remain the same’: Nonprofits struggling to hire and retain workers
Data collected from the regional EmployerOne Survey in January of this year showed that nonprofits have found it difficult to hire and retain qualified workers.
-
OMA says primary care is in crisis
According to the Ontario Medical Association, 2.2 million Ontarians are without a family doctor.
Kitchener
-
BREAKING
BREAKING | Emergency crews respond to fire in Kitchener
Around six fire trucks, including an aerial truck, were on scene at a fire on Green Valley Drive in Kitchener on Wednesday afternoon after a fire that impacted multiple townhomes.
-
Local fairs and festivals struggling due to lack of volunteers
Several local fairs and festivals are calling off their upcoming events due to a lack of volunteers. Meanwhile one festival is thriving.
-
'Thank God my kids were not outside': Driver charged after car crashes through 3 Kitchener, Ont. backyards
A 72-year-old from Kitchener has been charged with careless driving after a vehicle careened off Highland Road West and smashed through the backyards of three homes on Ralgreen Crescent on Tuesday afternoon.
Northern Ontario
-
3 girls now charged in assault, kidnapping investigation in Huntsville
Huntsville OPP has charged a third girl in connection to an alleged assault captured on video at a local high school and shared on social media earlier this month.
-
Northern Ont. town on the brink of evacuation as out-of-control wildfire grows
Forest fires in northern Ontario are on the rise, with the largest in the region shutting down a critical highway for the people of Hornepayne for a bit and bringing the community to the brink of evacuation.
-
'Mortifying': Toronto woman says restaurant shamed her for ordering too much food
A Toronto woman says she was shamed for the size of her order at a sushi restaurant north of the city in a scathing review posted to social media that’s been viewed more than 1.4 million times.
Ottawa
-
Ottawa man facing charges in double homicide of Mississauga teens in Pembroke, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police have arrested a 21-year-old man from Ottawa in connection with the shooting deaths of two teens from Mississauga in Pembroke, Ont. A third teenager, also from Mississauga, was injured.
-
Crown seeks significant sentence for OPP officer convicted of sexual assault
At a sentencing hearing in Brockville Wednesday, the Crown argued an 'exemplary sentence' was warranted for the OPP officer convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman and videotaping it.
-
Special rapporteur Johnston rejects call to 'step aside' after majority of MPs vote for him to resign
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's efforts to assure Canadians that his government is adequately addressing the threat of foreign interference took a hit on Wednesday, when the majority of MPs in the House of Commons voted for special rapporteur David Johnston to 'step aside,' a call Johnston quickly rejected.
Windsor
-
'Don’t take your foot off the gas' Windsor mayor says Stellantis deal isn’t done until it’s done
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens says reports a deal has been reached to secure the NextStar Energy EV battery plant in the city has him “cautiously optimistic that we’re tracking closer to a solution” – but says don’t get comfortable until it’s confirmed.
-
BREAKING
BREAKING | Tentative deal with Stellantis reportedly reached to save Windsor EV battery plant
A tentative deal has been reached to secure the Stellantis-LG battery plant slated for Windsor, according to reports.
-
Pilot project capturing downtown Windsor activity
There are a lot of cameras in the downtown area with Windsor police having leaned on many for footage to assist their investigations.
Barrie
-
Georgian Bay man faces sentencing for deadly impaired driving crash on Hwy 12
A sentencing hearing got underway for the 71-year-old Georgian Bay man convicted of driving impaired and causing a collision on Highway 12 in 2020 that claimed the life of a 77-year-old Midland man.
-
One person airlifted after crash on Hwy 89 involving scooter and truck
One person has been airlifted following a collision involving a scooter and truck near Shelburne.
-
3 girls now charged in assault, kidnapping investigation in Huntsville
Huntsville OPP has charged a third girl in connection to an alleged assault captured on video at a local high school and shared on social media earlier this month.
Atlantic
-
N.S. premier asks for ugent help from federal government as wildfires continue to burn out of control
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is asking for urgent help as wildfires continue to burn out of control in his province.
-
Roofers hailed as heroes for alerting neighbours to Tantallon-area fire
A Halifax roofing crew is being hailed as heroes for their actions Sunday, after springing into action and alerting neighbours when they spotted smoke and then a fast-moving wildfire in Upper Tantallon, N.S.
-
Shelburne County wildfire remains out of control, further evacuation recommended
A wildfire in Nova Scotia’s Shelburne County is still out of control and prompting recommended evacuations.
Calgary
-
Sentencing arguments in hit-and-run death of Calgary police officer to be rescheduled
Sentencing arguments in hit-and-run death of Calgary police officer to be rescheduled
-
UPDATED
UPDATED | 'I heard a cracking noise': 16 children, 1 adult injured in platform collapse at Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar
Seventeen people – most of whom are young students – were hospitalized after a falling from a height during a field trip at Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar. However, many of the children are now being discharged and sent home, according to an update from the hospital.
-
Calgary-based biosand filter organization celebrating 30 years of providing clean water
The Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST) has 1.7 million of its biosand filters in communities all over the world.
Winnipeg
-
UPDATED
UPDATED | 'I heard a cracking noise': 16 children, 1 adult injured in platform collapse at Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar
Seventeen people – most of whom are young students – were hospitalized after a falling from a height during a field trip at Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar. However, many of the children are now being discharged and sent home, according to an update from the hospital.
-
Health Canada warning about life-threatening risks of water beads
Canadians are being warned about the potentially life-threatening risk of water beads for young children.
-
Winnipeg police issue warning about unknown man in high school girls' washroom
Police are on the lookout for an unknown man who entered a girls' washroom at a Winnipeg high school and confronted students earlier this week.
Vancouver
-
B.C. court sentences woman's stalker to 66 months in prison for 11 crimes
A B.C. man who stalked a woman he became "obsessed with" was convicted of 11 crimes including criminal harassment, attempted break-and-enter and "serial breaches" of no-contact conditions, according to a recently published judgment.
-
Vancouver man, 34, dies in hospital days after apartment fire
A 34-year-old man that was seriously injured in a fire that broke out in a Vancouver apartment earlier this week has died, officials confirmed Wednesday.
-
'Had I stayed at Surrey, my baby would have died': New mother details harrowing child birth
More horror stories are emerging from Surrey Memorial Hospital, as a series of public letters written by frontline staff continue to highlight the perils of staff shortages.
Edmonton
-
Smith urged to work with elected Edmontonians after promising 'council' of defeated UCP candidates
Alberta's re-elected premier says she plans to form a "council" of UCP candidates who lost in Monday's election to advise her on Edmonton issues, something her opponent made fun of Wednesday.
-
'It was panic, chaos': Hundreds of northern Alberta residents flee growing wildfire
The wildfire, believed to have been caused by lightning, grew from 300 hectares on Sunday to 8,600 by Wednesday afternoon.
-
Man who attacked Edmonton mom in front of her kids has sentence reduced by 5 years
A man who slammed an Edmonton mother to the ground and strangled her outside of a downtown daycare in 2021 has had his nine-year prison sentence reduced to four years.