A man from Toronto has been found guilty of first-degree murder after shooting two strangers, according to a ruling made by an Ontario Superior Court judge on Monday.
Richard Edwin was arrested in April 2022 and faced charges for the deaths of Kartik Vasudev, who was 21, and Elijah Eleazar Mahepath, who was 35. The shootings occurred just two days apart, with both victims suffering multiple gunshot wounds as stated in court documents.
Edwin pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and argued that he should be deemed not criminally responsible due to a mental disorder during a trial that involved only a judge. The ruling noted that he was 40 years old at the time he killed Vasudev and Mahepath.
According to his court records, Edwin has had a schizophrenia diagnosis since 2010.
However, Superior Court Justice Jane Kelly expressed in her decision that she was “not satisfied” that a mental disorder made Edwin “incapable of knowing that his acts were morally wrong.”
“I am satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the murders of Mr. Vasudev and Mr. Mahepath were planned and deliberate,” her ruling stated.
Edwin shot Vasudev outside Sherbourne subway station on April 7, 2022. Two days later, he shot Mahepath near the intersection of Dundas Street and Sherbourne Street.
The judge determined that in both cases, Edwin recognized the “wrongfulness” of his actions. He also did numerous internet searches related to violence, including queries like “how to win a gun fight” and “organs that are vulnerable to bullets.”
“His conduct appeared rational, methodical, and organized,” the judge’s decision said.
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