The True Post (Web News) A jury in a Toronto court on Wednesday found a man and his wife guilty in the murder of their neighbor in the Liberty Village area.
The victim was 53-year-old filmmaker Riaz Habib.
The jury convicted 36-year-old Khoa Tran of second-degree murder, while his wife Isabella Nguyen was found guilty of accessory to murder and indecent assault.
Both suspects lived in the same townhouse complex where the deceased lived, located at 26 Western Battery Road. The court was told that on the night of June 6, 2023, screams were heard from the deceased’s apartment, while two days later, on June 8, his body was recovered from a garbage disposal machine in the building’s underground garage.
According to the prosecution, there was an argument between neighbors before the murder, which was said to have been caused by barbecue smoke reaching the victim’s apartment.
Accused Khoa Tran testified in court that he heard screams and sounds like someone falling down the stairs, but he did not realize at the time that a serious crime was taking place. He said he thought the victim might be under stress or busy shooting a movie scene.
The court was also told that the accused had not initially mentioned these voices during his conversation with the police, upon which the prosecution questioned him.
During the trial, the judge described the incident as extremely serious. The court has revoked the bail of both and set the sentencing date for September 9, 2026.
Khoa Tran faces a life sentence in the case, with parole eligibility to be determined by the court, while the sentence for his wife could range from 18 months to 5 or 6 years.
