Roommate testifies at trial for couple charged with killing neighbour over BBQ smoke - BERITAJA

A friend of a Liberty Village mates connected proceedings for sidesplitting their upstairs neighbour complete a barbecue conflict about 3 years agone testified that 2 days earlier a assemblage was discovered successful a garbage compactor, she heard personification screaming for help.

On June 8, 2023, the assemblage of 53-year-old filmmaker Rayeez Habib was recovered successful the garbage room successful the underground parkade of the condo complex. Khoa Tran is charged pinch second-degree murder. Quynh (Isabelle) Nguyen, Tran’s wife, is charged pinch accessory aft the truth and doing an indignity to a body.

Hua explained she was visiting from Vietnam and had been sleeping connected a mattress successful the surviving room of the condo.  On the nighttime of June 6, 2023, Hua said Tran suggested she slumber pinch his woman successful the couple’s chamber because Tran was moving successful the surviving room.

Hua testified she was awakened successful the mediate of the nighttime by the sound of large footsteps, what sounded for illustration personification chasing personification other and furnishings being moved aliases dragged, past personification yelling, “Help, help, help.”

She said she didn’t cognize wherever Tran was and asked Nguyen if she heard the noise, but testified her friend told her to “go backmost to sleep, possibly they’re conscionable filming aliases something.”

Hua said aft constabulary came by Tran and Nguyen’s portion connected June 9 to inquire if they had accusation about Habib who had been reported missing, she and the mates had a chat about not speaking to police.

“They told maine not to opportunity thing to the police. I person the correct to stay silent, but if they unit maine to reply the questions, I should opportunity that each 3 of america were sleeping successful the chamber that night,” Hua  explained, referring to the nighttime of June 6th erstwhile she heard the screams.

Hua testified she had nary prime but to work together to their petition because she had obscurity other to go. Hua had nary different friends aliases family successful Toronto. She said she yet moved retired of the condo astatine the extremity of June because she didn’t consciousness comfortable staying location and her leader astatine the edifice wherever she worked was worried about her.

When she moved out, Hua explained it was only Nguyen surviving successful the Liberty Village condo because Tran had been arrested. She said she later agreed to speak to constabulary aft they contacted her contempt the truth Nguyen continued to inquire her to stay silent.

A bid of messages from Facebook Messenger betwixt Nguyen and Hua were presented, successful which Nguyen many times reminds her not to talk to police.

In 1 connection from July 3, 2023, Nguyen writes, “please committedness maine not to talk about Khoa’s case. You must beryllium silent and petition to speak to a lawyer first. If you don’t do that, we are astatine risk. I repetition that complete and complete again because that’s the only measurement you could protect yourself.”

Hua explained to Tenhouse that she was frightened about being arrested contempt the truth she had thing to do pinch Habib’s death.

In different message, Nguyen asks Hua, if possible, to grounds her telephone telephone pinch constabulary if they telephone her, truthful she “relate it to her lawyer”.

When Tenhouse asked what she thought Tran had been arrested for, Hua said she didn’t cognize but Nguyen told her that the constabulary had arrested the incorrect personification and feared she, too, mightiness person been arrested.

Hua besides said she witnessed an statement betwixt Habib and Tran connected May 20, 2023. It happened while she and Tran were retired barbecuing connected the patio straight beneath Habib’s unit.

Hua recalled that Habib came downstairs and had immoderate words pinch Tran regarding moving the BBQ distant from the doorway earlier Habib turned distant and slammed his doorway hard. She only knew it had to do pinch the fume from the barbecue and that Habib seemed angry.

She testified later successful the time that she saw Tran and Habib stepping done the analyzable together.

Tran’s lawyer, Liam O’Connor, suggested to Hua that the logic the men were speaking is because Tran fto everything calm down earlier he went complete and rang the doorbell to spot if he could speak to Habib.

“Khoa tried to sound connected the doorway to talk to him but he (Habib) didn’t spell down,” Hua replied, saying she wasn’t judge really they sewage successful touch.

Tran and Nguyen person pleaded not guilty.

The cross-examination continues Friday.