An accused killer is now admitting that he pulled the trigger in a double shooting in Hamilton three years ago. A lawyer for Oliver Karafa made the admission in court Tuesday in the final stages of the murder trial of Karafa and his wife Lucy Li.
Oliver Karafa and Lucy Li are both charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder in the shooting in Stoney Creek in February 2021.
Their lawyers presented final arguments in the trial, with Karafa’s lawyer Peter Zaduk saying, “we do not dispute in any way that he pulled the trigger on the gun that shot Tyler Pratt and Jordyn Romano.”
Pratt was killed. His girlfriend Jordyn Romano was shot in the heart. She survived but lost her unborn baby.
The lawyer said the jury has to decide whether Karafa committed first-degree or second-degree murder of Pratt, and whether he intended to murder Romano.
He said the verdict should be second-degree murder, “in the absence of an actual plan to kill” the victims.
Second-degree could mean earlier parole from a life sentence in prison.
Karafa’s lawyer says the events that happened on Arvin Avenue were in the context of chaos and panic, not the kind of planning and deliberation that would make this first-degree murder.
The court has heard the murder victim, Pratt, was a dangerous criminal who wanted Karafa to pay back money from a business deal.
Zaduk said evidence adds up to “more than a reasonable doubt” in favour of Karafa.
For instance, why did he say “get out of here Jo” to Romano if he intended to murder her.
And after shooting her, “why leave Jordyn alive? If the plan was to kill her all along why not finish her off?”
Zaduk also accused Li and her lawyer of “trying to demonize Karafa.”
For his part, Lucy Li’s lawyer Liam O’Connor said Li is “a flawed individual, full of moral failings.”
But he said “she is not someone who murders people or assists in murdering people.”
And she is “one of the many victims in this case,” betrayed by her husband Karafa.
He said Karafa is “the guy who takes her to a murder, takes his wife to a murder, a murder he knew obviously he was going to commit.”
He said Li told the truth to investigators. For example, insisted on finding elevator video from the day of the shooting.
O’Connor said it shows Li searching a cell phone, he says the authorities twisted it to indicate Li was hiding and is guilty.
Li’s lawyer also accused Karafa’s lawyer of trying to make Li look like a liar.
The crown is expected to deliver final closing arguments Wednesday morning.