Man gets life in prison for 'monstrous' killing of Sri Lankan family
Febrio De-Zoysa, a 20-year-old Sri Lankan student, has been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal stabbing of six individuals, including a mother and her four young children, in Ottawa in March 2024. The heinous act, described as 'monstrous' by Justice Kevin Phillips, was motivated by De-Zoysa's financial desperation and mental health issues, as he feared deportation when his student visa expired. In the aftermath, the surviving father, Dhanushka Wickramasinghe, expressed profound grief over the loss of his family, emphasizing the tragedy's impact on his life. De-Zoysa will not be eligible for parole for 25 years, marking a significant consequence for one of the city's most shocking violent incidents.
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The mass stabbing occurred on March 6, 2024, while De-Zoysa lived in the basement of the Wickramasinghe family's townhouse. His first victim was Gamini Amarakoon, whom he killed after inviting him to watch a movie.
After Amarakoon's screams alerted Darshani Ekanayake, she called her husband, who was out. De-Zoysa falsely claimed the screams were part of the movie they were watching.
Once Ekanayake became aware of the situation, De-Zoysa proceeded to stab her and her four children, aged seven, four, three, and two months.
De-Zoysa used a 38cm hunting knife, which he had purchased over a month prior, and had initially intended to use for self-harm.
During the court proceedings, De-Zoysa displayed little emotion but later apologized, stating he would spend his life acknowledging his actions.
The victims were primarily Sri Lankan immigrants, with the family having moved to Canada in search of a better life, which was tragically shattered by the violent crime.
The emotional toll on the victims' families was highlighted during the hearings, with Amarakoon's widow and Wickramasinghe expressing their profound losses and calling for respect and protection of peace in their community.