From left, Lawrence Hong, 27, Kaiti Perras, 23, Josh Hunter, 23, Zackariah Rathwell, 21 and Jordan Segura, 22, were stabbed to death at an end of school house party in Calgary.
From left, Lawrence Hong, 27, Kaiti Perras, 23, Josh Hunter, 23, Zackariah Rathwell, 21 and Jordan Segura, 22, were stabbed to death at an end of school house party in Calgary.
CALGARY—The families of five young people stabbed to death at a house party are urging people to remember their loved ones as the trial for their accused killer gets underway in Calgary.
Greg Perras, father of Kaitlin Perras, fought back tears as he read a statement on behalf of the families outside the courthouse.
He urged the public to remember how all five young people lived — full of purpose, life, goodness and love for friends and family.
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Matthew de Grood, who is 24, faces five counts of first-degree murder in what police have said is Calgary’s worst mass killing.
The stabbings happened at a house party being held to mark the end of the school year in April 2014.
Police have not said what they believe may have motivated the attack, but have revealed de Grood was invited to the party and mingled with guests.
Perras, who was 23, was killed along with Lawrence Hong, 27; Josh Hunter, 23; Zackariah Rathwell, 21; and Jordan Segura, 22.
Hunter, Hong and Segura all attended the University of Calgary. Perras studied at Mount Royal University and Rathwell was a student at the Alberta College of Art and Design.
The trial is being heard by an out-of-town judge at the request of both the prosecution and defence, because de Grood’s father is a high-ranking city police officer and could be called to testify.
A psychiatric review determined de Grood was fit to stand trial, because he understands the charges against him and is able to communicate with his lawyer.
He has been undergoing treatment at the Southern Alberta Forensic Psychiatry Centre since his arrest.
Allan Fay, who represents de Grood, hasn’t ruled out a defence of not criminally responsible by reason of a mental disorder.
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