A Saint John, N.B., man has now officially been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of two boys, aged 10 and 17, last month. Roman Kamyshnyy made his appearance by telephone Thursday in Saint John court, where he was charged for the double-homicide on Jan. 29. On that day, members of the Saint John Police Force responded to a 911 call on Skaling Court around 7 a.m. Police immediately forced their way into the home, where they found the bodies of the two boys. They also found 45-year-old Kamyshnyy, who was taken to the Saint John Regional Hospital with life-threatening injuries. Court documents obtained by CTV News confirm the accused may be unfit to stand trial due to evidence of a mental condition. According to handwritten notes by judge Lucie Mathurin in court documents released Thursday afternoon, Kamyshynyy was awake and “no longer in a coma” during the virtual appearance but he was “not full functional.” The notes say the accused was unable to speak but his eyes were “moving and tracking.” An assessment of Kamyshnyy’s mental condition has been ordered to be conducted at the Saint John Regional Hospital over five days. He remains in custody in hospital pending a future court appearance on Feb. 21. Sgt. Matthew Weir of the Saint John Police Force said that a number of medical factors could prevent a suspect from standing trial. “Some of those things would be, are they conscious?” said Weir. “Do they have the mental capacity to understand a hearing if it’s taking place? The physical ability to have a remote hearing through technology?” Police previously confirmed Kamyshynyy was known to the victims but wouldn’t comment on the nature of those relationships. The names of the victims have not been publicly released. “This is very heartbreaking. It’s a tragic incident that happened here within Saint John, within our community,” said Staff/Sgt. Sarah Hobbes of the Saint John Police Force on Jan. 30. “We, the Saint John Police Force, again want to give our condolences to the family and friends of these two young, deceased boys.” Weir said the police provide ongoing care for officers involved in dramatic incidents. “As far as I’m aware, everybody is doing well,” he said. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
