Verdict reached in trial of Ont. man accused of killing pregnant girlfriend

The fate of a Shelburne man accused of killing his pregnant mistress rests with an Owen Sound jury.

Warning: Readers may find content in this article disturbing.

A jury has found Wazhir Gafoor guilty of first-degree murder in the brutal killing of his pregnant girlfriend, Christina Yadram, whose bound and lifeless body was discovered in a wooded area in Northern Bruce Peninsula in October 2021.

The 12-member jury reached its verdict in just over two hours, confirming Gafoor’s guilt one by one as Yadram’s loved ones wept in the Owen Sound courtroom on Wednesday.

Gafoor, who has been in custody since his arrest a day after Yadram’s remains were found, was having an extramarital affair with her, the court heard. They shared one child, and Yadram was pregnant with another. Prosecutors said Gafoor wanted the pregnancy terminated, but Yadram refused, eager to bring her unborn son into the world.

The trial revealed the elaborate steps Gafoor took before the killing, including renting a U-Haul van spotted in Moonstone. The Crown argued that Yadram was asphyxiated and that Gafoor viciously attacked her in an attempt to cause a miscarriage. Blood matching Yadram’s was found inside the rental van, and Gafoor’s fingerprints were identified on the duct tape used to restrain her.

Defence lawyer Anthony Bryant urged the jury to convict Gafoor of the lesser charge of manslaughter, arguing he had not intended to kill Yadram. However, the jury ultimately rejected that argument, finding Gafoor guilty of first-degree murder, which carries an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years.

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