Closing arguments made in murder trial of man who stabbed Calgary woman downtown

After five full weeks, closing arguments have been made in the murder trial of Michael Adenyi, accused of stabbing a Calgary woman in the Beltline.

There was a full gallery at the first-degree murder trial of Michael Adenyi on Thursday as his defence team and Crown prosecutors presented closing arguments to the jury.

Adenyi, 29, is charged in the death of Vanessa Ladouceur, 30, in the Beltline on March 18, 2022.

He was captured on surveillance video following the woman while she walked to work to a fitness facility along 10th Avenue S.E. around 6:30 a.m. before tackling her into an alcove and stabbing her eight times in 11 seconds.

The jury is expected to receive instructions and begin deliberations Friday.

Defence argues Adenyi not criminally responsible

Defence lawyer Kim Ross told the jury there is no doubt his client caused the death of Ladouceur but argued he should be found not criminally responsible due to a mental disorder.

“The evidence is clear that Michael Adenyi was in the midst of a psychotic episode,” he told the court.

Throughout the five-week trial, the jury heard from several witnesses, including the accused, who testified he was having audio and visual hallucinations leading up to and on the day of the attack.

Adenyi said he thought he was being circled by animalistic creatures and that he had to attack or be killed and didn’t realize until he cut himself that he was stabbing a person and not a demonic shadow.

“He was not lying to you. He was telling you the truth,” said Ross.

Ross told the jury Adenyi shows all the hallmarks for schizophrenia and said his mental illness progressed between 2018 and 2022, citing testimony from his mother and sister about Adenyi talking to himself and seeing things that weren’t there.

The jury heard his parents also took him to see a psychiatrist at the Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre who diagnosed him with major depressive disorder and prescribed Prozac.

“Use your common sense,” he told the jury. “They didn’t do this for fun. They did this to try and help Michael.”

Ross also referenced the psychiatrist who deemed Adenyi fit to stand trial also having concerns the accused suffered from an underlying psychotic illness.

He argued the Crown failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the killing was planned and deliberate, which is required for a first-degree murder conviction in Canada.

Crown maintains killing was planned, deliberate

The Crown maintained the killing was planned and deliberate.

“Michael Adenyi saw Vanessa Ladouceur and he decided to kill her. I submit the Crown has proven beyond doubt this killing was intentional,” said prosecutor Carla Macphail.

Macphail dismissed the idea that Adenyi was suffering from a psychotic break but rather “outright untruths.”

The Crown argued the accused’s stories about hallucinations were “made up after the fact” and corroborated by his family, who want to help him.

The jury heard the accused followed the woman on his bike and then on foot and waited until cars had passed before tackling the victim out of sight.

“He pursued her until the right moment to attack her. He body-checked her into that alcove, taking her right off her feet, and stabbed her multiple times with that large knife he had with him that day,” the Crown said.

Adenyi was later seen on surveillance footage without the jacket he was wearing during the attack, which the Crown argued is evidence he removed so he wouldn’t get caught because he knew what he did was wrong.

Macphail also referenced two red notebooks found in a backpack Adenyi was seen dumping in an alley garbage that included notes like “Death Note,” “Three people to kill” and “beat three times, rape torture.”

Ladouceur was stabbed eight times in 11 seconds, with many blows to the head and neck.

Macphail argued Adenyi’s internet search history also reflects plans to kill, including “How strong is a human skull?” and “How much blood loss can a person handle?”

Family remembers Vanessa Ladouceur

There was a full gallery Thursday for the closing arguments.

The family of Ladouceur, including her mother, has been a steady presence in the courtroom gallery throughout the trial.

Erika Ladouceur has described her daughter to CTV as very kind, spiritual, intelligent and an avid reader.

Ladouceur was born and lived in Toronto but moved to Calgary with her mother and sister when she was around two years old.

Adenyi’s father and a small group of his family members have also been attending the trial, in addition to several members of the public.