Psychologist testifies at trial for murder of Calgary woman

Michael Adenyi is charged in the death of Vanessa Ladouceur.

A psychologist who performed several tests used to help determine if Michael Adenyi was faking or exaggerating a mental illness when he stabbed a Calgary woman in the Beltline testified at his first-degree murder trial Wednesday.

Adenyi, 29, is charged in the death of Vanessa Ladouceur, 30.

Ladouceur was attacked in the early morning of March 18, 2022.

The accused was captured on surveillance footage following the woman along 10th Avenue S.E. as she walked to work at a fitness facility, tackling her to the ground and stabbing her eight times.

Deena Nessman administered several tests on Adenyi in August 2022, which contributed to a Not Criminally Responsible (NCR) assessment.

Nessman testified Adenyi scored within normal limits in a test designed to show if someone was intentionally feigning mental illness, meaning the accused did not show he was exaggerating his symptoms.

However, Nessman told the jury the test is a screener and would only contribute to a psychiatrist’s full assessment.

“These results alone, you can not infer that someone is necessarily not malingering, just like you can’t necessarily infer that someone is malingering.”

Nessman did not complete the full NCR assessment on Adenyi and therefore told the court she can’t draw conclusions about the tests to the same ability Adenyi’s psychiatrist can.

In cross-examination, the Crown asked if the tests could shed light on whether the accused could be lying about what he remembered about the offence when he did the tests.

“I don’t think you can make direct comparisons to that, no,” said Nessman.

Adenyi’s defence team argues he should not be criminally responsible by reason of mental disorder.

Earlier in the trial, Adenyi testified he was hallucinating about demons and animalistic creatures leading up to the moment of the attack and believed he was attacking a creature and not a person.

The Crown argues Adenyi deliberately attacked Ladouceur out of rage and knew it was wrong, citing in part fewer vehicles passing before he tackled the victim.

Two red notebooks were also found in a backpack Adenyi was seen on video dumping into an alley garbage bin on the day of the attack.

The notebooks included “beat,” “rape” and “torture” headlines and lists of celebrities and social media influencers.

Several members of Ladouceur’s family and friends have been present in the gallery for the duration of the trial.

There has also been a smaller group of the accused’s family.

There are also several members of the public in attendance.

The trial has been extended to the week of April 28.