Jennifer Pan describes complicated lies she told her parents

A woman accused in the killing of her mother and attempted murder of father during an apparent home robbery in November 2010 is shown in this court sketch. (John Mantha / CTV Toronto)

A woman accused in the killing of her mother and attempted murder of father during an apparent home robbery in November 2010 testified at her trial on Tuesday, describing to the court the complicated lies she told her parents.

Jennifer Pan told the court she had once planned to have her father, Huei Hann Pan, killed.

She said she paid a man $1,300 to "shoot him dead" but claimed to have backed out of the plan. Pan told the court she then attempted to commit suicide.

She said her teenage years were difficult and that her parents had high expectations for her. She said she began forging her report cards in Grade 9, lied about graduating high school and attending university, and even faked her diploma.

"I didn’t want my parents to be ashamed of me," she said.

Pan even lied about her romantic relationship, keeping her boyfriend Daniel Wong a secret from her parents. But when her complicated lies began unravelling, Pan’s father forbade her to see Wong.

Pan and four others, including her boyfriend, are charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder after an apparent home invasion in Markham, Ont. Pan’s mother, Bieh Ha Pan, 53, was shot dead. Her father was shot in the face but survived his injuries.

Pan was at home at the time of the alleged staged home invasion. According to Pan's lawyer, Paul Copper, she did not know the attack was going to happen.

"November 8th was never supposed to happen," he told the court.

Pan's testimony is expected to continue for the several days.

With a report from CTV Toronto’s Zuraidah Alman