Suspect accused of Ottawa's mass murder appears in court Thursday
The suspect accused of murdering six people at an Ottawa home made a brief court appearance by phone on Thursday.
Febrio De-Zoysa, 19, could only be heard stating his name, birthday and confirming his next court appearance.
He is charged with six counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.
A mother, her four children and a family acquaintance were killed inside a two-storey townhouse on Berrigan Drive in the Ottawa suburb of Barrhaven on March 6, according to police.
The Wickramasinghe family is pictured here in this undated image. The four young children and their mother were killed in their Ottawa home on March 6, 2024 alongside a family friend. The father was seriously injured in the attack. A 19-year-old suspect is in custody and is facing multiple counts of first-degree murder.
His lawyer, Ewan Lyttle, said on Thursday he had the opportunity to get "quite a bit of disclosure."
De-Zoysa's next court appearance is scheduled on April 18. Judiicial pre-trial is scheduled for April 17.
Lyttle told reporters on March 14 outside the courthouse on Elgin Street -- when De-Zoysa made a brief court appearance -- he wouldn't comment on whether the accused would be seeking a mental health assessment, saying the review of disclosure is "probably a few months from now."
De-Zoysa has been ordered not to have contact with five people, including the surviving husband and father.
His lawyer said on March 14 he is currently in protective custody.
"I have been in touch with his family. They're obviously very upset," Ewan Lyttle told reporters . "I can comment that he's in protective custody. He's doing okay."
De-Zoysa is a Sri Lankan national who is believed to be in Canada as a student. A spokesperson for Algonquin College told CTV News Ottawa he last attended classes there in the winter of 2023.
Ottawa Police Chief Eric Stubbs says he was an acquaintance of the family, and was living in the home.
The victims, all Sri Lankan nationals who were new to Canada, have been identified as 35-year-old Banbaranayake Gama Walwwe Darshani Dilanthika Ekanyake and her four children: Seven-year-old Inuka Wickramasinghe, Four-year-old Ashwini Wickramasinghe, Three-year-old Ranaya Wickramasinghe and two-month-old Kelly Wickramasinghe.
Flowers sit at the scene of a homicide where six people were found dead in the Barrhaven suburb of Ottawa on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
A sixth man, 40-year-old Gamini Amarakoon Amarakoon Mudiyanselage, was also found deceased at the home.
The husband and father, Dhanushka Wickramasinghe, was taken to hospital in serious condition, but his condition was considered stable. He was able to attend the public funeral that was held in Ottawa to honour the victims.
With files from CTV News Ottawa's Leah Larocque, William Eltherington and Katie Griffin
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ontario to ban use of cellphones in school classrooms starting in September
Ontario is introducing a suite of measures that will crack down on cellphone use and vaping in schools.
'Do not consume': Gift Chocolate recalled due to undeclared milk, soy
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a recall for a specific chocolate brand sold in Ontario and Quebec.
Kitchener family says their 10-year-old needs life-saving drug that cost $600,000
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Murder charge laid after man falls to death from Toronto apartment balcony
One person has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of a man who fell from a balcony following an altercation inside a Toronto apartment building.
Dozens in Italy give a fascist salute on the anniversary of Mussolini's execution
Dozens of people raised their arms in the fascist salute and shouted a fascist chant during ceremonies Sunday to honor Italian dictator Benito Mussolini on the 79th anniversary of his execution.
Zendaya tennis movie ‘Challengers’ scores at weekend box office
Zendaya and castmates Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor have been on a globetrotting press tour to get the word out about Italian director Luca Guadagnino's original film, which opened in 3,477 locations in the U.S. and Canada.
BREAKING Quebec to invest $603 million to protect the French language
Quebec will invest $603 million over five years to counter the decline of French in the province, French Language Minister Jean-Francois Roberge announced Sunday.
Nicole Kidman, who 'makes movies better,' gets AFI Life Achievement Award
Morgan Freeman spoke the words, but pretty much everyone who took the stage at the presentation of the AFI Life Achievement Award agreed: "Nicole Kidman. She makes movies better."