Accused killer wants to be found not criminally responsible

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Two separate daylight shootings over two days in April 2022. Two horrific random murders of strangers on the streets of Toronto.

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Now, more than three years later, admitted that he shot R.Richard Jonathan Edwin pleaded not guilty to murder and instead asked the court to find him not criminally responsible due to schizophrenia, a mental illness he was first diagnosed with in 2010, when he was 28 years old.

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According to testimony from Dr. Stephanie Penny, a forensic psychologist called by his lawyers, Edwin said he had been off antipsychotic medication for years but had no symptoms until the shooting, which she called an “atypical” and “fairly abrupt re-emergence of symptoms.”

She said he likely had symptoms, but it didn't come to the attention of mental health professionals.

The battling psychiatrists are expected to testify in the coming weeks before Supreme Court Justice Jane Kelly with opposing views on whether the killer had the mental capacity at the time to know that what he did was morally wrong.

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COOLING VIDEOS

What is certain is that the collection of videos showing heartless executions is simply chilling.

Edwin, who was 39 years old at the time, was captured on surveillance video in the late afternoon of April 7, 2022, walking toward the Bloor/Spadina subway entrance wearing a gray blazer, navy blue puffer jacket, gray shirt and faded blue jeans. He had a gray backpack and a concealed, loaded black handgun, the court was told.

He leaves his apartment on Spadina Avenue and takes the subway to Sherborne Station. It's just before 5:00 p.m.

Kartik Vasudev was a 21-year-old international student. at Seneca College on the way to work. He can be seen walking north on Glen Road. sidewalk past Sherborne Station and to the Bloor Street stairs.

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Edwin walks towards Vasudev and then rushes past him. Edwin then suddenly turns to face Vasudev's back, takes out a loaded firearm and fires several times.

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“MAKES A MORE SHOT”

It was quite cruel. What follows is pure horror.

“Mr. Edwin turns around, stops and looks at Mr. Vasudev, who lies wounded at the foot of the stairs on Bloor Street,” according to the agreed statement of facts. “Mr. Edwin raises his hands and fires several more shots towards Mr. Vasudev.”

Edwin then takes off his jacket and tailcoat and calmly takes the bus to Wellesley Station. He then takes the subway back to Spadina and gives the busker some money along the way.

Vasudev died from six gunshot wounds, including wounds to the liver, lungs, neck, intestines and leg.

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Two days later, Edwin was seen boarding a Spadina metro train just after 6 p.m. He is wearing a gray jacket, a blue mask, a gray patterned shirt and jeans. He also had a loaded black handgun hidden in his waistband, according to the statement.

Edwin gets off at the Queen stop and ends up walking west on Dundas Street. Meanwhile, Elijah Mahepat 35, gets off a TTC bus and also heads west on Dundas, a little behind Edwin. Mahepat then passes by Edwin as an ambulance rushes by.

“At 6:58:56 p.m., as the ambulance rushed by, Mr. Edwin ran and reached into the left side of his pants under his gray patterned dress shirt. He pulled a pistol from his left waistband and raised it with both hands,” the agreed statement said.

“Using both hands, Mr. Edwin fired his pistol into the back of the unsuspecting Mr. Mahepat. Mr. Edwin shot Mr. Mahepat multiple times. Mr. Mahepat fell to the ground. Mr. Edwin continued to shoot at Mr. Mahepat after he fell to the ground.”

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LEGAL firearm found

Mahepat died from multiple gunshot wounds.

Edwin flees the scene and, heading south on Jarvis, takes off his jacket and gray patterned shirt and stuffs it into the grocery bag he is carrying. Now he's heading home wearing a brown top and a different mask.

According to the agreed statement, Edwin was under police surveillance and was seen throwing a bag of groceries into trash cans that evening. Investigators found his discarded puffer jacket and backpack, which he wore during the first shooting, and inside the bags were clothing he wore during both shootings.

While at his home, they found five legal firearms, including a 9mm Smith & Wesson Luger-caliber semi-automatic pistol that had been used in random killings.

How someone with a serious mental illness was allowed to own a gun is a question for another day. The trial continues.

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