A father accused of decimating his family two years ago in Brossard is trying to place the blame on the mother of his children, suggesting that she murdered the two boys herself before trying to kill him.
Synthia Bussières and her two children, Zac and Éliam, aged 2 and 5, were found lifeless in their condo, on the night of September 24 to 25, 2022.
The victims’ spouse and father, Mohamad Al Ballouz, was also there, alive.
He now identifies as a woman and goes by the name Levana Ballouz.
Defense theory
His trial for the premeditated murders of the children and the unpremeditated murder of his partner continues at the Longueuil courthouse.
According to the public prosecutor’s theory, after violently killing her partner, the accused tried in vain to clean up the crime scene before causing the death of her two boys and ingesting windshield washer to take her own life. .
An empty windshield washer bottle found in the master bedroom. COURTESY OF THE COURT
Photo COURTESY OF THE COURT
But on Monday, the defense submitted a different scenario: what if it was Synthia Bussières who had killed the two kids? And that she then tried to attack her husband?
It was during the cross-examination of a forensic biologist, who analyzed the bloodstains at the crime scene, that the accused put forward this hypothesis.
Remember that the accused represents herself, and therefore cross-examines the witnesses herself.
She is assisted by a lawyer appointed as friend of the court, in order to ensure the fairness of the trial. Now, Me Harout Haladjian does not have the mandate to advise her strategically.
The forensic biologist told the jury she was unable to determine any timeline of events.
Front door of the condo where the murders were committed.
Photo COURTESY OF THE COURT
“I can’t say what happened,” Maria Fiorillo said.
“Lots of movement”
Synthia Bussières was found lifeless in the bathroom, lying in a pool of blood. According to the witness’s analysis, several bloodstains were analyzed there.
These samples suggested “a lot of movement”, close to the ground, concluded Mme Fiorillo.
Room where the children were found lifeless.
Photo COURTESY OF THE COURT
Synthia Bussières had 23 wounds on her body, made with a stinging weapon.
A drop of blood was also found near the ceiling.
The accused then questioned the expert in forensic biology as to whether it was possible that Synthia Bussières “could have staged a scene” and intentionally sprayed blood on the ceiling.
The expert reiterated that she could not assume whether it had been staged or not.
Furthermore, the jury was recently able to view various surveillance video images from the lobby leading to the garage located in the family’s condo building.
On the day of the tragedy, we see the father getting out of the elevator, heading towards the garage. He returns there a few minutes later, with beers in hand.
A wink made by Mohamad Al Ballouz a few hours before the discovery of the bodies of his family members. COURTESY
Courtesy
He stares at the camera and winks at the camera, before taking the elevator back up.
We also see him, during another trip the same evening, returning with a can of windshield washer fluid.
The victims were found dead a few hours later.
