Mohamad Al Ballouz is accused of stabbing his wife and killing his two children aged two and five in September 2022, a triple murder which allegedly occurred in the family condo in Brossard. The criminal trial of the father, who now identifies as a woman, began Monday morning at the Longueuil courthouse.
According to the Crown's theory, the accused attacked his partner, Synthia Bussières, 38, stabbing her no less than 23 times. He also allegedly killed his two toddlers, Zac and Eliam, before drinking windshield washer fluid to take his own life. He also allegedly started a fire in their condo unit.
The accused, who now says she identifies as a woman and who physically presents herself as such, now responds to the name Levana Ballouz. As she represents herself, without a lawyer, she also takes care of cross-examining witnesses. The Crown noted that it would refer to a man, not to disrespect him but to reflect the perception of witnesses at the time.
One of her neighbors, who was called to identify her in court, candidly responded that “he is difficult to recognize” particularly because she now has hair, whereas her head was previously bald.
It was the firefighters who discovered the bodies of the victims. They were called to the scene after midnight, as the fire alarm was triggered.
Ballouz was arrested and charged with the second degree murder of her partner and the premeditated murder of her two children. The latter did not bear any trace of violence.
The trial is expected to last several weeks.
