(Longueuil) A dog rests on the mattress. At the foot of the bed, trash bags blackened by the fire. Nearby, a puddle of blood stains the bathroom. Images that are sometimes difficult to watch from the crime scene were presented to the jury Tuesday at the trial of this father accused of the murders of his wife and his two sons.
Posted at 2:42 p.m.
The father, Mohamed Al Ballouz, now identifies as a woman named Levana Ballouz. The 38-year-old trans woman, who defends herself, is accused of the second-degree murders of her partner Synthia Bussières and the first-degree murders of their children Zac, 2, and Eliam, 5.
DRAWING BY MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Mohamed Al Ballouz, who now identifies as a woman named Levana Ballouz, wears women’s clothing in the courtroom.
According to the Crown’s theory, the father stabbed his partner 23 times in their apartment on Saint-Laurent Boulevard, in Brossard, on the night of September 24 to 25, 2022. After murdering his two sons, he lit a fire at the foot of the bed, then attempted suicide by ingesting windshield washer fluid, according to the prosecution’s theory.
Dozens of crime scene photos were shown to jurors Tuesday on the second day of the jury trial. They illustrate a small condo, relatively recent, visibly inhabited by a family. On a piece of furniture, we notice a photo of the parents and their two children with Santa Claus, in happier times.
Like pieces of a puzzle, these photos above all allow us to better understand the circumstances of the murders. In the bathroom, the floor was completely stained with blood. This is where the body of Synthia Bussières was found by first responders. Notably, the bath was not wet, a witness said Tuesday.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE VICTIMS’ FAMILY
Synthia Bussières and her two sons, Eliam, 5 years old, and Zac, 2 years old, were killed on September 24, 2022 in Brossard.
According to the Crown, Mohamed Al Ballouz tried to clean up the crime scene after killing his partner. In photos, a bottle of Hertel cleaner and a reddish cloth can be seen among the debris. Traces of blood were found on the washing machine.
The first responders discovered a horror scene in the apartment: the bloodied body of Synthia Bussières in the bathroom. On the bed, Mohamed Al Ballouz in the center, surrounded by his two sons, according to the Crown. In the images shown to the jury, only a doggie remained on the bed. Next to it, on the ground, two notable objects: a knife and an empty bottle of windshield washer fluid.
According to the Crown, the accused lit a fire at the foot of the bed, seeing that she was unable to clean up the scene. In the photos, we can see several garbage bags forming a pile of partly charred objects. In one of the bags, police found four smoke detectors. These had been removed from their base, but still sounded when they arrived.
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PHOTO FILED AS PROOF
In the photo, we can see a doggie in the bed, a knife on the ground, and a bottle of windshield washer fluid under the chair.
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PHOTO FILED AS PROOF
A pile of objects was partly charred by a fire, at the foot of the bed.
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PHOTO FILED AS PROOF
Four smoke detectors were burned in the fire. They were in a bag at the foot of the bed.
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In the burned pile, other relevant objects were discovered: a bottle opener, a knife handle, a 15-centimeter blade, two beer bottles and a watch. The other objects appeared to be pieces of fabric. Two other beers were found on the outside balcony.
In her opening statement on Monday, Crown prosecutor Me Laurence Lamoureux told the jury to pay attention to all the details of the case. “Don’t lose sight of the evidence,” she insisted.
Many questions remain unanswered in this trial: who died first? How did the children die? What can we conclude from the fact that Synthia Bussières died from a violent attack, while the children had no apparent trace of injuries?
There are still several weeks left in this trial to clarify, or not, these questions.
The trial, presided over by Judge Eric Downs, continues all week at the Longueuil courthouse.
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