A Toronto resident, Richard Edwin, has been convicted of first-degree murder in the 2022 killings of two individuals: 21-year-old Indian student Kartik Vasudev and 35-year-old Elijah Eleazar Mahepath. The victims had no connection to each other or to Edwin, and the shootings occurred two days apart. Both men succumbed to multiple gunshot injuries.
Edwin was apprehended in 2022 and faced charges, but he claimed not criminally responsible due to a mental health condition. Court documents indicate he has been diagnosed with schizophrenia since 2010.
However, Justice Jane Kelly ruled that his mental illness did not prevent him from understanding the moral wrongness of his actions. She stated that the murders were planned and intentional, supported by evidence of Edwin’s online searches about violence, winning gunfights, and vulnerable body areas. The judge described his behavior as rational, systematic, and structured.
Following the verdict, Kartik’s cousin, Gaurav Vasdev, shared on social media: ‘Justice has been delivered, though our hearts are still burdened. Four years after losing Karthik, a Canadian court has convicted his killer of first-degree murder. While nothing can replace him, this is a significant milestone for our family. Rest in peace, brother.’
Kartik was enrolled in a marketing management program at Seneca College in Toronto starting in January 2022. He was heading to his new part-time job when the incident occurred.
A first-degree murder conviction results in a mandatory life sentence without parole eligibility for 25 years, served concurrently for multiple counts.
