Man charged in murder of Ont. woman Elnaz Hajtamiri is headed to trial
The man accused in the murder and kidnapping of his former girlfriend, Elnaz Hajtamiri, is headed for trial.
Mohamad Lilo, 36, learned on Thursday the nine-week proceedings would begin next April in Barrie before Justice Michelle Fuerst.
Lilo is charged with first-degree murder in the Hajtamiri case and has enlisted Anthony G. Bryant to defend him, along with Stephanie Marcade, a criminal lawyer based in Collingwood.
Elnaz Hajtamiri's alleged abduction on Jan. 12, 2022, has gained national attention, with about a dozen people charged in the case.
Police say Hajtamiri was hiding at the home of loved ones in Wasaga Beach after a violent assault in Richmond Hill the night she was kidnapped by three suspects posing as cops.
Investigators have said Lilo is the common thread between the Richmond Hill assault and Hajtamiri's disappearance from Wasaga Beach weeks later, revealing he owns a shipping container business.
Hajtamiri's body has never been found.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
Lilo returns to court later this month for the trial dates to officially be recorded.
He has been behind bars since his arrest nearly two years ago.
The allegations against him have not been tested in court.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
opinion Tom Mulcair: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's train wreck of a final act
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader and political analyst Tom Mulcair puts a spotlight on the 'spectacular failure' of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's final act on the political stage.
B.C. mayor gets calls from across Canada about 'crazy' plan to recruit doctors
A British Columbia community's "out-of-the-box" plan to ease its family doctor shortage by hiring physicians as city employees is sparking interest from across Canada, says Colwood Mayor Doug Kobayashi.
'There’s no support': Domestic abuse survivor shares difficulties leaving her relationship
An Edmonton woman who tried to flee an abusive relationship ended up back where she started in part due to a lack of shelter space.
opinion King Charles' Christmas: Who's in and who's out this year?
Christmas 2024 is set to be a Christmas like no other for the Royal Family, says royal commentator Afua Hagan. King Charles III has initiated the most important and significant transformation of royal Christmas celebrations in decades.
Baseball Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson dead at 65, reports say
Rickey Henderson, a Baseball Hall of Famer and Major League Baseball’s all-time stolen bases leader, is dead at 65, according to multiple reports.
Arizona third-grader saves choking friend
An Arizona third-grader is being recognized by his local fire department after saving a friend from choking.
Germans mourn the 5 killed and 200 injured in the apparent attack on a Christmas market
Germans on Saturday mourned the victims of an apparent attack in which authorities say a doctor drove into a busy outdoor Christmas market, killing five people, injuring 200 others and shaking the public’s sense of security at what would otherwise be a time of joy.
Blake Lively accuses 'It Ends With Us' director Justin Baldoni of harassment and smear campaign
Blake Lively has accused her 'It Ends With Us' director and co-star Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment on the set of the movie and a subsequent effort to “destroy' her reputation in a legal complaint.
Oysters distributed in B.C., Alberta, Ontario recalled for norovirus contamination
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a recall due to possible norovirus contamination of certain oysters distributed in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.