Borutski found guilty of first degree, second degree murder in 2015 killings
Basil Borutski, the man accused of killing three women in an hour-long, revenge-fuelled rampage across the Ottawa Valley two years ago, has been found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder and one of second-degree murder.
Borutski, 60, confessed to police after he was arrested for the killings of Carol Culleton, 66, 36-year-old Anastasia Kuzyk and 48-year-old Nathalie Warmerdam, which took place in the space of less than an hour on Sept. 22, 2015.
He was facing three counts of first-degree murder.
In a videotaped interview that was played at trial, Borutski expressed a degree of remorse for his actions, which he said were fuelled by rage at what he considered to be the lies and betrayals of his victims.
Prior to the murders, Borutski — who defended himself at trial but barely said a word during the proceedings, which lasted nearly two months — had twice spent time in jail after two of the women accused him of assault and uttering threats.
In the video, he described how he was acting like a “zombie” on the day in question, saying he’d originally planned to take his own life, but decided against it because he believes
it’s wrong to take an innocent life.
“I killed them because they were not innocent,” jurors heard Borutski say when a video recording of his confession was played in open court.
“They were guilty. I was innocent. I’ve done nothing wrong.”
Prior to the murders, Borutski — who defended himself at trial but barely said a word during the proceedings, which lasted nearly two months —
had twice spent time in jail after two of the women accused him of assault and uttering threats.
In the video, he described how he was acting like a “zombie” on the day in question, saying he’d originally planned to take his own life, but decided against it because he believes it’s wrong to take an innocent life.
In his opening statement, Crown attorney Jeffery Richardson told the jury the trial was not a case of “whodunit.”
“The evidence is overwhelming that Basil Borutski murdered Carol, Anastasia and Nathalie,” Richardson said. Borutski even told police the murders were “his kind of justice,” he added.
“Justice where women pay the ultimate price for using what Borutski says is a corrupt justice system against him,” Richardson said. “He thought about it before he did it, and then he executed his plan perfectly.”