Texas judge supports Hamilton murder suspect’s extradition

A federal judge in the United States has agreed with the prosecution and ruled in favour of extraditing murder suspect Ager Hasan.

The ruling, made by Justice Elizabeth Chestney on Wednesday in San Antonio, Texas, must now go to the Secretary of State of the U.S. for formal approval before Hasan steps back in Canada.

Waterloo Regional Police say they have been notified by the U.S. authorities that Hasan will be extradited.

“We are working with our U.S. partners and awaiting the appropriate paperwork,” police spokesperson Cherri Greeno said Thursday. “We will go (to Texas) to escort him back.”

Hasan remains in custody. He’s been in jail since his arrest in San Antonio on July 11 by the U.S. Secret Service.

Hasan, 24, of Hamilton is charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of Melinda Vasilije of Kitchener.

The 22-year-old woman was found dead in her Country Hills Drive apartment from multiple stab wounds on April 28.

Hasan was on the run in the U.S. after leaving Canada hours after Vasilije’s death.

Court documents presented Wednesday show Vasilije died by stabbing “in excess of thirty times with a steak knife.”

The court documents say Vasilije was stabbed in the throat and chest. A steak knife was found near her head and another steak knife on the kitchen counter.

Cellphone records and video recordings of the area outside of Vasilije’s apartment show Hasan violated terms of his conditions not to have contact with Vasilije and that he was at her apartment the night she died, police say. Hasan was denied bail. In addition to second-degree murder, Hasan faces charges of break and enter, failure to comply with recognizance, and failure to attend court.