Man found guilty in Burlington murder case

Milton jury rejects Malcolm Copeland’s self-defence argument

MILTON — A Markham man charged with slashing his Burlington girlfriend to death has been found guilty of seconddegree murder.

Malcolm Copeland, 46, had no visible reaction as a jury of 10 men and two women delivered its verdict in a Milton courtroom Wednesday, after approximately five hours of deliberation.

The jury found that on Oct. 27, 2014, Copeland murdered Burlington graphic designer Elizabeth Nugent, 32, in her Pearl Street apartment.

During the trial, forensic pathologist Dr. Allison Edgecombe testified Nugent died after receiving deep slash wounds to both sides of her neck, which caused her to bleed to death in a matter of minutes.

Copeland pleaded not guilty to the charge of second-degree murder, claiming he killed Nugent in self-defence.

The jury’s guilty verdict was a rejection of that story.

The verdict was well-received by Crown attorney Arish Khoorshed.

“Obviously, I’m pleased they came back with that verdict; I’m relieved they came back with that verdict,” he said.

“To me it always seemed fairly obvious from the evidence, but it is a human system. It’s not our job to win or lose the case. It is our job to put the evidence out there and hope the jury will do the right thing, and I think that they did.”

Some of Nugent’s family members could be heard giving sighs of relief, wiping tears from their eyes as the verdict was being read.

“It was the right decision,” said Vincent England, Nugent’s father.

“It has been horrible. You just don’t know what to expect. I think everybody worked to the best of their ability and the jury came back with the right decision. Now it is up to the judge to see where he goes from here. Whatever happens, it is not going to bring her back.

“It is a small victory really,” he said.

Nugent’s family said the young woman was loved by all who met her, and described her as a beautiful, funny, smart person who could see the very best in everyone.

“She had a lot of impact on people’s lives,” England said. “She was a big-hearted person. When they were saying that she attacked him … We know she wouldn’t do that. That was the last thing she would ever do. She couldn’t hurt anybody. She could get lippy, but physically she wouldn’t do that.”

England noted that, despite the verdict, Nugent’s family remains devastated and said the pain of her loss will never go away.

Copeland’s sentencing hearing will take place Aug. 13 in Milton.