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Murder of Marrisa Shen

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Marrisa Shen
Born(2003-10-20)October 20, 2003
Died(2017-07-18)July 18, 2017 (age 13)
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
Chinese name
Chinese申小雨
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinShēn Xiǎoyǔ

Marrisa Shen (October 20, 2003[1] – July 18, 2017) was a 13-year-old Canadian girl who was raped and murdered in a wooded area in Central Park, in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.[2] Shen was reported missing by her parents on the evening of July 18, 2017, after she failed to return home from what was supposed to be a brief trip to a nearby Tim Hortons. Early the next morning, police located her body in the park by tracking the GPS device inside her mobile phone. The RCMP stated the attack appeared to be random.[3] After Shen's murder, the RCMP told parents to talk to their children about safety and warned the public to be vigilant.[3]

At its peak, nearly three hundred officers were involved in the investigation. Some "2,000 persons of interest" were investigated and were ruled out in the case.[4] There was little progress in the case for more than a year[5] and on the one-year anniversary of Shen's murder, her family issued a letter asking the public's assistance in locating and bringing her attacker to justice.[6][7]

On September 7, 2018, the RCMP arrested Ibrahim Ali, a Syrian refugee, for Shen's murder.[4] He was found guilty of first-degree murder on December 8, 2023.[8]

Suspect

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After a 14-month impasse from the date of the murder, on September 7, 2018, RCMP arrested Ibrahim Ali (born in 1990 in Syria) as the prime suspect for the murder of Marrisa Shen.[4] Police used a DNA dragnet technique to identify the suspect.[9] Ali was charged with first-degree murder.[10]

Ali had arrived in Canada as a refugee from Syria in April 2017, three months before the murder of Shen.[11] He was sponsored by a coalition of families on Bowen Island, as well as Vancouver's St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church.[12] Ali became a permanent resident of Canada sometime before his first court appearance on September 14, with the trial initially set for October 12, 2018,[13] but subsequently pushed back to September 2022, and then again to January 2023.[14] Jury selection began in March 2023,[15] and the trial commenced in April 2023,[16] concluding in December 2023.[8]

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Trial and sentencing

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Ali was tried by a judge and jury, with the trial beginning on April 5, 2023. At the same time, a publication ban was put in place for all publications, removing any mentions of Shen's name from the media until the end of the trial. Ali pleaded not guilty, stating he did not kill Shen.[17]

Sexual assault expert Dr. Tracy Pickett, who testified for the prosecution, was found dead in Vancouver's Dunbar–Southlands neighbourhood on September 28, 2023. Police stated there was no foul play. Her testimony was consequently thrown out since it could not be cross-examined.[18]

Ali was found guilty of first-degree murder on December 8, 2023.[8] He was given the mandatory sentence of life in prison with no possibility of parole for 25 years, on June 7, 2024.[19][20][21]

Controversial statements by the defence

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During the closing arguments of the trial, Ali’s lawyer Kevin McCullough said Shen was not "innocent", and that it was not "outlandish" to suggest Shen found Ali attractive, further suggesting consensual sex may have taken place. Shen's family reacted negatively to the defence's closing arguments in the courtroom, later releasing a statement that they were filing formal complaints against McCullough and his co-counsel, and seeking their disbarment.[22]

Days after the trial ended, on December 12, Shen's father was arrested by the Vancouver Police Department for allegedly bringing a loaded Glock pistol to the courtroom on the last day of the trial with the "intent to kill" the defence counsel.[23] The father was later released, pending further investigation by the police.[24] McCullough had previously read out in court a note that threatened to kill him before Christmas.[23]

The claims were later refuted by the father's lawyer, calling them "unfounded accusations". At the same time, the defence counsel requested to exclude the father from post-trial court proceedings.[25] A Supreme Court judge subsequently rejected this request, allowing the father to remotely listen to the proceedings through an interpreter via telephone.[26]

Politicization

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Ali's status as a recent Syrian refugee raised questions about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's immigration policy. Ali's court appearances were picketed by protesters calling for "comprehensive security screening" for refugee migration from Syria and to "hold Trudeau accountable."[27] Members of the Syrian-Canadian community also held vigils in remembrance of Shen, oftentimes alongside the protests opposing refugee migration from Syria.[28]

The discussion surrounding the killing became a significant point of contention during the February 2019 federal by-election for Burnaby South, with People's Party candidate Laura-Lynn Thompson integrating Shen's death into her anti-immigration platform.[29] Karen Wang, a Liberal candidate who later renounced her candidacy for the by-election due to an unrelated racism scandal, was also a known family friend of the Shen family.[30] Additionally, Conservative MP Michelle Rempel invoked Shen's murder in a call for immigration screening review reform.[31]

A spokesperson for Shen's mother communicated that while she appreciates the attention given to Marrisa's murder, she does not want the case to become political—instead, "they should focus on the violence against women and children in our society, especially women of colour."[32]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Marrisa Shen Memorial Page". Funeral and Cremation Services Inc. November 29, 2022. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  2. ^ Charlebois, Brieanna (November 30, 2023). "Court falls silent for two minutes in B.C. murder trial of Ibrahim Ali". The Canadian Press. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Johnson, Lisa (July 26, 2017). "Marrisa Shen's homicide was a 'random' attack, police say". CBC News. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c Matt Robinson, Lori Culbert & Stephanie Ip (September 10, 2018). "Ibrahim Ali, 28, charged with first-degree murder of Burnaby teen Marrisa Shen". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  5. ^ Stephanie Ip & Scott Brown (July 18, 2018). "One year later and police still have no suspect in Marrisa Shen's murder". The Province. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  6. ^ Lisa Johnson (July 18, 2018). "'We miss her beyond words': Marrisa Shen's family asks for help finding teen's killer". CBC News. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  7. ^ marrisashen.org: One year anniversary of the homicide of Marrisa Shen
  8. ^ a b c "Man charged in killing of 13-year-old Burnaby girl found guilty of 1st-degree murder". CBC News. December 8, 2023.
  9. ^ MacDonald, Sarah (November 15, 2018). "Questions raised over RCMP's DNA 'dragnet' technique in Marrisa Shen investigation". Global News. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  10. ^ Dhillon, Sunny (September 10, 2018). "B.C. police announce arrest in killing of 13-year-old Marrisa Shen". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  11. ^ "Syrian refugee Ibrahim Ali is charged with murder of Vancouver schoolgirl Marrisa Shen, 13, a case that stunned Canada". South China Morning Post. September 11, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  12. ^ "Vancouver church and members of Bowen Island behind joint private sponsorship of Ibrahim Ali". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  13. ^ "Ibrahim Ali, accused in Marrisa Shen killing, makes brief 1st court appearance". CBC News. September 14, 2018. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
  14. ^ "Trial for accused in Marrisa Shen murder postponed again". Burnaby Beacon. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  15. ^ Naylor, Cornelia (March 17, 2023). "Jury selection underway in the Marrisa Shen murder trial". Burnaby Now. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  16. ^ Little, Simon (April 4, 2023). "Marrisa Shen: Murder trial set to begin almost 6 years after teen's death". Global News. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  17. ^ Nesbit, Ben (April 5, 2023). "Man accused of murdering B.C. teen pleads not guilty". CTV News. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  18. ^ Naylor, Cornelia (November 7, 2023). "Dr. Tracy Pickett's Burnaby murder trial testimony thrown out". Burnaby Now. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  19. ^ Proctor, Jason; Larsen, Karin (June 7, 2024). "Girl's killer sentenced to life after father airs grief in court". CBC News. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
  20. ^ "B.C. teen's killer covers ears at hearing sentencing him to life in prison". Global News. June 7, 2024. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  21. ^ "Ibrahim Ali sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder of Burnaby girl". CityNews. June 7, 2024. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
  22. ^ Paterson, Shannon (December 13, 2023). "Could defence lawyers be punished for closing argument in Ibrahim Ali case?". CTV News. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  23. ^ a b Don, Felicity (December 11, 2023). "Loaded gun brought to B.C. court as Ibrahim Ali convicted of killing teen girl, lawyer says". CBC News. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  24. ^ Judd, Amy (December 12, 2023). "Father of teen victim in Ibrahim Ali trial arrested and released: Vancouver police". Global News. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  25. ^ Charlebois, Brieanna (February 4, 2024). "Lawyer for father of murdered B.C. girl denies client brought gun to Ali verdict". CTV News. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  26. ^ Owen, Brenna (February 9, 2024). "Judge rejects bid to bar father of murdered teen from proceedings". CBC News. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  27. ^ "Protesters rally outside court hearing for accused in Marrisa Shen murder". Youtube. Vancouver Sun. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  28. ^ "Large turnout for Vancouver court appearance of man accused in Marrisa Shen's murder". Youtube. Vancouver Sun. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  29. ^ Green, Melanie (March 5, 2019). "Politics still linger around Marrisa Shen murder trial". The Star. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  30. ^ "Suspect arrested in B.C. teen's death". Youtube. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  31. ^ Gawley, Kelvin (January 20, 2019). "Conservative MP invokes Marrisa Shen's murder in call for immigration screening review". Burnaby Now. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  32. ^ Woodward, Jon (March 5, 2019). "Marrisa Shen murder trial shouldn't be 'political': mom's spokesperson". CTV News. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
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