A 20-year-old man admitted his guilt in the fatal stabbing of four children, their mother, and a family friend in Ottawa. Febrio De Zoysa also confessed to attempting to murder the father, Dhanushka Wickramasinghe. De Zoysa, who was 19 at the time of the incident, lived as an international student with the Wickramasinghe family in Ottawa’s Barrhaven suburb.
He pled guilty to four counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Ranaya, Ashwini, Inuka, and Gamini, with automatic life imprisonment for each. He also admitted to second-degree murder for Darshani Ekanayake and baby Kelly. The tragedy, considered one of Ottawa’s most shocking acts of violence, made headlines across Canada and in Sri Lanka.
De Zoysa disclosed to police that financial struggles and fear of returning to Sri Lanka led to his violent actions. He meticulously planned the attack, targeting the family members one by one. The horrific events unfolded on March 6, 2024, culminating in a violent confrontation with Dhanushka Wickramasinghe, who survived and sought help from neighbors.
During the court proceedings, emotional victim impact statements were read, revealing the profound loss and anguish experienced by the families of the victims. Despite his remorse, De Zoysa received a life sentence without parole eligibility for 25 years.
The judge denounced De Zoysa’s actions as monstrous and sentenced him accordingly. The community was left reeling from the heinous crime that shattered the lives of the Wickramasinghe family and their loved ones.