A young man, aged 20, has admitted to the brutal murder of four children, their mother, and a family friend in a tragic stabbing incident in Ottawa last year. Febrio De Zoysa, who was 19 at the time of the crime, also confessed to attempting to murder the father of the family, Dhanushka Wickramasinghe, who sustained serious injuries.
Living as an international student in the basement of the Wickramasinghes’ home in Ottawa’s Barrhaven neighborhood, De Zoysa was arrested at the scene without resistance and charged with six counts of first-degree murder the next day. In a courtroom appearance with his lawyer, Ewan Lyttle, De Zoysa pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder for killing Ranaya, Ashwini, and Inuka Wickramasinghe, as well as Gamini Amarakoon, a close friend of the family.
While De Zoysa received an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years for the four first-degree murders, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the deaths of Darshani Ekanayake and her two-month-old baby, Kelly Wickramasinghe, as part of a plea agreement.
The horrific incident, described as one of the most shocking acts of violence in Ottawa’s history by the city’s mayor, garnered widespread media attention in Canada and Sri Lanka. The victims, except for the baby, were immigrants from Sri Lanka, as was Amarakoon, who was supporting his family back home.
During an interrogation after his arrest, De Zoysa revealed that financial troubles and fear of returning to Sri Lanka led him to carry out the gruesome act. He expressed frustration with his academic struggles and the pressure of abiding by rules, ultimately leading to the tragic events of March 6, 2024.
The tragedy unfolded when De Zoysa fatally attacked Amarakoon in the basement, prompting a series of brutal stabbings that claimed the lives of the children and Ekanayake. The father, Wickramasinghe, who arrived home later that night, managed to disarm De Zoysa and seek help, leading to the arrest of the perpetrator.
In court, emotional victim impact statements were read, highlighting the profound grief and loss experienced by the families of the victims. Wickramasinghe, the sole survivor of the attack, expressed his deep gratitude for the support he received and his commitment to continue charitable work in memory of his loved ones.
De Zoysa, showing remorse for his actions, apologized for the heinous crimes committed and accepted responsibility for his deeds. The court sentenced him to life imprisonment without parole for 25 years for each of the six murders, emphasizing the severity of his actions and the need to protect society from such cruelty.
