Zilla Parker, whose husband Dominic Parker was killed in 2013 by a mentally ill man, says she lives in fear after the killer was released to a Toronto neighbourhood she often visits. 'As victims, we don't have any rights,' she said.
Widow's Ordeal
Parker fears running into Nabil Huruy, who was found not criminally responsible for the unprovoked stabbing death of her husband, a Markham firefighter. Huruy, diagnosed with schizophrenia and cannabis use disorder, was moved last December from CAMH to a supervised residence on Dowling Avenue.
'I have a very close friend and one of Dominic's childhood friends who lives on Dowling, and I'm normally there a lot,' Parker said. Since learning of Huruy's placement, she and her family have avoided the area.
Lack of Empathy
Parker has contacted CAMH about moving Huruy elsewhere but received no response. 'They should do their due diligence before releasing people like him into the community,' she said. 'They don't seem to have any empathy.'
Despite understanding that mental illness led to the killing, Parker insists Huruy should heal elsewhere. 'He should be healing, but not near us,' she added.
ORB Decision
The Ontario Review Board noted Huruy 'continues to represent a significant threat to the safety of the public,' yet allowed his move. The 2013 attack involved Huruy stabbing Parker in the head and face with two knives at a Danforth Avenue café.
CAMH declined an interview. Parker wrote a victim impact statement expressing daily anxiety. 'This was a brutal attack that changed our lives forever,' she said.
