Student Visa Holder Pleads Guilty to Murder in Montreal's Golden Square Mile
In a shocking case that has gripped Montreal, a man who entered Canada on a student visa has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. The victim, 55-year-old Arthur Ketikyan, was stabbed to death in his downtown apartment, located in the prestigious Golden Square Mile neighborhood near the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
Details of the Crime and Court Proceedings
During a hearing at the Montreal courthouse before Quebec Superior Court Justice Michel Pennou, Moustakima Hassani, now 21, admitted to the murder. Hassani arrived in Canada from France in August 2023 on a student visa, just two months before the fatal incident on October 18, 2023. The victim was found naked in a puddle of blood in what was described in court as his secondary residence on du Musée Avenue.
According to a joint statement of facts read by Justice Pennou, Hassani left his apartment in Longueuil at 9:30 p.m. on the night of the murder. He used an Uber to reach the Longueuil métro station and then took the subway to the Guy-Concordia station for a prearranged meeting with Ketikyan. The evidence presented in court revealed that during October 2023, the victim had paid Hassani for sexual services.
Sequence of Events Leading to the Murder
Approximately an hour after Hassani departed his residence, Ketikyan arrived at his secondary apartment in his BMW, with Hassani in the passenger seat. Shortly after entering the apartment, a violent altercation ensued, during which Hassani stabbed the victim multiple times. After the attack, Hassani changed his clothes and left Ketikyan lying on the floor, naked and bleeding profusely.
Upon returning to his Longueuil apartment after midnight, one of Hassani's roommates noticed he was covered in blood and had injuries to his hands. Hassani told his roommate, "Went to see a man. It didn't go as expected." He further explained that he left the man injured and that it was "a question of life or death. It was him or the other guy."
Evidence and Aftermath
The roommate also observed that Hassani arrived with a blood-stained orange Nike bag containing bank cards, Ketikyan's Medicare card, and knives. Hassani left the apartment 15 minutes later with a garbage bag that has never been recovered, and the murder weapon remains missing. The following day, Ketikyan's wife discovered his body in the apartment.
Crime scene technicians found Hassani's DNA in various parts of the victim's apartment, including on the front door. Despite the murder, Hassani returned to work at a convenience store the next day and even used Ketikyan's BMW to run errands. He was arrested and charged with the murder on October 23, 2023.
Legal Consequences and Sentencing
A conviction for second-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence. Justice Pennou will determine Hassani's period of parole ineligibility at a later date. This case highlights the tragic intersection of violence and immigration status, raising questions about safety and justice in urban communities.
