Good Samaritans tried to save woman attacked by stranger, jury hears on Day 1 of murder trial
CBC
As Vanessa Ladouceur walked along 10th Avenue, headed to her early morning shift at a downtown Calgary fitness studio, she passed a man with a backpack and a bicycle who would, hours later, be charged with her murder.
Michael Adenyi, 29, faces a charge of first-degree murder in the death of Ladouceur, 31.
As Adenyi's trial got underway Monday, jurors heard an opening statement from prosecutor Carla MacPhail, who outlined the evidence expected to be called by the Crown.
On March 18, 2022, Ladouceur left her downtown home to walk to work just a few blocks away.
She walked past a man who the Crown says was Adenyi.
The man she passed began following her — first on his bicycle, then on foot, running.
He was "closing the gap between them," said MacPhail. "He continued his pursuit."
The man "bodychecked her off her feet into an alcove, where he attacked her."
The attack lasted 11 seconds and Ladouceur suffered eight stab wounds, according to MacPhail.
A neighbour who heard Ladouceur's screams ran to his apartment window, saw the assault and yelled at the attacker to stop.
Security footage shows the man with the knife then ran from the scene.
Ladouceur was able to get up and stumbled into a nearby lobby. By then, the neighbour made it to the lobby and together with another Good Samaritan tried to help.
But Ladouceur was "very injured." She'd collapsed in the lobby and was unresponsive by the time first responders arrived.
A police officer accompanied the victim and paramedics to Foothills Hospital.
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