'This is never over for us,' family of Kitchener woman stabbed to death says

The aunt of a Kitchener, Ont., woman stabbed to death in April 2017 says the man responsible should never be allowed to get parole.

Jasmina Predic, 43, said for her family, the death of Melinda Vasilije at the hands of Ager Hasan will be something they always have to live with.

"I don't think that enough justice would ever be served for what Agar Hasan has done to my family, to Melinda. Sixteen years seems a little bit more like a slap on the wrist. It's disappointing," Predic said Wednesday outside the Kitchener courthouse.

"It's never over for the victims, families, especially for us. Melinda's gone forever. She's never coming back and I don't agree that he should even be allowed eligibility for any type of parole."

Hasan, who is now 30, has never denied he killed Vasilije. He claimed they got into an argument and he blacked out and stabbed her 47 times.

Hasan attempted to plead guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter at the start of the trial earlier this year, but the Crown rejected his plea. In May 2023, he was found guilty of second-degree murder.

A second-degree murder conviction carries an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 10 to 25 years. It was up to Ontario Superior Court Justice Gerry Taylor to determine when Hasan would be eligible for parole. On Wednesday, Taylor set the eligibility at 16 years, with the start date of when Hasan was arrested on July 11, 2017.

It means Hasan would be able to apply for parole in 2033. A person who applies for parole is not necessarily granted parole and must go through a hearing.

Hasan must also submit his DNA to a national registry, he cannot own weapons for the rest of his life and he cannot contact Vasilije's family.

The case received extensive media attention in 2017 because of Hasan's actions after the stabbing. Hasan did not call 911 or call for help, but instead left her apartment and fled across the border into the U.S. where he remained for more than two months.

In the hours after he stabbed her, Hasan texted Vasilije's phone saying he was glad they had worked things out and it was good to see her. He did this even though he knew she was likely dead, Taylor said.

He was in contact with police and it was believed he posted to social media websites, including Instagram and Reddit.

Hasan was arrested in San Antonio, Texas, on July 11, 2017, by Secret Service agents as part of a dark web counterfeit currency investigation.