New trial date set for man accused of killing B.C. teen Marissa Shen
A new trial date has been set for a man accused of killing a 13-year-old girl in Burnaby nearly six years ago.
Marissa Shen was last seen alive on July 18, 2017, at a local Tim Hortons. Five hours after that sighting, her body was found in Burnaby's Central Park.
Ibrahim Ali was arrested more than a year later and charged with first-degree murder.
The trial had already been postponed twice by the time it was slated to begin in January, only to be rescheduled once more due to a large number of pre-trial applications, according to the B.C. Prosecution Service.
However, jury selection is now underway at B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, and the BCPS confirmed that the trial is scheduled to begin on April 5.
B.C.'s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has described the case as the biggest it has worked on in its history.
According to the RCMP, there were initially 2,000 persons of interest in the case, and Ali did not become a suspect until two weeks before his arrest.
Police have not revealed what evidence put him on their radar.
Ali, a Syrian national who arrived in Canada just a few months before the killing, was 28 years old at the time of Shen's death and has no previous criminal record.
Heated protests have erupted outside the court house during a number of his previous court appearances, with some individuals seemingly focused on turning Shen’s death into a larger debate about Canada’s immigration system.
Ali has been in Custody since his arrest in 2018.
The trial is expected to run through to June 30.
With files from CTV Vancouver’s Lisa Steacy.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
Senators reject field trip to African Lion Safari amid elephant bill study
The Senate legal affairs committee has rejected a motion calling for members to take a $50,000 field trip to the African Lion Safari in southern Ontario to see the zoo's elephant exhibit.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.