An Ottawa man has been sentenced to life in prison after he pleaded guilty to second degree murder in court on Tuesday.
Robert Rus, 61, was charged with first degree murder in relation to the death of his wife of 30 years, Brenda Rus, in April.
According to an agreed statement of facts, Brenda and Robert were inside their home in Bentbrook Crescent in Barrhaven on April 5 when an argument ensued.
While arguing with Robert, Brenda grabbed a beer and went to put it in the fridge. Robert then grabbed a paring knife from the kitchen drawer with the intent to stop Brenda while she stood in front of the fridge. Brenda then walked to the living room, where Robert attempted to stab her but she slapped the knife away.
Brenda continued to fight back against Robert, punching him in the face and scratching him on the neck. Robert held her down with his legs and then strangled her on the neck for two to three minutes until she was dead.
Upon realizing that his wife was dead, he texted his son saying he had just killed Brenda before calling 911. Robert told the 911 operator that he had just killed his wife. He also indicated that he wanted to stab her but ended up strangling her.
Police arrived shortly after, and efforts were made to revive Brenda but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Robert confessed to killing his wife and provided a detailed account of what occurred to a police officer, including that he intended to kill her.
The killing was the ninth homicide and second femicide in the city this year.
The killing was declared by the Ottawa Police Service to be a
femicide
, which they define as the killing of women and girls
because of their gender
, often driven by stereotyped gender roles, discrimination against women and girls, or unequal power relations between women and men.
Defence lawyer Ewan Lyttle and Crown attorneys Hart Shouldice and Sarah Dolin jointly proposed a sentence of life in prison with parole eligibility beginning after 14 years.
Superior Court Justice Julianne Parfett accepted the plea, as well as the sentence and parole eligibility.
Brenda remembered as kind, empathetic and playful
Victim impact statements from four of Brenda’s friends and family members remembered her as a kind and funny woman who would welcome anyone into her home and feed them.
Joseph Ghattas, one of her sons, recalled some early memories that he had of her growing up. They would take long walks around the neighbourhood on warm days, and they would often stop by Michael’s because she loved to pick up small decorations for her home.
She had an eye for beauty, and everyone in the family loved each other even if they lived far apart, he said. They were never truly disconnected.
“I will never be the same person I was before. I was never given a chance to say goodbye, to give her one last hug,” Ghattas wrote in his statement.
“There were other options that could have been taken but instead her life was taken in the most brutal way imaginable. … Those facts have left a permanent mark on my heart and soul that I will never truly recover from.”
He noted in his victim impact statement that he received calls from Robert in prison since his mother’s murder, which left him feeling sad and angry.
“It’s the lack of compassion, the lack of remorse that continues to trouble me. One thing he said still echoes in my mind: ‘just because I killed your mother doesn’t make me a murderer,’” the statement stated.
“Those words have been burned in my memory. They remind me of how senseless and cruel this act was, and how my mother deserved so much better.”
Penny Salamon, Brenda’s friend for 38 years, described Brenda as a true friend and confidante. Both of them dreamed of quiet and peaceful days sitting in rocking chairs together after they retired, which Salamon looked forward to.
She told the court she was excited when Brenda told her she wanted to start a new life with her sons, family and friends.
“Brenda was my confidante, my support system, my chosen family. We shared everything, and now there’s an emptiness that can’t be filled. I have lost a part of myself,” read Salamon’s victim impact statement.
“My grief has made me irritable and withdrawn, which has put a great deal of stress on my relationship with my own spouse, who feels helpless to ease my pain. Some days, I can’t concentrate at work because my emotions are out of control.”
Salamon said she will honour her friend’s story by showing up to parole hearings after Rus is eligible to apply.
“I feel a duty to honour her memory by attending future parole hearings to ensure her story is never forgotten. My friend’s memory deserves justice, and the statement is a testament to the life of the stolen,” the statement said.
Robert, who was sitting in a box behind the lawyers, looked forward while the victim impact statements were being read.
Brenda’s family and friends sat in the gallery on Tuesday, and some of them silently wept throughout the court proceedings.
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