The man accused of dousing his estranged wife with gasoline before setting her on fire has been found guilty of first-degree murder by an Ontario court.
Norbert Budai was found guilty of the first-degree murder of his estranged wife Henrietta Viski in a ruling by Superior Court Justice Jane Kelly on Friday, who said he carried out the attack in “a horrific manner.”
The 41-year-old showed no emotion as the verdict was read out.
Kelly rejected Budai’s testimony at trial that he never meant to kill Viski. He argued the combination of alcohol and fentanyl limited his ability to plan and deliberate the murder of his 37-year-old estranged wife, who was also the mother of his three children.
At the beginning of the trial, Budai pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder but guilty to second-degree murder. The Crown rejected that plea.
The attack
On June 17, 2022, Budai drove to Viski’s townhouse on Chester Le Boulevard in Toronto with a jerrycan filled with gasoline and broke down her door. He doused her with gasoline as she sat on the couch and followed her out of the home as she tried to flee, before setting her on fire with a lighter.
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Viski died the next day from complications associated with burns to 80 per cent of her body. Court heard that the day before the gasoline attack, he went to the townhouse and threatened her.
“Mr. Budai threatened to light Ms. Viski on fire on June 16, 2022 — this is a statement of plan,” Kelly said, reading from her reasons for sentence.
“He left the area of Ms. Viski’s home for approximately 15 hours. This provided ample time for Mr. Budai to deliberate, consider his actions, and weigh the consequences, even if he was consuming fentanyl and alcohol.”
Budai testified that he was jealous that Viski had started a relationship with another man and only intended to set her bright red-dyed hair on fire. The hair, Budai explained through a Hungarian interpreter, signified her infidelity. He repeated on the stand that he “never meant” to hurt her and wanted to get his family back together “just like they were when my wife had black hair”.
“It defies logic that someone would be so jealous that they would decide in these circumstances to light their estranged spouse on fire to remove her red hair, knowing that they would cause serious bodily harm that would likely cause death, but that is exactly what the defence is submitting Mr. Budai,” Kelly said.
“A planned and deliberated murder does not require proof that the person had a good or elaborate plan, or that the deliberations contemplated how to get away with what they were doing.”
The judge also did not believe that Budai was unable to appreciate the consequences of his actions due to his intoxication.
“I do not find that Mr. Budai was so intoxicated by alcohol and fentanyl that his ability to plan and deliberate Ms. Viski’s murder was limited.”
Kelly said that Budai made the threat to light Viski on fire when he was sober. She said video surveillance showed no staggering or any other indication of impairment when Budai followed Viski out of the unit and lit her on fire. “The conduct he exhibited was functional, logical and purpose driven, as well as rational, linear and goal directed,” Kelly added.
First-degree murder means a mandatory life sentence with a parole ineligibility period of 25 years.
Assistant Crown attorney Matthew Shumka asked if the judge could deliver her sentence immediately given it is a foregone conclusion. Kelly told the court her preference would be to return for the purpose of sentencing at a later date.
Sentencing is set for Nov. 7.
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