WINNIPEG — The man accused of three separate murders in Winnipeg has a “mental problem” according to his brother.
READ MORE: Winnipeg police charge John Paul Ostamas in 3 ‘homeless homicides’
Richard Ostamas spoke to Global News Tuesday by phone from Fort Hope, Ontario shortly after police announced that his brother John Paul Ostamas, 40, is facing two counts of first degree murder and one count of second degree murder in Winnipeg.
“He had a mental problem or something, he would hallucinate, like schizophrenia,” Richard Ostamas said, adding that his brother suffered a head injury as a teen. But he was not diagnosed with or treated for a specific condition. “He would always get upset fast, I’d try and tell him, he said there was something wrong with his head.”
John Paul Ostamas is accused in the bus shelter beating death of Miles Monias, 37, on April 10 and the murders of Donald Collins, 65, and Stony Stanley Bushie, 48, on Saturday. Police say they were “brutally killed.”
“He has a problem with alcohol and drugs, alcohol mostly,” Richard Ostamas said. “He was supposed to be going into a treatment centre this summer.”
On Sunday, police released a security camera image a “person of interest” in the case, who officers later confirmed was John Paul Ostamas. “I watched the news and I knew it was him,” Richard Ostamas said.
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“I know he’s my brother and I care for him and love him and I’d tell him he can’t do that to people but it’s not him. It’s in his head I guess.”
John Paul Ostamas has a criminal record for assaults in Ontario dating back 2002.
In a Facebook profile under the name Jonathan Ostamas, the suspect wrote a rambling and chilling message dated April 26 – the day after the Collins and Bushie killings.
“in this ever changing world theres alot you can do you gotta do what you can in this trying times and you gotta know what to do in this life and chill in this place live life to the fullest its good to move forward in life you gonna be a sheep or wolf yea you gotta learn to live and survive in this life its and ever changing life we live it changes constantly it moves in a complex ways live it while you can – feeling determined”
In February, Ostamas posted a picture of himself posing with a woman in Winnipeg at a march remembering missing and murdered aboriginal people with the message “Walking in the missing and murdered women of canada this event lasted 7hrs speeches and stories of the issues around the community.”
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