WARNING: Graphic content. Discretion is advised.
A long-time friend of Hari Pal who rented her basement suite to the accused killer testified in court Tuesday, describing how she tried to intervene in his stabbing attack on two other women.
Pal is charged with two counts of second-degree murder for the May 2014 deaths of his estranged wife, Sanjula Devi, and her friend, Fahmida Velji-Visram. Pal is also charged with the attempted murder of his landlord and friend, Shalni Gill, who he stabbed as she tried to intervene.
Gill testified she heard women screaming and ran downstairs on the evening of May 4.
She told court she saw Pal reaching through a hole in a bedroom door, where Devi and Devi’s daughter were hiding.
Watch below from June 19: The double-murder trial for Hari Pal was underway in Calgary Monday with video testimony from a young girl who witnessed her mother’s killing. Tracy Nagai has more.
Gill testified Pal got inside the bedroom, grabbed Devi and began stabbing her. Gill said she then grabbed Devi’s daughter and told her to go upstairs.
Gill said she tried to stop Pal, who turned around and stabbed her in the shoulder.
In that moment, Gill said Devi tried to break free and run upstairs, but Pal wouldn’t let go of her.
“He wasn’t saying anything, he just kept stabbing her,” Gill testified Tuesday.
READ MORE: Court watches police interview with 9-year-old daughter of victim hours after 2014 stabbing death
Gill said Devi collapsed at the top of the stairs and Pal took off.
It wasn’t until she heard her neighbours screaming that Gill realized another woman had been stabbed.
Fhamida Velji-Visram, 29, was also killed in the attack. She had volunteered to help Devi pack up her belongings that night.
Gill told court she had to get 10 stitches to close her wound and a scar remains there today.