Pickering native Nicholas Baig, who pleaded guilty to the 2017 murder of his pregnant wife, has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 17 years.
Arianna Goberdhan was found dead in Baig’s parents’ home on Winville Road in Pickering on the night of April 7, 2017. She was nine months pregnant at the time with the couple’s first child – a little girl who she was going to name Asaara.
Baig, her estranged husband, was seen leaving on surveillance video and quickly became the prime suspect. The 25-year-old was arrested the following evening and was charged with first-degree murder.
Speyer told the court Baig lacks insight into his behaviour.
“He calls what he did a mistake. He is tormented by the loss of his wife and his unborn child. He sees himself as a victim,” she said.
The crown requested a period of parole ineligibility of up to 20 years. The defence suggested 15 years.
Outside of the Oshawa courthouse, friends of Goberdhan chanted, “End domestic violence now, break the silence now” and held signs calling for “Justice for Asaara” and to “Change the law” in regard to domestic violence.
“For my sister, I just wanted more … It’s just not fair, he took two lives from me, I will never get to have a niece, I will never get to have a sister again,” Goberdhan’s sister told Global News outside the courthouse.
“For future women in this situation, this is why we’re asking that we need to get the government to understand that the law needs to be changed,” her mother, Sherry Goberdhan said.
Arianna’s uncle Frank Pedinelli spoke outside about his disappointment that Baig faced no additional charges in relation to the death of her unborn child.
“I feel very hollow here that there was very little said about Asaara and the fact that Asaara had some rights and that Asaara’s life was taken,” he said.
Arianna’s family has started a petition to the House of Commons to recognize Asaara and to change the law in Canada in regard to murder of an unborn child.
Agreed Statement of Facts
According to the agreed statement of facts, Baig and Goberdhan dated on and off for about six years prior to getting married in November 2016. Goberdhan was already pregnant with the couple’s first child.
Over the years, there were many fights and in 2014 and 2016, Baig was charged with domestic assault. In both cases, the charges were withdrawn.
At some point between November 2016 and March 2017, Baig and Goberdhan engaged in a hostile text message exchange where Baig wrote to Goberdhan and called her vulgar names.
He also wrote, “I really don’t want to be married to you,” “I want nothing to do with you or this baby anymore,” “I hope to god you stop breathing while you drive,” and “I hope you die delivering.”
READ MORE: Crown asks for 25-year parole ineligibility for man convicted of killing Toronto woman
Arianna sent screenshots of this text exchange to her father.
About a month prior to her murder, Goberdhan moved back in with her parents in Ajax but told them little about why she was separating from her husband.
On the evening of April 7, 2017, Goberdhan told family and friends she was going to pick up Baig at work and give him a drive to the home in Pickering where he lived with his parents.
WATCH: Pickering man who pleaded guilty to killing his wife to be sentenced (March 29)
She indicated that she was going to take her father’s car so she would have an excuse to leave when, in fact, Baig’s brother drove him home from work.
Goberdhan went to the house around 6:30 p.m. Her dead body was removed from the house later that night. Police said she had been stabbed 17 times to her head, face, neck and body.