Toronto man charged with 1st-degree murder after estranged wife dies in machete attack

A 38-year-old Toronto man has been charged with first-degree murder after allegedly attacking his former spouse with a machete.

Police said emergency crews were called a property on Fishery Road, near Morrish and Ellesmere roads and west of Meadowvale Road, at around 6:25 p.m. on Wednesday

“Witnesses observed a male suspect running around chasing the female victim with a machete,” Duty Insp. Stacey Davis told reporters soon after the incident.

Twenty-seven-year-old Tharshika Jeganathan died at the scene.

Officers said the victim and the suspect were in a “previous domestic relationship.”

Police said the accused later drove to the 42 Division and surrendered himself to officers.

Sasikaran Thanapalasingam was charged with first-degree murder and he appeared in court on Thursday. He was remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear in court again on Wednesday. Thanapalasingam’s lawyer said his client required medical attention.

According to Thanapalasingam’s Facebook page, he and Jeganathan were married in India in 2015. The couple appeared happy and posed for pictures, including one the groom captioned with, “I am in love.”

But court records obtained by Global News show the couple had a history of domestic abuse. Thanapalasingam was previously charged with assaulting his wife in March 2017 and was released on bail with conditions. Sources said Jeganathan had moved to Canada from Sri Lanka to be with her husband just months before.

Just two months after the assault charge, Thanapalasingam was charged and convicted with breaching the conditions of his release. He was sentenced to a conditional discharge and probation, including a condition that he have no contact with his wife for a year. He was acquitted on the original assault charge.

Meanwhile, it’s believed the victim worked at the Dollarama and was walking home after her shift when she was attacked. The company issued a statement on Thursday, saying staff are “deeply shocked and saddened.” Grief counsellors were brought in to support Jeganathan’s co-workers.