OSHAWA, Ont. — Muted cheers broke out in an Ontario courtroom Thursday as a man was found guilty of second-degree murder for the deaths of a woman and two of her children, with the judge calling the crime a "vicious and brutal" attack.
Cory Fenn had pleaded not guilty to three counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of 39-year-old Krassimira Pejcinovski, her 13-year-old daughter, Venellia, and her 14-year-old son, Roy.
Justice Howard Leibowich did not buy Fenn's argument that he was in a state of psychosis at the time, which the man claimed was brought on by a five-day cocaine binge.
"Vicious and brutal are some of the descriptors I can use to describe the attacks," Leibowich told an Oshawa, Ont., courtroom.
Friends of the Pejcinovski family burst into tears and let out soft cheers as the judge reached his decision.
Fenn, meanwhile, sighed throughout the two-hour ruling and showed no emotion when he was found guilty.
The prosecution had said Fenn killed all three in a rage on March 14, 2018, in Ajax, Ont., after Krassimira Pejcinovski, also known as Krissy, broke up with him. The mother and her daughter were found stabbed to death, while the boy was strangled.
Fenn argued he did not have the mental ability to commit the crimes, but did not call a defence.
A court-appointed lawyer assisting him said the man killed all three, but argued he did not have the requisite state of mind to commit murder due to his extensive use of cocaine.
Court heard that Fenn and Pejcinovski had an on-again, off-again relationship while Fenn lived in the basement of Pejcinovski’s home.
"Mr. Fenn and Krissy were involved in an unhealthy, toxic relationship," Liebowich said.
The Crown said Pejcinovski's oldest daughter, 16 at the time, had found cocaine on the stove the day before the deaths. She confronted her mother and told her Fenn had to go, court heard. Her mother agreed and said she would break up with Fenn.
Pejcinovski spent much of that night in the basement with Fenn, which she often did in the past, court heard, the pair snorting cocaine together.
Her oldest daughter left around 9:30 p.m. to go to her father’s home and told court she became worried when her mother failed to pick her up for a driving lesson the following morning.
When her mother failed to respond to text messages, she called her younger sister, who was in her bedroom with a friend for a sleepover, court heard. Venellia, also known as Vana, left the room to go check on her mom.
When she went into the basement, Fenn attacked her.
"Mr. Fenn did not just cut her, he savagely beat her," Leibowich said. She had two black eyes, massive bruising on her lips and jaw and bruising on the back of her head, court heard.
"The trauma to her face was so severe that Detective MacIver could not tell her age when he found her," Leibowich said.
Fenn told police he kicked the girl repeatedly. Then he stabbed her with a butter knife and stuffed her body under his bed.
The friend who was in the home for the sleepover testified she heard Fenn coming up the stairs. He asked her where the oldest daughter was, before returning downstairs, leaving her unharmed.
Shortly afterward, Krissy Pejcinovski's boss showed up, worried after her employee who had failed to show up to work. Sherry Robinson testified she noticed blood on Fenn’s arms and foot. She left, drove down the street and called police.
Fenn took off in his car, which he later ditched at a gas station, and went to an ex’s place. Police found him later that day hiding in a shed.
The judge did not buy the Crown's proposed motive that Fenn killed Pejcinovski after a breakup.
Rather, Leibowich said Fenn's own words were likely the closest court will hear about a motive – he was fed up with her constant badgering about being with another woman and he "had enough of that."
Pejcinovski suffered multiple fractures to her skull and jaw, had 17 fractured ribs and extensive bruising across her face, neck, torso and limbs, court heard. When she kept breathing after an attempted strangulation in the garage, Fenn left to grab a knife and returned.
"I just wanted her to die," Fenn told police.
Police later found her under tires and garbage in the garage.
Fenn told police he was in a rage after killing Pejcinovski and Roy, a star hockey goalie, was the first person he saw.
Roy was asleep in his mother's bed after a night playing video games when he was attacked by Fenn, a large, muscular man who had been on steroids.
Fenn strangled Roy, but he also beat the boy with at least "one large blow to his head" and left numerous bruises on one ear, his back and arms, the judge said.
It took the judge more than 10 minutes to read out all of the injuries suffered by the victims.
Second-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence and a minimum 10 years behind bars before parole application.
The Crown hinted it may apply for parole periods on all three counts to be served consecutively.
"Ten years would be perfect, right?" Fenn said to the judge before he was handcuffed and taken away.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 10, 2022.
Liam Casey, The Canadian Press
