A man who was accused of murdering his husband, Allan Lanteigne, in 2011 walked out of court a free man today.
An Ontario Court of Justice judge at Toronto’s Old City Hall discharged Demitry Papasotiriou on Sept 11 because of insufficient evidence. His mother and stepfather, two of the few in attendance in the sparsely populated courtroom, gasped in surprise at the decision. Papasotiriou smiled and embraced his lawyer, James Lockyer.
His co-accused, Michael Ivezic, will face a criminal trial for first-degree murder. The case is currently subject to a publication ban on all evidence.
Papasotiriou was arrested on Nov 2, 2012, on suspicion of killing his husband, Lanteigne. The victim, who worked as an accounting clerk at the University of Toronto, was found dead inside his home on Ossington Avenue on March 3, 2011, after co-workers grew concerned that he hadn’t arrived for work. At the time of Lanteigne’s death, Papasotiriou was studying law in Switzerland.
The co-accused, Ivezic, was arrested in Greece on Jan 16, 2013, after an Interpol warrant was issued for him. Upon his return to Canada in June 2013, police described him as a business associate of Papasotiriou’s and alleged that the pair were co-conspirators.
As in his previous court appearances, Papasotiriou was dressed in a suit too large for his small build and frameless glasses. After the judge’s decision he was clearly happy about what he had heard. Both he and his lawyer described themselves as relieved.
“I was sad when Allan died, and I am still sad,” Papasotiriou told Xtra. “I am relieved now that any suggestion that I had anything to do with his death is gone.”
The crown attorney working on the case declined to comment, as the case is still working its way through the judicial system.
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