Angry in the Great White North

One of the facts that has been consistently reported is that murder victim Yasmin Ashareh was born in Canada. Her family was always described as being from Somalia, but it was never clear which members of her family, whether Yasmin's father is in Canada, or whether Yasmin's mother arrived in Canada from Somalia pregnant with Yasmin, her father remaining behind in Somalia for some reason.

So today when I read this in the Toronto Sun, I'm left scratching my head:

One worker remembered Ashareh was having problems with a boyfriend, but were not sure if it was the man charged.

"I know she was having problems with him," the worker said. "I am not sure if she wanted to leave him."

Residents at the complex where she lived said the Somali-born Muslim had only recently moved into the townhouse, which had other tenants.

"Nobody saw her," said one neighbour, who like everyone else interviewed didn't want to give his name. "She came and went late at night." [emphasis added]

OK, anyone who has been following this story knows that calling Yasmin Ashareh a Somali-born Muslim is at odds with every report that has appeared in every paper until know:

Her brutal slaying came as a shock to many co-workers, who have described Ms. Ashareh as a friendly and outgoing person.

She was born in Canada, but her family is from Somalia.

Indeed, to call her Muslim is suggestive, since again we don't know if she was devout or indifferent when it came to religion.

So what has changed? Did Tom Godfrey of the Sun make a mistake that slipped through? Or have the facts as we understand them change, and this is simply the first time it has been reported (even though without any specific mention that the understanding of the situation has changed)?

And if our understanding of the facts have changed, if Yasmin Ashareh is really from Somalia, if her father is really from the old country, how does this change our perception of the crime? How old was Yasmin Ashareh when she came to Canada? Another question to ask is who exactly claimed she was born in Canada in the first place, and how was this mistake corrected?

Maybe this will turn out to be utterly irrelevant to the case, but if you following this story, you know that we don't know what is relevant and what is not. It also sounds like it won't be easy to know:

The 32-year-old Toronto man [William Imona-Russel] charged in connection with the murder of a woman who's remains were found in the city's west end appeared at Old City Hall court today.

He's been ordered to make a video appearance at a Finch Ave., W., court, on Monday at 11:30 a.m.

A publication ban has been placed on evidence presented in court.

A publication ban, dammit!