I was contacted by Mr X who wanted to share what he knew of his acquaintance, William Imona-Russel.
Mr X has known William Imona-Russel for three years now, though he has lost contact with the man now charged with the murder of Yasmin Ashareh. In fact, Mr X had only just heard of Imona-Russel's arrest, which is why he contacted me.
They met at a bar three years ago. Apparently hanging out at bars, drinking beer, and singing karaoke seemed to be Imona-Russel's only hobbies. Imona-Russel said he was a stock-broker -- obviously a lie, but it seems that lying comes easily to Imona-Russel.
So where did Imona-Russel get his money? We don't know, but we do know he either stole or was given money by the woman who had laid charges against Imona-Russel before the murder of Yasmin Ashareh. We can speculate whether he has conned other people.
At the time he lived in an apartment building at the corner of Dixon Road and Islington. Mr X did not know Imona-Russel when Imona-Russel lived in the rooming house on John Garland Blvd, where Yasmin Ashareh also lived prior to her death.
Six months ago Mr X decided to put some distance between himself and Imona-Russel. He felt that Imona-Russel was lying, though about what was not clear. But Mr X was also shocked to hear that Imona-Russel had been picked up for a murder.
Trusting that the police had a strong case, Mr X assumed that Imona-Russel must have snapped and killed in the heat of the moment. He did not think Imona-Russel was a violent man, much less capable of murder. In fact, he tells me that Imona-Russel is about 5'6" -- Mr X doubts Imona-Russel could be a threat to most anyone.
During my discussions with Mr X, I let him review the facts of the police report -- the Yasmin Ashareh had her throat cut, that Imona-Russel was not immediately arrested but put under surveillance, that there is a publication ban on evidence, that the police refuse to discuss motive or any other details of the case -- and now he wonders too if indeed there is more to the case than we have been led to believe. He wonders if his doubts concerning Imona-Russel's physical ability to commit murder, and his opinion that Imona-Russel was a conniving weasel, not a murderous wolf, were on target after all, despite what the police have done.
But then maybe this yet another con.
I hope I get to hear from more people who have met the main players in this case.
