Edin Hodzic, 24, was the last of five Hamilton men to be tried for first-degree murder in the death of Matthew Daly on May 19, 2001. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter for his role in the beating death, thus avoiding a long trial and the risk of a conviction for first- or second-degree murder.
On Dec. 14, a jury convicted Fadil (Neil) Mujku, 23, Vuthy Chak, 23, and Sam Nop, 24, of second-degree murder and Stephen Papadopoulos, 26, of manslaughter in Daly's death. They will be sentenced Jan. 29.
During the trial of his four accomplices, Erin Keller testified she was walking home from the graduation party with her boyfriend Daly, 19, about 3 a.m., May 19, 2001, when they heard somebody running up behind them on Woodland Park Drive in Burlington. She glanced back at a tallish "Italian-looking" man whom the Crown suggested matched Hodzic's description. He stopped briefly after making eye contact with her. Moments later, the stranger crashed into them from behind and forced their hands to break apart. He then grabbed Daly in a kind of headlock and dragged him across the street to a lawn where he was attacked by four other men and left unconscious.
After being arrested and charged on Oct. 10, 2001, Hodzic spent more than 4 1/2 years in jail awaiting his trial until he was released on bail in May 2006. By that time, the court had agreed to sever his case from the other four. He was called to testify against the other four men but refused and was cited for contempt and has been in custody since. He will be sentenced Feb. 12.
Later,
Kenaz
