Two of three Montrealers, accused in the deaths of four family members during an Ontario vacation last year, have waived a preliminary hearing and will go straight to trial.
Tooba Yahya Mohammed and her son Hamed decided there was enough evidence to go to trial in Kingston, Ont. on charges of the first degree murders of Mohammed's daughters Zainab, 19, Sahar, 17, and Geeti, 13.
Also killed was Rona Amir Mohammed, who was reportedly the first wife of Mohammed Shafia, who is also charged in the murders.
Unlike his son and current wife, Mohammad Shafia has not agreed to go straight to trial and his preliminary hearing will continue in February.
All evidence presented at the hearing on Monday was covered by a publication ban, as is customary in Canada.
The three, all from St. Leonard, are charged with four counts of first-degree murder and four counts of conspiracy to commit murder.
Car in water
The bodies of the two women and two girls were found in a car submerged in the Kingston Mills locks on June 30.
Police said that before their murders, daughter Zainab and ex-wife Rona had been receiving death threats for what they say were social, cultural and family reasons.
After the deaths, Mohammed Shafia told police and reporters that Zanaib liked to take the car on joyrides, despite not having a license, and had probably done the same the night she died.
Investigators later said that story was false and that the vehicle was being operated by the three accused on the night in question.
