Sri Lankan family threw 19th birthday party for student a week before he stabbed them all to death in savage massacre

• Febrio De-Zoysa, 19, is accused of killing a Sri Lankan family and their lodger on Wednesday
• According to a monk who knew the family, they had thrown a birthday party for the accused to celebrate his 19th birthday a week before the murder
• Father Dhanushka Wickramasinghe also said that nothing seemed ‘wrong’ in the lead-up to the attack

The Sri Lankan family that was brutally murdered in Canada had reportedly thrown a birthday party for 19-year-old suspect Febrio de Zoysa days before the attack. 

Zoysa is accused of killing the family and their lodger, who had recently immigrated from Sri Lanka, inside a home in Ottawa, Canada. 

The victims are: mom Darshani Banbaranayake Gama Walwwe Darshani Dilanthika Ekanyake, 35; their lodger Amarakoonmubiayansela Ge Gamini Amarakoon, 40; Inuka Wickramasinghe, seven; Ashwini Wickramasinghe, four; Rinyana Wickramasinghe, two; and Kelly Wickramasinghe, two months old.

They were discovered at their home just before 11 pm on Wednesday after police received several frantic 911 calls.

Father Dhanushka Wickramasinghe suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital. 

He had parts of two fingers cut off and one has since been repaired. He also suffered a slash across his face between his nose and his eye and stab wounds to the chest and back.

The victims are all Sri Lankan nationals except the baby who was born in Canada, according to police. 

According to the National Post, a resident monk at Hilda Jayewardenaramaya Buddhist Monastery who knew the family said they had thrown a birthday party for the accused to celebrate his 19th birthday a week before the murder. 

Bhante Suneetha said she met with Dhanushka at the hospital yesterday and he was in ‘great shock’. 

Dhanushka also reportedly told Suneetha that nothing seemed ‘wrong’ in the lead-up to the attack. 

In an interview with the Canadian Press, Suneetha said: ‘They even helped him to celebrate. They organized a celebration of his 19th birthday last week, a few days ago.’

Zoysa was seen in court yesterday afternoon and only spoke to say his name and birthdate before sitting down. 

He has been ordered not to contact five people, which includes Dhanushka. Zoysa has been charged with six counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.

Officials said in court that Zoysa is a Sri Lankan national who is studying in Canada.

Last evening, Algonquin College president Claude Brulé released a statement confirming De-Zoysa was a student at the college and said that ‘it appears his last semester of attendance was Winter 2023.’ 

According to Suneetha, Zoysa had moved into the murdered family’s basement nearly two months ago to pursue studies. 

Dhanushka had supposedly previously met the accused’s parents in Sri Lanka. 

While conversing with Suneetha, he also clarified that the family had never had any problems with the suspect. 

But while he had no problems with the family, he was reportedly having issues at school and recently dropped out. Zoysa was also allegedly suicidal. 

The resident monk said the grief-ridden father had came home from a cleaning job late Wednesday night when the attack occurred.

Dhanushka resisted and asked if the suspect if his family had been hurt to which the alleged murder said: ‘No, I didn’t do anything (to) them’. 

But when he went to his kids, they were ‘gone’. 

Cops arrived at the house to find the heartbroken father outside yelling for help. 

Inside the home, authorities discovered his wife, their children and the acquaintance.

Images taken at the scene show blood smeared over the front door to the property, as forensic teams and police officers investigate.

Investigators said he was an acquaintance of the family and was living in the home at the time although no motive has been established yet.

They added that an ‘edged’ weapon was used during the killings.

‘There are a lot of questions about why this tragedy occurred. This is the focus of our homicide unit as [they] diligently investigate this tragic crime,’ Ottawa Deputy Police Chief Trish Ferguson said during Thursday’s press conference.

‘Our investigators and forensic teams are working very hard to determine all of the facts and ensure justice is done but that also means we must maintain the integrity of the investigation for court,’ she added.

‘This was a senseless act of violence, perpetrated on purely innocent people,’ Chief Eric Stubbs said.

‘We have been working to advise the families of the deceased, many of whom are overseas.

‘I want to emphasize that this was a senseless act of violence perpetrated on purely innocent people.

‘I know our whole community is shocked and mourning this event.

‘I want to offer my condolences to the loved ones of all of the victims for this unimaginable loss.’

The murders, which have rocked the community of Barrhaven, were addressed by the country’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau.

‘Obviously our first reactions are all ones of shock and horror at this terrible violence,’ he said.

‘We are expecting that the community reaches out to support family and friends as Canadians always do, and we expect the police of jurisdiction to be doing the work and keeping us all informed of this terrible tragedy.’

Ottawa mayor Mark Sutcliffe also sought to reassure the public there is no wider danger.

‘While it will be difficult for many of us to go about our usual routines in the face of such tragedy, again there is no risk to the public.

‘We are fortunate to live in a safe city where these events are extremely rare, but everyone understandably will react to this news today, and feel less safe and secure.’