Within hours of stabbing his wife to death in his Toronto apartment, Juan Antonio Avalos packed his bags, withdrew a bunch of cash, and got on a plane to his native El Salvador.
asserted
Avalos → stab → Salvador
He remained at large for 20 years in the death of 26-year-old Rosaura Tolentino Ramos, until he was extradited back to Canada two years ago.
asserted
he → remain → Canada
On Wednesday, Ramos’s relatives watched via Zoom as her now 65-year-old husband was convicted in Superior Court of manslaughter.
asserted
husband → watch → manslaughter
Dressed in a black hoodie and assisted by a Spanish interpreter, Avalos stood in the prisoner’s box and pleaded not guilty — or, in his words, “innocent” — but chose not to challenge the facts presented by Crown attorneys Scott Arnold and Ysolt Brar that led to his conviction.
asserted
that → dress → conviction
The outcome means that Avalos’s trial for second-degree murder, which was set to begin Monday, has now been scrapped.
asserted
which → mean → murder
Avalos and Ramos met through a priest at a community centre in the fall of 2003, and were married in November of that year.
asserted
Avalos → meet → year
He was charged with assaulting her just two months later — allegations that Avalos continues to deny — with a trial set for February 2005.
asserted
Avalos → charge → February
In the meantime, his bail conditions restricted his contact with Ramos, who moved in with her sister.
asserted
who → restrict → sister
Judge will determine how long Shardanae Cousins-Emily will serve before being eligible for parole, between 10 and 25 years, for the murder
Judge will determine how long Shardanae Cousins-Emily will serve before being eligible for parole, between 10 and 25 years, for the murder
According to the agreed statement of facts presented Wednesday, Avalos and Ramos were together in Avalos’s North York apartment on the evening Aug. 29, 2004, when a neighbour one floor below was awoken by a loud argument in Spanish.
uncertain
neighbour → determine → Spanish
The neighbour reported hearing a man with a deep voice shouting and calling the woman “puta” — Spanish for “whore” — and the woman pleading “Santa Maria” and “no Dios” — “No, God.”
asserted
woman → report → Maria
A few minutes later, “the confrontation ended with a ‘horrible’ female scream lasting a few seconds, which was followed by complete silence,” said the agreed statement.
asserted
statement → end → silence
Later on the morning of Aug. 30, the same neighbour reported hearing “the distinctive sound of water and a broom scrubbing an adjacent balcony or living room floor.”
asserted
neighbour → report → balcony
Avalos was seen on surveillance footage that morning taking two suitcases down to his car in the underground parking garage.
asserted
Avalos → see → garage
He then headed to a CIBC where he withdrew $1,000.
asserted
he → head → 1,000
He made his way to Detroit, where he caught a flight to El Salvador after paying for a one-way ticket in cash.
asserted
he → make → cash
Avalos, who became a Canadian citizen after immigrating from El Salvador in 1985, arrived in his native country on Aug. 31, about a day after killing his wife.
asserted
who → become → wife
Back in Toronto, Ramos’s family was concerned when she didn’t show up to work or return their calls.
asserted
she → concern → calls
They went to Avalos’s apartment, but when no one came to the door, Ramos’s sister reported her missing on Aug. 31 to police.
asserted
her → go → police
Officers gained entry into Avalos’s unit, where they found Ramos’s body lying in a pool of blood on the bed; she had been stabbed once in the neck.
asserted
she → gain → neck
A kitchen knife was found close to her body.
asserted
knife → find → body
Avalos was arrested in El Salvador in January 2024 and put in a local jail thanks to a “red notice” — issued by Interpol requesting law enforcement agencies around the world to locate someone pending extradition.
asserted
Avalos → arrest → extradition
He arrived back in Canada in August of that year.
asserted
He → arrive → year
Toronto police pointed out at the time that Canada and El Salvador did not have an extradition agreement when Avalos fled in 2004, but the situation in the country has since changed.
asserted
situation → point → country
The government has taken a strict law and order approach — leading to El Salvador having the highest incarceration rate in the world — and local authorities cooperated in locating and ultimately extraditing Avalos.
Defence lawyer Ian McCuaig chose not to call any evidence or make any arguments Wednesday after the Crown presented the facts, and Avalos was then convicted by Justice Robert Goldstein of manslaughter.
asserted
Avalos → take → manslaughter
The case returns in January for a sentencing hearing, where Ramos’s family will have the opportunity to present victim impact statements.
asserted
family → return → statements
The Aporia
