Basil Borutski failed to attend domestic violence counselling, despite court order
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Basil Borutski often portrayed himself as a victim of “the system” that jailed him for prior domestic abuses against two of the partners he would later murder on Sept. 22, 2015.
He complained about his perceived mistreatment by police and Renfrew County courts to his probation officer, to the police officer who interrogated him the morning after the murders, and to Carol Culleton, the first of his three victims that day.
But it was that same judicial system that others believe let his victims down, as well as those in and around the wounded community of Wilno who knew and loved Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk, and Nathalie Warmerdam.
On Friday, Borutski was found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Kuzyk and Warmerdam and one count of second-degree murder for the death of Culleton.
During his triple murder trial, it was revealed Borutski was under court order to attend partner abuse and domestic violence counselling since 2013 – since his release on domestic violence charges related to Warmerdam and her family — but “had not yet attended one session.”
Caroline Royer, who started supervising Borutski as part of his court-ordered probation in December 2013, testified there were complications with Borutski fulfilling that condition of his release.
He was handed another court order in late 2014, following his release from jail on charges related to domestic violence against Kuzyk, to complete the 12-week partner abuse and domestic violence program, with mandatory participation in weekly two-hour group sessions in nearby Eganville.
But Royer testified Borutski would often cite issues with his finances and transportation – though he would access his neighbour’s car as many as 10 times a week, court also heard – as barriers to his attendance in counselling.
Royer also said the route from his Palmer Rapids home to Eganville would take him right past the Foymount Road farmhouse where Warmerdam lived, an address where he was under court order to avoid.
Court also heard Borutski refused to sign his name to a court order barring him from being near Kuzyk after he was convicted for viciously beating and choking her in a rage.
Sources who knew both women said Warmerdam and Kuzyk knew each other, and knew of each other’s experiences in relationships with Borustki. According to those sources, Kuzyk was not aware Borustki had been released from jail when his most recent sentence ended, nine months before the killings.
In the weeks before the killings, his probation officer made a referral for Borutski, who was complaining his "head was about to explode," to speak with a mental health crisis worker.
ahelmer@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/helmera