Daniel Hoffmann’s grief-stricken mother appeared virtually from Windsor, Ont., in a Toronto courtroom Wednesday and recalled the terrible day, three years ago, when her husband drove to their son’s apartment to find him dead.

“When he found Daniel that fateful day, he was changed forever. How could he not be, seeing what he saw? The sound of his voice when he called me to tell me what had happened to Daniel was filled with sheer agony and grief, a tone I will never forget,” said Wendy Hoffmann, describing her only child as the centre of their family.

Last month, 23-year-old Adrian Desario, 25-year-old Dawson Aguilera Jimenez and 21-year-old Nikki Karimi, who were all facing a charge of first-degree murder re-elected to be tried by judge alone. Aguilera Jimenez and Karimi then waived their right to a trial and both pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of second-degree murder, while Desario pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

According to an agreed statement of facts, Desario was a friend of Hoffmann’s, Aguilera Jimenez was Desario’s boyfriend and knew Hoffmann through Desario, and they were acquaintances but not friends. Karimi was a friend of Desario and Aguilera Jimenez, who had only become newly acquainted with Hoffmann.

On the night of April 12, 2022, Desario went to Hoffmann’s residence with Karimi. In the early morning hours of April 13, Aguilera Jimenez arrived at the building and was denied entry by Hoffmann. Desario went to the lobby and brought Aguilera Jimenez to the apartment, knowing Hoffmann did not want him there.

Around 4:20 a.m., Aguilera Jimenez arrived in unit 2006. Hoffman pulled a knife on Aguilera Jimenez and threatened to have his friends attend the apartment to “back him up”.

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After some discussion, the situation de-escalated. Aguilera Jimenez and Hoffmann shook hands, and the four drank alcohol and consumed drugs.

At approximately 5:30 or 6:00 a.m., Aguilera Jimenez and Hoffmann got into an argument, which turned physical. Hoffmann was unarmed at the time of the altercation. Aguilera Jimenez and Karimi stabbed Hoffmann with a knife. He succumbed to his injuries a short time later. Hoffmann sustained nine stab wounds, including three to the chest.

Desario did not stab Hoffmann, but admits she verbally engaged and encouraged the altercation as it turned physical. She was a party to the initial assault but did not know there would be injuries likely to cause or materially contribute to his death.

All three accused were taunting Hoffman while he was being stabbed. Eight videos were made during the attack, including some that Karimi shared through social media.

After the stabbing, Karimi and Aguilera Jimenez cleaned up the crime scene and removed a knife from the apartment and discarded it to avoid detection.

Desario took Hoffmann’s cell phone and credit card. She used the credit card at Shopper’s Drug Mart to buy gift cards. The credit card was found in Desario’s possession after her arrest.

Desario drove her mother’s car with her two co-accused to Niagara Falls, where they rented a room. It’s there where they were arrested by Niagara Regional Police.

Later that afternoon, around 5 p.m., Hoffmann’s father discovered his son’s lifeless body in the apartment.

During the search of the apartment, four knives were missing from the knife block. One loose knife was found at the base of a coffee table near Hoffmann’s body. Another was found on the kitchen counter.

Two videos were recovered from Karimi’s phone, which showed Aguilera Jimenez burying an object in a construction area near his home after the stabbing.

Hoffmann’s mother finished her victim impact statement by telling the court that she mourns the lost possibilities of what could have been. Marriage, grandchildren, a successful career and happy visits with their only child.

“We can’t help but wonder, did he suffer? Was he scared? Did he think of us? The biggest hurt is he died alone, we never got to say goodbye,” she added.

The sentencing hearing will continue in September with submissions from Crown and defence.

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