The owner of an Ontario furniture chain received a citizen’s citation Wednesday for his role in assisting the investigation into the murder of a Kitchener woman.
Nadia Gehl was killed in February 2009 while on her way to a bus stop.
Gehl’s husband, Ron Cyr, and two of Cyr’s friends, Dennis Zvolensky and Nashat Qahwash, were charged with and convicted of first-degree murder in her death.
Key to the case against the men was evidence gathered by an undercover officer who was planted at a Bad Boy furniture store in Kitchener, where Cyr was also employed.
Bad Boy owner Blayne Lastman was on hand Wednesday as he and his company were recognized for their help by the Waterloo Regional Police Services Board.
“We’ve gotten to know each other over these days, years and months and you are a tremendous human being. Thank you very much,” said Chief Matt Torigian as he presented Lastman with the citation.
The undercover officer, whose identity is protected by court order, befriended all three men and secretly recorded conversations that were crucial pieces of evidence at their trial.
Lastman told CTV he was happy to help the police, but everyone had to be very careful not to let too many people in on the officer’s true identity.
“We had to be very careful, because you’re involved in a police matter where it’s life or death if you make some mistakes,” he said.
Cyr, Zvolensky and Qahwash all received life sentences with no chance of parole for 25 years.
All three are planning appeals.
