Hearing to determine if Udo Haan not criminally responsible for wife’s death, Kitchener explosion
A hearing is underway at the Kitchener courthouse to determine if Udo Haan is not criminally responsible for the death of his wife Edra Haan, who was found in the aftermath of the 2018 house explosion in Kitchener.
Shortly after 8 a.m. on Aug. 22, 2018, their home at 56 Sprucedale Crescent exploded and caught fire.
Edra Haan was found dead in the backyard.
Her husband, Udo, was seriously hurt.
Two neighbouring homes were left with structural damage and eventually had to be demolished. A number of other homes were also damaged in the blast.
Weeks after the murder, Udo Haan was charged with first-degree murder and three arson-related charges.
On Wednesday morning, when asked how he pleaded to the four counts, Haan’s lawyer responded: “The accused admits to the underlying facts that constitute the offence.”
Haan then responded: “Yes.”
Udo Haan is seen in this undated photo.
In an agreed statement of facts, court head that Udo Haan was increasingly paranoid in the months leading up the house explosion. He believed his wife was having an affair and was also being followed by people who were after him.
Haan had extra surveillance cameras installed at his Sprucedale Crescent home and in his car.
He also tried to kill himself in May 2018 and ended up in hospital.
By the summer of 2018, Udo and his wife of 40 years were in the process of separating.
The agreed statement of facts goes on to say Udo decided to kill himself and Edra.
On Aug. 22, 2018, he used a rope to strangle Edra sometime around 5:30 a.m.
Udo Haan also opened a drop line in the basement so the home began to fill with natural gas, which the Ontario Fire Marshall later determined would have caused the explosion.
Haan also poured gasoline on Edra’s bed and used a lighter to ignite it.
Court heard from a psychiatrist who assessed Udo in December 2019 at the request of the defense.
Dr. Giovana Valadares de Armorin Levin stated that Udo described how he was feeling before the explosion, saying he was exhausted, frightened, on alert and waiting to be killed. Adding, that there was no place where he felt safe.
“In my opinion, Mr. Haan was extremely tormented in his beliefs,” Dr. Levin told the court. “Had Mr. Haan not been in a highly psychotic state, in my opinion, he would never have engaged in the offending behaviour.”
On Thursday, another psychiatrist who examined Udo Haan will take the stand on behalf of the prosecution as the hearing continues.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
RCMP not investigating possible foreign interference cases related to Chiu, Dong: Duheme
Canada's federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca