New Brunswick man accused of killing two boys takes the stand at his murder trial

Roman Kamyshnyy was charged with two counts of first-degree murder after a double homicide on Jan. 29, 2025.

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The man accused of killing two boys in Saint John, N.B., last year is on the stand today, testifying in his own defence at his murder trial.

Roman Kamyshnyy, 46, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of the boys, aged 10 and 17, on Jan. 29, 2025. He has pleaded not guilty to both charges.

It is alleged that Kamyshnyy stabbed the two boys to death before trying to take his own life by shooting nails into his head with a nail gun.

A court-ordered publication ban prevents the names of the two boys, or any information that may identify their relationship to the accused, from being revealed. Previous court rulings have allowed the media to describe the case as one that involves alleged domestic violence.

Justice Darrell Stephenson is presiding over the trial, which started on June 8. It is expected to last a total of three weeks, finishing by June 26.

The Crown wrapped up its case at the 14-member jury trial on Wednesday.

More to come…

‘Desperate vengeance’: What the court has heard so far

The Crown previously told the court that Kamyshnyy’s alleged actions were ones of “desperate vengeance” against a key witness whose identity and relationship to the boys and accused is protected under a publication ban.

The court was shown a message from Kamyshnyy to Witness A that said, “I killed them all” before he allegedly shared his intentions to take his own life.

A message shortly after reads: “Call for us the police and ambulance.”

911 call from C.D.

A 911 call from the 17-year-old boy, identified as C.D., was previously played for the jury.

“Please, please, please help,” the 17-year-old pleaded with the 911 operator during the call, which was made around 7 a.m. on Jan. 29, 2025.

“Please, please, he got a knife.”

‘He just said he killed them’

Witnesses who lived in the apartment building at the time of the murders testified they heard a commotion around 7 a.m. and one said they saw a puddle of blood in the hall.

A close friend of Witness A testified that he received a call from the witness the morning of the murders.

“He did it … he just said he killed them and he’s going to try to kill himself,” Corey Dugas told the court Witness A allegedly said to him over the phone.

Accused found covered in blood

The police officers who responded to the crime scene also testified at the trial and the court was shown their bodycam footage. They told the court they found C.D. lying in the hallway of the apartment and the younger boy, identified as A.B., lying in a bed.

The officers also testified that they found the accused sitting on the toilet, covered in blood.

The court heard that Kamyshnyy was first taken to the police detention centre and then to the hospital, where it was determined the wounds in his head were from two nail guns. He underwent emergency surgery to have them removed.

Boys died from multiple stab wounds

A forensic identification officer testified that he counted 16 different cut marks in the T-shirt worn by the 10-year-old victim and 11 in the shirt worn by the 17-year-old victim.

The man who performed the autopsies on the two boys testified that they both died from multiple stab wounds.

With files from CTV News Atlantic’s Avery MacRae and Nick Moore

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